Ich outbreak, Need some urgent advice

[TomW]

I woke up this morning to find ich looking white spots on my pahntom tetras, i assume this outbreak occurred from a pleco i recently purchased that passed within 6 hours of being in my tank for no apparent reason as they have been fine for a month with no additions to the tank.

I have purchased some ich treatment on amazon so awaiting that now, but I read you can help combat ich by raising the temperature to 30 degrees Celcius, but I need to know if it's safe to do so with my fish inside the tank. I also have 2 Amano shrimp which I saw can be adversely affected by ich treatment and I have another tank which is small but only one filter and an air pump, will they suffice if I quarantine them with just an air pump and a couple plants if I take them out the tank?

Also just to double-check, I am going to proceed with the treatment for 2 weeks as suggested by the packaging and continue the 50% water change weekly, so how long should I keep the tank at 30 degrees? I don't want to cause any more harm to the fish.

 

[Essjay]

Most ich treatments will kill shrimps. Heat is the safer way to treat ich. The fish and shrimps won't be harmed by this.
Don't use medication and heat, just use heat alone. Warmer water cannot hold as much oxygen and medications also lower the oxygn content of the water so it is inadvisable to use both together.


Do a big water change and substrate clean to remove as many stage #2 parasites as possible. Refill with water warmer than usual, and turn the heater up to get a water temperature of 86 deg F/30 deg C. Leave the temperature at that level, or for a week after the last spot has gone if that's later. Then turn the heater back down and allow the temperature to drop to its usual level.
Since warmer water cannot hold as much oxygen, either make sure the filter is rippling the water surface to allow faster gas exchange or use an airstone. Or both.
When doing water changes, make sure the new water is warm enough to maintain 86/30 degrees.


Edit to add - you can put the shrimps in another tank and use the medication, but every trace of it must be removed from the main tank before puting the shrimps back. This could take many weeks. It is simpler to use heat alone.

 

[TomW]

Most ich treatments will kill shrimps. Heat is the safer way to treat ich. The fish and shrimps won't be harmed by this.
Don't use medication and heat, just use heat alone. Warmer water cannot hold as much oxygen and medications also lower the oxygn content of the water so it is inadvisable to use both together.


Do a big water change and substrate clean to remove as many stage #2 parasites as possible. Refill with water warmer than usual, and turn the heater up to get a water temperature of 86 deg F/30 deg C. Leave the temperature at that level, or for a week after the last spot has gone if that's later. Then turn the heater back down and allow the temperature to drop to its usual level.
Since warmer water cannot hold as much oxygen, either make sure the filter is rippling the water surface to allow faster gas exchange or use an airstone. Or both.
When doing water changes, make sure the new water is warm enough to maintain 86/30 degrees.


Edit to add - you can put the shrimps in another tank and use the medication, but every trace of it must be removed from the main tank before puting the shrimps back. This could take many weeks. It is simpler to use heat alone.

Thanks for the swift reply! I think ill cancel the order then for the treatment then and try to destroy it with heat, is it also possible to use aquarium salts to help? I am also going to purchase a new heater since I cant control the heat with my current one, are there any good ones you suggest where I can control the heat?

 

[TomW]

Also, I have 4 Guppies, 7 Phantom tetra (they gave me an extra one free haha), 3 corys and 2 Amano Shrimp, will they all be able to handle the temperature raise

 

[Slaphppy7]

Also, I have 4 Guppies, 7 Phantom tetra (they gave me an extra one free haha), 3 corys and 2 Amano Shrimp, will they all be able to handle the temperature raise

Welcome to the forum.

Don't use salt, just gradually increase the temp to 86F ...then, clean the substrate as directed above...after two weeks, gradually lower the temp back to where it normally is.

The fish/shrimp should be fine....add an airstone, warmer water holds less O2, so you want as much surface agitation as possible, to encourage gas exchange at the water surface.

 

[TomW]

Welcome to the forum.

Don't use salt, just gradually increase the temp to 86F ...then, clean the substrate as directed above...after two weeks, gradually lower the temp back to where it normally is.

The fish/shrimp should be fine....add an airstone, warmer water holds less O2, so you want as much surface agitation as possible, to encourage gas exchange at the water surface.

okay, ive done an initial water change and cleaned the substrate as that was due anyway, Ive filled up with slightly warmer water at 29 degrees c it was originally at 28 because the weather has been ridiculously hot here in the uk. Can you suggest a good heater for me which i can control the temperature of? thank you aswell for your reply. And I have a filter and an air stone running so lots of surface agitation.

 

[Slaphppy7]

okay, ive done an initial water change and cleaned the substrate as that was due anyway, Ive filled up with slightly warmer water at 29 degrees c it was originally at 28 because the weather has been ridiculously hot here in the uk. Can you suggest a good heater for me which i can control the temperature of? thank you aswell for your reply. And I have a filter and an air stone running so lots of surface agitation.

More than welcome.

Have a look at the Fluval M Series heaters, fully adjustable and submersible...I've had good experiences with them

 

[Essjay]

I use Eheim Jager heaters and found them reliable.

When you increase the temperature, use an internal thermometer to see what the temp is. Those stick on the outside thermometers are not accurate as they are influenced by the air temp. And virtually all heaters are poorly calibrated so you can't go by the setting.

 

[TomW]

I use Eheim Jager heaters and found them reliable.

When you increase the temperature, use an internal thermometer to see what the temp is. Those stick on the outside thermometers are not accurate as they are influenced by the air temp. And virtually all heaters are poorly calibrated so you can't go by the setting.

okay Ive ordered a Nicrew one with a controller and setting display. I have an internal thermometer to double-check the temp, but at least this way I can control the heat properly. I think when i get a larger tank I will invest in better heaters like a fluval or eheim but this is still my first aquarium. Also after I have done this cycle do the dead parasites get caught in the filter and eventually clear out of substrate after a couple of water changes and gravel cleans

 

[Slaphppy7]

With continued, constant temps around 86F, the protozoan will die in all areas of the tank.

 

[Essjay]

Regular maintenance water chnages and filter cleans will get rid of the dead parasites.

 

[TomW]

Regular maintenance water chnages and filter cleans will get rid of the dead parasites.

With continued, constant temps around 86F, the protozoan will die in all areas of the tank.

thank you for your help guys, I will keep it at 30 degrees for a week or so and see how it goes.

However, i phoned my local fish shop and they suggested using ich x which I have obviously come across in my research and I was contemplating using that, do you have any reasons i shouldnt do that?

I have also a 12L tank which I can use to quarantine the shrimp, but the store has said it will not harm them

 

[Slaphppy7]

thank you for your help guys, I will keep it at 30 degrees for a week or so and see how it goes.

However, i phoned my local fish shop and they suggested using ich x which I have obviously come across in my research and I was contemplating using that, do you have any reasons i shouldnt do that?

I have also a 12L tank which I can use to quarantine the shrimp, but the store has said it will not harm them

Do the heat method first, it works most of the time...no need in wasting $ on medications, for now

 

[TomW]

Im assuming by having a higher temperature I am going to lose some bacteria so should I monitor and add ammonia and nitrite digester every so often when necessary

 

[Slaphppy7]

Im assuming by having a higher temperature I am going to lose some bacteria so should I monitor and add ammonia and nitrite digester every so often when necessary

No, do not add anything, the higher temp will not kill your BB (beneficial bacteria).

"Nitrite digester"?