Very Bad Case of the ICH

[cherrybarbbaby]

HI Everyone:
Had my tank for over a year and never not prob.

NOW----I have ich.
I quartined my rosey barbs for a week but i did not notice any problems. I my have missed the ICH because they are Irridecent.

Anyway before I realized I had in in my tank (I swear I did not see any white spot)
I've lost: two tiger barbs and three albino barbs and 1 cherry barb. Interesting my rosey barbs (the carries of the ICH) seem uneffected.
Again, they did not have any white spots AT ALL ???!!! when they passed

I've treaded with Mardel Copper Safe Per instructions and this morning my strongest barb is pale as a ghost. I know he is going to be next. AND he is my favorite ans strongest fish. I don't know what else to do!

Before I added the mardel, I already had salt in my tank. I can't add any more until I do a water change.

Questions.
THe box does not say how often to retreat it just says its a month supply
I added the Mardel antibiotices to counter any secondary infections caused because the ich is so bad.(that what it said on the box)
My water is fine I've tested and all is normal.- should I do a water change anyway??
I'm at a complet loss!
**just put heater back in tank
THe white spots are not moving. they stay put like I sprinked salt on my fish and their fins are getting very thin and look as if they are splitting.

Has ich ever taken out a whole tank? I only have 6 fish left!!!
I would say nine but I dont think they will last another day.

 

[ajhainey]

I found malachite green worked best on stubborn Ich - don't know how effective copper safe is - but yes Ich can take out a whole tank. I lost all my danios and 8 tetras before I got on top of it finally...

aj xx

 

[bigfish]

ICH is a very fast disease to combat. I have found the waterlife treatments very effective at treating ICH but i'm unsure if they are available to u in the usa.

Have you tried to raise the temp to 80F this speeds up the life cycle of the parasite, all meds will only work on the free swimming parasite and not on the cysts themselves. (so the white spots will disappear slowly)

It took me 2 weeks to get rid of ICH in my Goldfish (Thankfully i didn't lose any) the fin erosion is part of the disease to as my goldfish did lose 50% of their finnage but thankfully grown back.

How old is your meds?

 

[bigfish]

One more thing don't forget to take the Carbon out of your filter as it will remove your meds and be a waste of time.

Keep us posted

 

[lagrant]

The best thing for it is made by Esher, and is called Exit. A quater water change before you dose up. On the first day you use the pipet to dose, second day another dose, and Bob is your uncle. We had a little outburst a while ago, and have just had another, bought some plants the other day and a few new fish which is where i think it came from. Exit treats the white spot whilst on the fish too!!!!!!!!. It is amazing turns the water green though. Once the 2 days are up you need to do about 30% water change. This definatley is the best stuff out there. Ross Good Luck.

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

Thanks everyone for the much needed advice and information.
Came home today, another Albino barb-gone!

I took out the carbon filter and increased the temp. did a 25% water change and added
another does of med (this is my second dose its been 36 hrs since my first) just half the does, I did not want to add too much

I'll keep you all posted, I suppose there is nothing left to do but hope for the best.
....I still can't believe almost half my fishies are gone!
My fav tiger barb is the last remaining tiger barb. He has the most white spots, I hope he makes it.

But the fish that infected my tank seem unharmed!!