Treating ich w/ new babies

[juliethegr8t]

A few days ago... maybe 5 or something, I brought home a platy mom who was fit to bust. I've had bad luck with fertile females, so I figured buying a preggo was a safe bet. She is really gorgeous, sunset with wag tail and fins. Anyways, I have been gone from Weds till earlier today (Sat), and she had her kids sometime while I was gone. My neighbor removed her for me from the breeder I had her in, so I've got a good 30 babies or so. Yey for that. Alright so that's the good news...

Bad news? I just looked at mommy closely, and she has ich. A decent case of it too. I don't know how old the babies are, but obviously only a few days, if that. Sooooo I'm terrified to treat that tank with ich meds!! I don't want to move babies because I think that is even more scary... and because they are carrying the parasites now too. Or at least will be. Anyways, I will probably use Maracide to treat it.. I've used it before and it seemed to work. However, I don't know if it's safe with such new babies. Anyone know?! I'm gonna start treatment tomorrow if I don't hear otherwise... water change and then I think it's every other day. I can't put in salt, cuz I have three cories in there. If anyone has tips or knowledge, PLEASE share.. I'm very worried and don't want to lose these kiddos.

 

[silver]

Hi Julie......

I got rid of WHATEVER PARASITE was in my 55 gallon AND my 30 gallon with Coppersafe and high temp.....84 degrees to be exact! I actually used less coppersafe then they said to use....about half of the dosage and everyone is A OK and no more parasites!! My finicky SDs were fine with it and they were very bothered by whatever they had....so were my cories and my Rainbowfish and my gourami that is in my 30!



Just a thought.....

Sorry you have to deal with this....UGHHHHH!!!

 

[juliethegr8t]

Thanks silver.. you're a sweetie. I'd love to try that stuff, sounds good, but I can't... I've got a few live plants in that tank and copper is a death sentence for them.

 

[yhbae]

Has anyone in this forum used high-temperature method to treat ich? Fortunately, I only had to treat ich ones so far, and I have not used any medicine to treat ich. It was successful with no dead fish at the end.

 

[juliethegr8t]

I've been readin now, and everything I read says that ich meds will kill fry, if the ich doesn't. And what I'm thinkin now is that mommy didn't have ich showin when I got her... and she's not contagious right now. Should I remove her and just treat her? I'd have to do it in a jar or somethin which would suck.. and then I guess I could treat the tank with a lesser dose. Or I could just do that anyway. Help!

 

[juliethegr8t]

C'mon somebody?! I moved the babies into my fry tank (still in their breeder). Decided it was less risky to do that then to expose them to meds this early in their lives.... I just have to hope they aren't carriers or already have it. All I am exposing them to though is 5 zebra danio juvies... could be worse. So I'll start treating the entire tank tomorrow full dose I think. Maybe a few drops in the fry tank. I dunno.

 

[silver]

Hi Julie!!!

Where is everybody today



I used Copper at half dosage and my plants are still alive Just to let you know!!

I think what you have done is what I would have done too....I'm NOT an expert by ANY means but I think your fry may be okay......How high of temp. can you safely raise it too with the fry....and can you add a pinch of salt to fry tank??

 

[Opcn]

instead of ich med you could just continually do massive water changes like 300% a day all ich meds do is clear out the free swimming ones water change will do the same thing. Good luck

 

[sunflower]

You have to treat the water too hun cos ich has a free swimming stage where its in ur water and u cant see it.

I asked the same Q in chat a few days ago and was told that you have to think of your adults.

Sounds like your dammed if you do and dammed if you dont treat anyway.

I'd risk the meds.

 

[Joviella]

I have used ich meds on a fry tank before with no casualties. I put in just under half of the recommended dose.....and it worked. If you do this though,make sure to do the water changes advised,and put in a carbon filter at the end of treatment.

 

[jvis0606]

Fry can be amazingly resilient. If you can separate them for a couple of days while you treat, that's great. My adult white molly just came down with fin/tail rot (which was so weird to see in person) and so I have been treating the tank, and I have several fry in there as well who seem fine. Well, at least I hope so. But do water changes often and clean that gravel!