White spot - clown loaches

[Nuttygal! :0)]

I have completed the 4-day treatment for a nasty outbreak of white spot in one of my tanks. Out of the all inhabitants living in that tank, only 1 cardinal tetra and 2 clown loaches got it on their skin. The cardinal tetra died, but since I've been doing the treatment, the clown loaches are now absoulutely COVERED in the little white spots. They don't eat anything, just float around the tank, motionless. Shall I do the treatment again? I'm really worried because I love my little guys, I don't want to lose them too...

 

[Nuttygal! :0)]

Anybody? I'm really freaking out? Shall I take them out of the tank and add protozin?

 

[Jezah]

Do a dip in salt. 4 teaspoons in one gallon aqurium water. Leave them in the water for 10 minutes or so, obviously remove them if the seem distressed however. That should remove whatever ich(most likely what it is)that is clinging to their scales. It works beleive me. However you still need to do more treatments to destroy any remaining ich. I reccoment from this point on adding salt to your tank...it keeps most diseases away.

 

[Nuttygal! :0)]

Just one thing one -I don't have any aquarium salt - do you mean that or normal table salt? Because it's clown loaches I thought salt would kill them because they don't have scales? Am I wrong?

 

[Nuttygal! :0)]

Please help I'm worried about the poor little critters... ... . Is normal 'human' salt bad for them?

 

[CathyG]

Don't use salt on your loaches.

Carry out a water change, then start using the Protozin if you already have it. It is safe to use with loaches providing you half dose. Turn the water temperature up to 82.

Even better (I have found) is a product called Esha Exit, you can fully dose with loaches and it is biodegradable and will not harm your filter bacteria. You may wish to consider using another Esha product at the same time called Esha 2000, this contains a safe anti bacteria.

You don't say what products you have used already. If you have used anything, I would perform a water change then use carbon in your filter for a couple of days to remove any remnants of the old meds before starting a dose of different meds.

You may also want to drop an airstone in your tank, or angle your filter to the surface to agitate te water and aid gas exchange. Some meds reduce the oxygen levels in your water as does raising the temperature..

Continue to treat for a few days after the final white spot has disappeared. Good luck!

 

[Jezah]

Ah sorry, you are right. Loaches dont have scales so no salt. I have never had loaches before as I love my snails so it didnt occur to me they are scaleless. Unfortunatly since you cant dip them in salt you have to kinda hope the meds work...its a waiting game.

 

[coryd]

I've been there. You should never stop the meds after four days even if thats what the bottle says. Many people will tell you a minimum of two weeks is necessary. the key is to raise the temp in the tank to 82 - 84. You will soon see the spots drop off. Continue using meds for 3 to 4 days after spots are gone. remember, the meds don't remove the parasite, they just kill it once they leave the fish. i once had a fish covered in spots for almost two weeks! Again, the key was to get the temp up. Make sure you use proper dosage b/c loaches are sensitive to some, stronger, ich meds. What are you using?

 

[k2snowboards88]

I had a horrible outbreak of ich on my clown loaches too. My heater broke, and before i noticed it it was 65 degrees in the tank. The next day they were all sick.

Anyway, i cured all of them using kordon formalin3 and raising the temp to 84. I used the recomended dosage and changed about 30-40 percent of the water each day and added medication each day. It took 2 weeks to completely clear the ich, but i saved them. (don't forget to take the carbon out of your filter.)

If you can't find kordon formalin3 then just use any other medication with formaldahyde as the active ingredient. good luck.