Pleco Has Ick...need Help

[alscrx]

I have a 10 gallon tank with a pleco, 2 red eye tetra, 2 serpae tetra(1 of them i just got), 1 painted tetra(just got it). I noticed the pleco has white spots so i researched and came up with ick and a couple of cures.

First off, I did a vacuum and about 50% of water went with it using the python about 2 weeks ago before i got the new fish. I tested the water about a week later after adding the 2 new fish and realized the nitrate was way too high. Hoping it was from the new water i let it filter for another week just adding stress coat. So lastnight i realized the pleco has white spots on him. I never seen that before so i went out today to pick up some stuff to treat ick.

Here are my reading before i added anything.
Nitrite- 0ppm
Ph- 6.4
ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrate- 80-160

Guy at pet store said do a 25% water change so i did that today with vacuum and added 6 drops of tap water conditioner.
I also turned heater to 80 degrees. Added one teaspoon of aquarium salt. I used a pinch of PH up to try to get it to around 7.0 I also bought the Nitro-Zorb. I replaced my media in my power filter with the nitro-zorb and its currently filtering.
All this had to be done before using meds for ick i was told. How long should i wait to retest water?? I do not want my pleco to die. I had him for 2 years. The other fish i had about a year and 2 of them are new. I want to treat this ick right away but i know it may do harm if water conditions are poor.

PLease help!!
-Just got it
-notice missing eye and fins nipped
- notice white spots

 

[WILDER]

Best ti treat another week once spots have gone.
Good luck.

 

[alscrx]

Best ti treat another week once spots have gone.
Good luck.

But i didn't treat with meds yet cause the water quality. So how long should i wait now before using quick cure?

 

[Polenth]

Best ti treat another week once spots have gone.
Good luck.

But i didn't treat with meds yet cause the water quality. So how long should i wait now before using quick cure?

I'd treat the fish right away, but make sure to do water changes of 25% every week in future. Unless you did water changes you're not mentioning, it was leaving the tank without a water change for three weeks that made the nitrates rise. You have to change the water out to get rid of them, as the bacteria can't break them down.

 

[alscrx]

Best ti treat another week once spots have gone.
Good luck.

But i didn't treat with meds yet cause the water quality. So how long should i wait now before using quick cure?

I'd treat the fish right away, but make sure to do water changes of 25% every week in future. Unless you did water changes you're not mentioning, it was leaving the tank without a water change for three weeks that made the nitrates rise. You have to change the water out to get rid of them, as the bacteria can't break them down.

Should i use coppersafe or quick cure??

 

[LIL860]

When my fish had whitespot i used tetra contraspot treatment and turned my tank up 2 degrees. It seemed to do the trick after a couple of weeks the spots had gone and i did a 25% water change. Remove the carbon from your filter if it has any this helps the treatment work better.

 

[Spooky76]

I would not recommend having 2 serpae tetras with those other fish either. Take them back or if you really like them get some more as soon as your ich has gone. 2 on their own usually spells trouble for the other fishys.

 

[ryan2170]

Nitrite- 80-160

why is it that high?
do you not clean it out?

do you mean nitrate, not nitrite?

 

[alscrx]

Nitrite- 80-160

why is it that high?
do you not clean it out?

do you mean nitrate, not nitrite?

Yes, edited! I am not sure why its so high. I thought it was from my half water change.
Since my first post 3 fish died.
I have the pleco, and 2 red eyes left.

I had to move them into a hospital tank. A 5 1/2 gallon is all i had. I put a power filter in there, heater and some ick med. Hopefully they will do better in there. Any other suggestions??

 

[12azor]

How long were those fish put in your tank after you finished cycling your tank?

 

[alscrx]

How long were those fish put in your tank after you finished cycling your tank?

Those fish were added right away cause i didn't know much. But i had them for a while now and it wasn't unitl i noticed the spots that they started to die.

 

[12azor]

How long have they been in the tank now?