What Ich treatment is safe to use with crayfish?

[flash]

Need to treat an outbreak of white spot on my fish. I've heard some treatments can be harmful to invertebrates. Which ones have you used or are known to be safe?

Thanks Ash

 

[steelhealr]

Hi..this may be too late, but, I treated with my Hammer's blue cobalt with Wardley's Ich treatment. He did great. Kept the heat up and did 10% water changes. Ich gone and 'lobster' still alive. Frank

 

[flash]

Thanks Frank. The whitespot mysteriously disappeared. But great for future reference.

Ta

 

[Never2Bknown]

Couple things you need to know here:

#1--You probably haven't seen the last of that ich. Ich has a cycle--its appearance of white spots on your fish is only part of that cycle. Right now, it is in your aquarium substrate as tiny cysts, but will soon reappear on your fish again to repeat the cycle. If you don't want it showing up again, it would be a good idea to treat your tank anyway because now is when it's vulnerable to medication. While its on your fish, it isn't treatable--which is why it's a good thing to keep the water warmer, because it speeds up the cycle, making it vulnerable sooner.

#2--Healthy, happy fish are pretty much immune to ich. They get ich when they are stressed out, which is why ich is more common in the winter than the summer because the water is often colder which stresses out the fish to a certain degree. My guess is that the reason your fish are getting ich is probably not because of cold water, but because they have a natural predator in their tank that is stressing them out--namely, your lobster. If you want a crayfish or lobster of any sort, keep it in a species tank. Fish and lobsters do not go together. Ever. Trust me, I would know--I tried putting a crayfish in my tank with disastrous results. Even if your fish are not getting chewed up by your lobster, they are probably being stressed out by it, which makes them more prone to disease. So, I suggest that you do yourself a favor and put the lobster in its own aquarium!!!!

 

[DarkSide]

Which isn't always true, since all animals have diffrent personalities, and fish always have a natural enemy in the tank unless there the biggest fish in there.

And just because theres some slow moving invertabrate in there home doesn't mean it stresses them, a crayfish will only try to catch slow bottom feeding fish that are usually smaller than it.

 

[Paul_MTS]

When buying for or using any treatemt with a invert in, make sure the chemical isn't copper based.

Copper will kill or severly injure any invert, most snail treatments are copper based to kill them off.

So just have a good look on the box before buying.

 

[Never2Bknown]

Which isn't always true, since all animals have diffrent personalities, and fish always have a natural enemy in the tank unless there the biggest fish in there.

And just because theres some slow moving invertabrate in there home doesn't mean it stresses them, a crayfish will only try to catch slow bottom feeding fish that are usually smaller than it.

Then I wonder what became of those fancy guppies I put in with my baby crayfish, which are neither slow nor bottom feeders....

hmmmmm.....

Oh, and by the way, for most fish, bigger doesn't necessarily mean enemy--take the guppy who tried chasing around a four-inch-long sailfin molly or the swordtail fry who love nothing better than hanging around my gigantic 5 inch bullfrog tadpole (a gentle algae eater) or the kuhli loach that was best buddies with a gigantic ghost knife or a billion other such cases...

Fish get stressed out by crayfish because crayfish their NATURAL PREDATORS and as such WILL try to catch any fish that comes near it!!! Like I said before, I would know!!! I have had far too much personal experience in these matters...

Oh, and when it comes to personalities---yes, it is very true that different fish have different personalities, but each species of fish has instincts that have always been there and always will be there. All oscars are naturally predators. All plecostomus are naturally algae eaters. All guppies naturally eat their own young. All male bettas are naturally aggressive towards other males of their own kind. All crayfish are natural predators of fish. All fish are naturally afraid of natural predators. Some things just never change.

 

[flash]

My lobster has eaten fish before now... usually the bigger ones!

Anyway back to the ich treament, my LFS recommended Protozin apparantly not copper based and should be safe. THe spots haven't come back yet and it's been a couple of weeks now. Don't really want to be putting chemicals in if their not really needed.

 

[simes303]

Fish and lobsters do not go together. Ever. Trust me, I would know--I tried putting a crayfish in my tank with disastrous results. Even if your fish are not getting chewed up by your lobster, they are probably being stressed out by it, which makes them more prone to disease. So, I suggest that you do yourself a favor and put the lobster in its own aquarium!!!!

Hi, I'm new here. I don't agree with what you say about crayfish. I've got two big ones and lots of small fish in my aquarium. They don't bother the fish at all. I've even seen my weather loach lying right on top of the crayfish. The crayfish aren't bothered, and they are a supposedly aggressive species.
Cheers, Si.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hi, I'm new here. I don't agree with what you say about crayfish. I've got two big ones and lots of small fish in my aquarium. They don't bother the fish at all. I've even seen my weather loach lying right on top of the crayfish. The crayfish aren't bothered, and they are a supposedly aggressive species.
Cheers, Si.

Welcome to the board, Si.

I would point out that while you claim that your weather loach is unbothered by the crayfish, the main thrust of the post you responded to is that the fish can be stressed. There are other fish in your tank, and you are currently dealing with an ich outbreak. The point being made was that stress, even imperceptible stress to our own observations, can lead fish to be more susceptible to disease. I'd imagine that while there's no connection for the crayfish to cause the ich outbreak, it is very possible that their presence did increase the likelihood that the fish would be more susceptible to the parasite.


Here at TFF, our goal is always to focus on 'best practices' whenever possible rather than anecdotal evidence. What works for one member might turn disastrous for another when moving away from best practice. There are very few species of crayfish that would be suitable with fish. Inverts with fish are generally best limited to snails and shrimp. Ultimately, of course, each keeper is responsible for their own tank and they must do what they feel is best. And following advice on a forum like this must be done 'at one's own risk'.

 

[simes303]

Welcome to the board, Si.

I would point out that while you claim that your weather loach is unbothered by the crayfish, the main thrust of the post you responded to is that the fish can be stressed. There are other fish in your tank, and you are currently dealing with an ich outbreak. The point being made was that stress, even imperceptible stress to our own observations, can lead fish to be more susceptible to disease. I'd imagine that while there's no connection for the crayfish to cause the ich outbreak, it is very possible that their presence did increase the likelihood that the fish would be more susceptible to the parasite.


Here at TFF, our goal is always to focus on 'best practices' whenever possible rather than anecdotal evidence. What works for one member might turn disastrous for another when moving away from best practice. There are very few species of crayfish that would be suitable with fish. Inverts with fish are generally best limited to snails and shrimp. Ultimately, of course, each keeper is responsible for their own tank and they must do what they feel is best. And following advice on a forum like this must be done 'at one's own risk'.

Okay, fair enough. I only have experience of one crayfish species, in one particular tank, with only 6 different fish species. I've had the crayfish for over a year now though, and I am absolutely certain that they do not bother the fish. My smallest fish are an inch max, and none have ever gone missing. The only thing the crayfish have ever eaten are the plants, and that is rare.
As you say, I'm currently dealing with an Ich outbreak. This was entirely my own fault for not quarantining new arrivals for long enough. A lesson learned, even after years of keeping fish. I won't make that mistake again.
Thanks for your excellent site and forums. Si.