Possible ich threat

[The Big Figfetti]

I purchased 2 rams from my LFS and had them in quarantine to watch them. I decided they looked and we’re acting ok and put them in my main tank.
Within 15 minutes, I noticed one of them twitch a few times and the other one had white spots that I hadn’t seen there before.

The shop treats for ich, among other things, and I hadn’t seen any signs while they were in quarantine.
But I decided to take them out of the tank anyway and back in quarantine.

I’ll continue to watch them, but now I’m worried that I may have infected my main tank.

Would 15 minutes be long enough to infect the tank, if it was ich? And how long will I need to look for signs on my main tank fish?

 

[Colin_T]

Post pictures of the fish so we can check them for white spot.

15 minutes is probably not going to infect the other tank unless a white spot parasite dropped off the infected fish during that 15 minute period. If a white spot parasite did drop off the fish during that 15 minute window, you should see white spot on the other fish n about 3 days.

If you are concerned about white spot, raise the water temperature to 30C and keep it there for 2 weeks. It will kill the white spot and you won't need medications.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence when you raise the water temperature.

Use a thermometer in the water to measure the temperature.

The following link has info on white spot. Post 1 and 16 are worth a read.

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...

www.fishforums.net

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Post pictures of the fish so we can check them for white spot.

15 minutes is probably not going to infect the other tank unless a white spot parasite dropped off the infected fish during that 15 minute period. If a white spot parasite did drop off the fish during that 15 minute window, you should see white spot on the other fish n about 3 days.

If you are concerned about white spot, raise the water temperature to 30C and keep it there for 2 weeks. It will kill the white spot and you won't need medications.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence when you raise the water temperature.

Use a thermometer in the water to measure the temperature.

The following link has info on white spot. Post 1 and 16 are worth a read.

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...

www.fishforums.net

Thank you! The white spots are hard to see the difference from the regular spots on the fins. But the pic where you can see it on the black is what makes me worry.

 

[Byron]

To be safe, as it certainly will not hurt this species to be in warmer water, follow Colin's advice to increase the water temp to 30C/86F for two weeks. No other "treatment" is needed, and with this species in particular medications can be very stressful which will only make the ich more stubborn.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

To be safe, as it certainly will not hurt this species to be in warmer water, follow Colin's advice to increase the water temp to 30C/86F for two weeks. No other "treatment" is needed, and with this species in particular medications can be very stressful which will only make the ich more stubborn.

I appreciate the quick responses from you both. I will keep the temp up for 2 weeks.

 

[Byron]

I appreciate the quick responses from you both. I will keep the temp up for 2 weeks.

Yu can do a partial water change in the quarantine tank to increase the temp a couledegrees, rather than relying solely on the heater. I always get the temp up to 30C within 24 hours, and then keep it there. Water changes during are fine, with a good vacuum of the substrate.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

I’m not overly concerned, but will that temp kill the frogbit, duckweed, and beneficial bacteria?

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Yu can do a partial water change in the quarantine tank to increase the temp a couledegrees, rather than relying solely on the heater. I always get the temp up to 30C within 24 hours, and then keep it there. Water changes during are fine, with a good vacuum of the substrate.

Should I do a water change every day? Or am I just concerned with the ammonia, Nitrite/Nitrate? I will be testing daily.

 

[Byron]

I’m not overly concerned, but will that temp kill the frogbit, duckweed, and beneficial bacteria?

No. Increase surface disturbance to bring oxygen into the water (more for the fish as warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen). I never had plants melt/die from this, in fact in summer before I had an air conditioner the tank water was always in the high 80's during the day.

Should I do a water change every day? Or am I just concerned with the ammonia, Nitrite/Nitrate? I will be testing daily.

While water changes where the parameters--these are GH, pH and temperature--are the same between tank water and tap/fresh water are not harmful, there is no point in over-doing it, and the fish are under stress (they do not get ich if not severely stressed as new fish usually are) so keep things calm. It is easy enough to do a water change just siphoning out, but charging around the tank with the water changer is not necessary.

As for amonia, nitrite and nitrate, these should not change because of ich. But a test won't do any harm. If there are changes though, do not start dumping in chemicals, do a post and members can sort it out.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

I’ve kept the tank at 86 to 87 degrees and I’m noticing a lot more spots on them today. Is this fine?
I’ve added an air stone and they seem to be stable.

 

[Byron]

I’ve kept the tank at 86 to 87 degrees and I’m noticing a lot more spots on them today. Is this fine?
I’ve added an air stone and they seem to be stable.

This is not surprising and I woldnotbe concerned. Make sure the temp is 86F/30C or higher. The life cycle of ich is lengthy, but it is only during the free swimming stage that they can be killed by heat or any treatment regardless.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Posting an update and a question.
Today is day 11 since starting the temperature increase. They have been doing great at 87 to 89 degrees. It’s been 2 days with zero signs of spots.

Would it be ok to keep them in here longer than 2 weeks or is that just unnecessary overkill?

And once I’m done with the quarantine tank, do I have to destroy anything that’s in it? I added a bag of stones for the beneficial bacteria. Has that died off with the heat or would it still have that living on it? And then the floating plants, do I need to trash them?
Or can I keep the tank at 90 degrees for a few days and everything will be ok?
I did not use any medication in this tank.

Thank you!

 

[Byron]

Today is day 11 since starting the temperature increase. They have been doing great at 87 to 89 degrees. It’s been 2 days with zero signs of spots.

Would it be ok to keep them in here longer than 2 weeks or is that just unnecessary overkill?

I would turn the heaters back down to normal after 14 days at the increased temperature. A few days more won't hurt. If I were ther to see the fish behaviours over say an hour or two-hour period, I would be able to asses it better, but I have found two full weeks sufficient.

And once I’m done with the quarantine tank, do I have to destroy anything that’s in it?

I never do this, but then I have never had new fish develop any disease issue, other than ich, and that cleared itself. I kept my QT tank for new fish (only) running permanently, planted but no fish, so it was always ready. I did water changes weekly, or every two or three weeks, depending. Ich will not survive more than a few days with no fish present to host. So they say. But unless you had to seriously treat for some bacteria/protozoan issue, I would not toss out anything. Hardscape can be washed/scrubbed under the hot water tap if you like. And I never use conditioner when changing water in the QT if there are no fish present.

As for the nitrifying bacteria...Temperature also affects the rate of growth of nitrifying bacteria. It will be optimal at a temperature between 25 and 30C/77 and 86F. At a temperature of 18C/64F it will be 50%. Above 35C/95F the bacteria have extreme difficulty. At both 0C/32F (freezing) and 100C/212F (boiling) the bacteria die.