Ick treatment bad for cory?
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outofwater
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Best treatment for ick is to raise the temperature a few degrees (gradually). There's a "sticky" thread precisely on ick because it is such a common thing.
And you'll find that most if not all the experienced members here advise against any meds, real (like real drugs and stuff like that) or otherwise; unless it is a last resort thing or you've pinpointed exactly the disease to treat. (I'm not at that level of knowledge, btw; but I fully agree with that approach)
That's for many reasons: a medicine you want to apply for one or a few fish will affect the entire tank, or it can adversely affect some other fish, or more often than not we rush to add stuff to the water in a rush to fix things and might make things worse.
And you'll find that most if not all the experienced members here advise against any meds, real (like real drugs and stuff like that) or otherwise; unless it is a last resort thing or you've pinpointed exactly the disease to treat. (I'm not at that level of knowledge, btw; but I fully agree with that approach)
That's for many reasons: a medicine you want to apply for one or a few fish will affect the entire tank, or it can adversely affect some other fish, or more often than not we rush to add stuff to the water in a rush to fix things and might make things worse.
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Salt can also do well against Ich; about 2 table spoons per 5 gallons of aquatic or pool salt. Do the salt for two weeks, four weeks maximum or you risk kidney damage.
Can you post a clear photo of the affected fish so it can be better determined as to if it is in fact Ich?
As an aside you should not just have one cory as they are shoaling fish and need a group of at least six to do well.
Can you post a clear photo of the affected fish so it can be better determined as to if it is in fact Ich?
As an aside you should not just have one cory as they are shoaling fish and need a group of at least six to do well.
I agree completely. Raise the tank water temperature to 86F/30C and maintain that for two weeks. Increase surface disturbance to ensure a good gas exchange (oxygen/CO2) as warmer water holds less oxygen. This will not harm the cories even though they could not live at this high a temperature long-term, but for 2 weeks it is fine, just as it would be during a heat wave. No tetra species would be harmed by this either, nor indeed most tropical fish. And without question, it is much safer than any "remedy." The Super Ick Cure is malachite green oxalate, and I believe this is carcinogenic.
You can do a water change with a good vacuum of the substrate and raise the water a couple degrees as well as adjusting the heater.
This assumes it is ich. Can you post a photo of the tetra with the spots?
You can do a water change with a good vacuum of the substrate and raise the water a couple degrees as well as adjusting the heater.
This assumes it is ich. Can you post a photo of the tetra with the spots?
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What is ICH?
This is a common question that is often asked, what is ich and how is it recognisable and what causes it? The real term is ICHTHYOPHTHIRIASIS. OR commonly known as white spot. It is an extremely comon parasite that affects aquarium fish. It is highly infectious and potentially lethal and...
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My lonely voice says the malachite green treatment is the correct one, and that heat is a serious stressor for many fish. In Corydoras, because of their armour, Ich often lodges in the gills, and warm water carries less oxygen. When I have used heat, I have had losses. Malachite green, used in time, has always worked. Timing matters.
I would never use salt, as much a chemical as malachite green and much harder to remove. Its effect on the parasite's life cycle is slower.
55 years keeping fish, plus working in the fish business for quite a few. @outofwater is not speaking for the experienced members with that generalization.
Mutagenic dyes for parasites are one of the few real meds we have.
I would never use salt, as much a chemical as malachite green and much harder to remove. Its effect on the parasite's life cycle is slower.
55 years keeping fish, plus working in the fish business for quite a few. @outofwater is not speaking for the experienced members with that generalization.
Mutagenic dyes for parasites are one of the few real meds we have.
I will just say that my use of raising the temperature without any "medications" comes from my discussion on this topic with Neale Monks. There are very few in this hobby with his level of knowledge. I had stubborn ich in my tank housing 60 wild caught cories, plus upper characins, and he said this was the treatment for ich bar none. I am not qualified to argue that and I won't.
I also have Ian Fuller's view that heat is sufficient. For me, these two settle it.
I also have Ian Fuller's view that heat is sufficient. For me, these two settle it.
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Bdoggy
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Yes, that's ich. I would get the temp up to 86 within 24 hours. You can do partial water changes, raising the temp with each one by a couple of degrees to help. The temp at 86F/30C will kill the ich parasites in the free swimming stage. This takes a few days as the spots on the fish now will fall off, and drop to the substrate, and release dozens of free-swimming parasites and this is the only time in their cycle that you can kill them. So the sooner you start, the sooner it will be over.
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As many know I'm old school. Raising the temperature for Ich treatment has been recommended since I had my first tank in the late 1960's or early 1970's.
Also I keep my normal tank temperature at 81F. Won't stop Ich but WILL make it harder for it to infect fish.
Also I keep my normal tank temperature at 81F. Won't stop Ich but WILL make it harder for it to infect fish.
Doing this would be seriously bad for many species of fish, it's far too warm for them long term, especially many species of cories that are used to cooler temps. Long term stress on a fish isn't any better for it than a short-term battle with ich.
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I don't keep corys or any other fish that my 81F temperature is not proper.
I'm not saying in your case, I haven't checked the temp range for all your fish, and won't be! I just mean if anyone else reading along follows that advice as a way to try to prevent ich, when they may have very different fish that can't tolerate that temp range.
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Bdoggy
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It's a 10g tank... I turned the heater all the way up lol.. the thermometer is digital and reads exactly 82... So hopefully its not off by 2 degrees
outofwater
Fish Addict
Never said I was.
I often preface any comments or recommendations I make with full disclosure of my relative "newbie" status and the fact that the community as a whole and certain specific members do have more in-depth and lengthier experience than I do.
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