The worst ICH infection I've ever seen

[Narideth]

I can get my hands on the Seachem Kanaplex by tomorrow. I think this may be the solution, I'm going to start dropping the temps in my tank right away and hold off on any more ich treatments. The salt should still be beneficial according to that page, but I have everything else already to make the food. Fingers crossed.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Actually salt is the best because there are different types of bacteria which require different anti-biotic.
If you use the wrong anti-biotic, it won't help anything.
You have gram positive and gram negative bacteria.
Some medications work for only gram positive or gram negative but some work for both.
But even among the gram positive and gram negative, there are many different types of bacteria.

How much salt are you using?
Too low dosage also won't work.
I think you can use 1 tablespoon of salt for every 10 liter of water.

Reduce your temperature if the infection is caused by bacteria.
At high temperature, bacteria multiply even faster.
Also, if you use salt, you don't need to use heat anymore if you want to kill the parasites. Salt should be enough.

Take note that in small and crowded tank, bacteria or parasites infection will multiply even faster.

 

[JBAwrench]

Get rid of the whole stock.....drain all the water and start over.

 

[Narideth]

The tank is a 30 gallon and was not too heavily stocked. Now it's even less so. Good parameters, nitrates a little high but coming down with more frequent water changes. Dropping the temps already but it'll take some time.

I added the salt per the instructions on the container. 1 tbs/5 gallons - added over 2 days in 2 tbs increments to let the fish get used to it.

Get rid of the whole stock.....drain all the water and start over.

... I'm not going to ditch my remaining fish without trying to save them. They're not just 'stock'. I raised some of these little guys from babies.


Thanks to everyone who's put in advice so far. Getting away from ich being the cause is a huge help so I can reverse the treatments. If anyone has any other info, keep it coming!

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I forgot to mention about water change.
Actually 20% water change is too little.
Usually when treating disease, you need to change at least 70% to reduce the number of the bacteria or parasites.
Also, with cleaner water, the medication will be more effective.

I made a water change for my Discus tank just now.
I change 90% of the water once a week.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Here are some useful info for bacteria treatment and anti biotics.

Aquarium Medications Part 2 | Antibiotic & Antimicrobial Treatments

Aquarium & Pond medications Part 2, antibiotics and antimicrobials such as Kanamycin, Triple Sulfa, Tetracycline, Metronidazole, Nitrofurazone, Neomycin, & more. Based on research from aquarium keeping guru Carl Strohmeyer

www.americanaquariumproducts.com

Aquarium Medications and Treatments Part 1 | How They Work & Use

How aquarium and pond medications and treatments work. Information as to gram positive or negative, aerobic or anaerobic, dosage and diseases they are effective for. By fish/aquarium disease expert/guru Carl Strohmeyer

www.americanaquariumproducts.com

 

[JBAwrench]

The tank is a 30 gallon and was not too heavily stocked. Now it's even less so. Good parameters, nitrates a little high but coming down with more frequent water changes. Dropping the temps already but it'll take some time.

I added the salt per the instructions on the container. 1 tbs/5 gallons - added over 2 days in 2 tbs increments to let the fish get used to it.



... I'm not going to ditch my remaining fish without trying to save them. They're not just 'stock'. I raised some of these little guys from babies.


Thanks to everyone who's put in advice so far. Getting away from ich being the cause is a huge help so I can reverse the treatments. If anyone has any other info, keep it coming!

I have as well, only thing is whatever your fish have is now living in the water column.... and will not leave until it is starved of a host.

 

[Narideth]

Approx 60% water has been changed out, I added the salt back in, and left the water a bit lower in the tank to allow the filter to agitate the surface a bit more. I'll just keep updating here as I proceed through the steps I take.

Temp is down to 84 degrees from the 88 it was earlier, still cooling slowly.

Lost 2 more fish.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yes... definitely no need to drain the tank...

Sorry to hear you lost 2 more. You are doing everything you can right now...

 

[Narideth]

The medication came in... and it was packed wrong. I was sent Metroplex instead of Kanaplex, which now I can't get in until Monday and no one stocks in person. Why you gotta do me like that Amazon.

Temps down to 80, only 2 fish left alive now.

 

[squidneh]

I can't offer much more advice than has already been given, but I wanted to say I'm sorry for the outbreak and loss of your fish. It's an unfortunate side of the hobby that we all experience at one point or another. It's how we learn and become better fish keepers. You're doing what you can to save the remaining fish and that's what matters.

 

[Narideth]

Thank you for that.

I'm taking some temporary emergency steps. Removing the fish from the main tank to a measured amount with 2x the salt content, since I can watch them. They're bag floating to adjust temps right now with a bit of the higher salinity water added incrementally to adjust them to it. Salt is about the only thing I have left to use without meds

 

[Narideth]

Somehow through all of this, 2 types of meds, salt, heat numerous water changes no doubt throwing the chemistry all over the place... there are two blue dream shrimp that I pulled out of my shrimp colony with the beginning plan to start a new one just... chilling in their little breeding enclosure, wondering why all of the fish are gone.

Couldn't put them back as I didn't want to risk giving this to the guppies in my shrimp tank. I just didn't think they'd survive at all... and somehow they're totally fine. I didn't expect them to catch the fish disease but I was certain the treatment would take them out. Toughest shrimp ever.

 

[JBAwrench]

Somehow through all of this, 2 types of meds, salt, heat numerous water changes no doubt throwing the chemistry all over the place... there are two blue dream shrimp that I pulled out of my shrimp colony with the beginning plan to start a new one just... chilling in their little breeding enclosure, wondering why all of the fish are gone.

Couldn't put them back as I didn't want to risk giving this to the guppies in my shrimp tank. I just didn't think they'd survive at all... and somehow they're totally fine. I didn't expect them to catch the fish disease but I was certain the treatment would take them out. Toughest shrimp ever.

Ssooo.....are you goi g to drain the water now??

 

[FishGuest5123]

Don’t stress the fish even more by moving them. Leave hem in the main tank as it will need to be treated too. I always use a combination of Kanaplex and Furan-2. In my opinion, these are the best. The Kanaplex is an antibiotic and the Furan-2 treats bacterial issues. Kanaplex is absorbed through the gills and skin Of the fish. No need to Mix with food. Good luck!