Help! Ich

[Vikasr]

I had 2 healthy glofish tetra in my 20g planted tank without any problems since several weeks.

Got 2 more new glofish tetras Thursday late evening. This tank at the fish store in which these tetras were kept had slightly dirty water but my pervious experience with this store has been fine, so I proceeded to buy these 2 fish. The fish in the bag looked fine, except that they were breathing fast, which I thought would be due to the dirty water. After putting them in my tank, they looked stressed at first. Next morning they were hiding behind plants but by afternoon / evening both were getting acclimated.

Today morning both were at ease but I could see both the new fish having white spots that look like Ich on their fins and body. They are swimming and breathing fine, ate bits. I could not see the Ich yesterday. Old 2 glofish dont have Ich (I could not see any). Water parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <10
Ph: ~7.0
Temperature: 30-31 deg C
GH: 3 deg
KH: 7 deg

Photos of the fish attached. Can somebody guide me how to treat? I don't have a quarantine tank.

 

[Colin_T]

If the water temperature is 30-31C just leave it. The white spot parasites die at 30C so as long as the water stays at 30C (day and night) for a week, the heat will kill the parasites and you won't need to use any chemical medications.

Just increase aeration to maximise the oxygen level in the water.

 

[Vikasr]

If the water temperature is 30-31C just leave it. The white spot parasites die at 30C so as long as the water stays at 30C (day and night) for a week, the heat will kill the parasites and you won't need to use any chemical medications.

Just increase aeration to maximise the oxygen level in the water.

Done. Thanks

 

[GaryE]

I know that in the aquarium industry there have been reports of Ich forms adapting to the heat method, so watch it closely. Most forms of Ich will die at 30, but you might want to invest in a little bottle of malachite green medication just in case. You are in a hot climate so the parasite will have been living in hot conditions, I expect.

 

[Vikasr]

I know that in the aquarium industry there have been reports of Ich forms adapting to the heat method, so watch it closely. Most forms of Ich will die at 30, but you might want to invest in a little bottle of malachite green medication just in case. You are in a hot climate so the parasite will have been living in hot conditions, I expect.

How would I know whether to treat with malachite green or not?

 

[GaryE]

If the spots spread after a couple of days. I personally treat all ich (in Canada where my tanks never reach 30!) with medications, and mistrust the heat method. I used it in the past, but saw resistant ich on fish imported from Indonesia and Thailand a couple of times. Luckily for me, it was a local store that did direct imports, although the last time I used heat, it didn't work.

 

[Vikasr]

I am unable to get malachite green here. The shops sell the bottled medicines for ich. The liquid is mostly light blue (contents not mentioned) or dark blue (I think that is methylene blue).
Can anybody suggest any branded medicine that I can try to get?

 

[Byron]

Glofish are derived from the Balck Skirt/Widow Tetra, and this is a characin. Never use any chemicals or medications with characins except as an absolute last resort. I do not see the case here as anything approaching a last resort.

Neale Monks told me heat was the safest treatment. It certainly worked for me.

 

[Vikasr]

So lets try with heat first.
What I am worried about is that the day temperature here has been reaching 40 deg C in the day and my tank temperature has been 30 / 31C since last 1 week. Maybe at night it goes to 29C. Should I turn on the heater at 30C just for precaution? Its possible that the store from where I got these 2 fish has lower water temperature as the tanks are kept in an area with no windows or sunlight so might be a bit cooler.

My concern is that in such a situation the ich has come. It may be heat resistant.

 

[Dexter Leopard Frog]

I had some troubles and before i realised what it was Dexter died. I then used eSHa 79002 EXIT Anti WhiteSpot Treatment 20ml and treated rest of the tank. Why oh why i did not use it earlier I also thought i was gonna lose 2 platties too but they recovered. Picture of him before his health quickly went down hill.

 

[Byron]

So lets try with heat first.
What I am worried about is that the day temperature here has been reaching 40 deg C in the day and my tank temperature has been 30 / 31C since last 1 week. Maybe at night it goes to 29C. Should I turn on the heater at 30C just for precaution? Its possible that the store from where I got these 2 fish has lower water temperature as the tanks are kept in an area with no windows or sunlight so might be a bit cooler.

My concern is that in such a situation the ich has come. It may be heat resistant.

Do not assume the ich is heat resistant. And keep the tank water temp at 30C/86F (or above) for two full weeks, day and night. Lowering the temp can allow just one parasite to break through.

 

[Vikasr]

Today the fish were looking a bit different and the older ones (deep pink / purple ones) also looked a bit different. It's clear that the disease has affected the older 2 fish as well.

The white spots are not that clear any longer. The fins have a smudged look... like mould growing on them instead of the earlier crisp white spots on the fins and body. Fins of the fish have drooped a bit.

Some photos taken today attached. From my first post the earlier photos can be seen. Are things improving or getting worse?

 

[Naughts]

I am unable to get malachite green here.

This is why people recommend heat :
Malachite green is banned, regulated or monitored in many countries (UK, US, Europe etc.) due to health concerns.

It is carcinogenic and teratogenic and reported to cause mutagenesis, chromosomal fractures, and respiratory-pulmonary toxicity.
Several varieties of fishfood are also banned due to persistent malachite green contamination as the carcinogenic substance is stored in the fish's tissues, in particular the liver, for long after the malachite green can no longer be detected in the water.

Along with the targeted organism ich, it will also completely eradicate all the beneficial micro organisms that are part of a balanced ecosystem in an aquarium.

 

[Vikasr]

Today I see fin rot starting in some fish

 

[Colin_T]

The cream stuff on their fins is excess mucous caused by something in the water irritating the fish. A big water change and gravel cleaning the substrate should get rid of the excess mucous.