My luck finally ran out (ich)

[PheonixKingZ]

"Heat only speeds the cycle process and doesn't actually kill the parasite."

Who said that?

 

[Snagrio]

Who said that?

It was another forum I'm in (like to post in a couple different places to get a wider range of opinions). Several people said that higher heat doesn't kill the parasite directly, just speeds up the production cycle so the more vulnerable free-swimming stage gets exposed to the medication faster/more frequently.

Regardless, point is I'm getting 5 different ideas of what to do and it's overwhelming.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Well that’s certainly not true.

 

[Essjay]

Heat, like medication, only kills the parasite in stage #3, the free swimming stage.

Using heat and medication is not good for the fish. It should be one or the other.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I used Seachem Paraguard for the full 2 weeks as prescribed for an ich outbreak I had, worked perfectly.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

"It might not even be ich in the first place."

I did say that I wasn't convinced it was ich bzsed on the photos, since i could only see one white spot on each fish, but followed that up by ASKING if there were multiple spots, and tagged Colin for a better consult.

But I'll remember not to try and offer advice to you again.

 

[Snagrio]

I did say that I wasn't convinced it was ich bzsed on the photos, since i could only see one white spot on each fish, but followed that up by ASKING if there were multiple spots, and tagged Colin for a better consult.

But I'll remember not to try and offer advice to you again.

I expressed confusion over receiving a varied amount of information at the same time, that's all. The passive-aggressiveness is not necessary.

At this point, I really don't know. It's been a couple days and I haven't seen an explosion of white specks over many fish, but I have seen at least one or two fish with a new random white spot that wasn't there before (I think, it's very difficult to discern with 17 identical-looking fish). So I don't know if that means my swift treatments already put a dent in the ich populations or that it isn't ich at all.

Speaking of treatments, think I'm going to stick with heat only. Did a little more digging into MetroPlex and apparently the stuff only works if ingested, which is almost impossible to do with hatchets because, as both my research and now personal experience showed, they are a pain in the butt to feed. If it's not directly on the surface or right below it, it might as well not exist to them.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

MetroPlex and apparently the stuff only works if ingested

Yes, you have to mix it together with frozen food sort of like a paste.

 

[Snagrio]

I'm getting really frustrated. I took a much closer look and it has to be ich, for absolute certainty. One fish in particular has several dots that weren't there yesterday and there's a couple more that didn't have dots before that do now.

The more I research the more conflicting info I get. I've heard everything from heat, to malachite green, methylene blue, seachem paraguard, salt (and different kinds of salt) and it's driving me crazy trying to pick something that will actually freaking work. I spent over $100 on these fish and I don't want to lose the whole shoal over this stupid parasite.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Check out this thread: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/what-is-ich.7092/page-2 (especially the “Treatment” section)

 

[Snagrio]

Have slowly been raising the temperature over a couple days' time to 87F (only using heat now, no medications). Between that and bi-daily water changes, it's now but a waiting game.

On the bright side I think I've acted quickly enough before things got too out of hand. There hasn't been an explosion of spots in the shoal (at the most one fish has around three spots, with a few others only having a couple or so) and everybody appears stable with no casualties thus far into treatment.

 

[Snagrio]

I think I've about won the battle. The visual signs of ich have almost disappeared (maybe one or two very tiny dots for the entire shoal left), the hatchets are feeding well and I've seen at least one of the two farlos actively grazing on a cucumber slice so they aren't starving after wiping the tank clean of algae.

I shall of course keep the quarantine and heat treatment going for a couple weeks minimum to make absolutely sure the problem is fully eradicated, but I believe the worst is over.

 

[Snagrio]

Hmm... I'm still seeing evidence of the parasite on the hatchets. Not the large spots like it was at the onset, they're very tiny (and in fact very difficult to see on their silvery bodies except on the fins), but present nonetheless on several individuals.

Is that how it's supposed to be at this stage or would it be completely gone by now if the treatment was fully effective?

 

[Naughts]

If you have completed 2 weeks at 86° the ich should be treated. Make sure you do two weeks, if there are still spots on the fish it could be scars? Post new photos of the effected fish.

 

[Snagrio]

It's been two straight weeks of 87 degree (Fahrenheit) heat treatment + frequent bare bottom siphoned water changes and there's still ich present. Very faintly but still there. Every time it seems like they're disappearing another odd spot or two appears to take their place.

Should I resort to medication by now? Have been thinking of trying Seachem Paraguard.