Yepers, give me some time. Hey, after all the you see the size of that darn reply to ich ? Daaa, alright other than the meds suggested did you read the reply on ich above ? I believe I covered all grounds there. Keep forgetting some our fishies friends are across the pond. Big pond at that.
Now, here was what I wanted to reply. went ahead and retyped it all. daaaaa..
I use Maracide by Mardel Labs. I have used it for years and ALWAYS
get rid of the ich within the treatment time.Most times before treatment is scheduled to end.
This Medication will tinge the tank a slight greenish color but is removed once treatment is over with some freash carbon and a water change.
This meds cures a wide variety of external parasites and I highly
reccomend it. I have used and still got several other brands / kinds of ich meds that I personaly didn't find as affective.
I have used and some times use Quick Cure but again it's NOT as
affective with the ich.
Now you know ich can and will rermain dormant even if there
are no sighs of infections. If you are medicating the tank and stop
or meds were not powerfull enough it MAY appear the ich is gone but it can
be dormant and return normally is higher numbers and a worse out
break.
Me, all I do is treat as needed: 1 drop per gallon every 24 hrs for
5 days. And normally within 3-4 it's done and gone. I do a good
30-40 % water change, add freash carbon and within hours walla. Good
as new.
I use salt during water changes so I never really add some more nor
do I even add when treating for ich. In the cooloer months I will
run the heaters to assure the temp does NOT drop to fast nor get too
cold. This is most times the main cause for an ich outbreak.
I personally have problemns if any during the winter months. Cold
water fish are affected or stand a better chance of getting ich when
temps get warm. And vise a versa for warm water fish ( most cichlids )
are affected when temps get to cold. Secondary inffections, bad
tank maint., and stress can also and will make the odds of ich higher.
What is ich ? Ready ? hehehehehe
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis
Means " fish louse with many children" It was named as so because
one parasite can produce as many as 600 - 1,200 youngsters.
The parasite penetrates the mucous coat here the growth process
begins. The parasite feeds on red blood corpuscles and degenerated
epithelial cells.
When after some days in the fishs skin the parasite matures. Now
it's time to leave the host (fish) for reproduction.
The mature parasites having left the host, sinks to the bottom and starts to go
through even more changes, here it secretes a soft, jelly like cyst.
Here is where the water temp makes a diff on the time it takes to
develope and time / extent of infection accours.
The speed of this process depends on the temperature of the water:
normaly about 12 - 18 hours. Approx. 36 hours after the mature
parasite has left the host, the youngsters will be swimming in a
lively manner in search of a host.
Now the parasite has already entered the fish, ate, left to
reproduce and the young are now in search of food a host
( your fish )
Thus, in the aquarium the parasite leaves the fish (s) periodiclly,
but the fishes are infected again and again and everytime evn worse.
Developement of ich in the aquarium takes diff times, depending
again on the temp of the water.
From 78-80 *F the parasite will leave the fish 3-4 days AFTER the
spots were viss. to to naked eye. At temps lower than 70* this
period can take up to 4 WEEKS or more. Thus, increasing the temp
will decrease the time that the parasite remains in / on the fish.
But, it ALSO shortens the time before reinfection occurs.
Raising the temp should ALWAYS be combined with some form of
medication ( Maracide IMO ) HEAT ALONE WILL NOT KILL THEm. oops
sorry cap lock.
The young parasite can not life long without a host and die within a few days if non is present.
At longest a free swimming parasite can / or will not survive longer than 55 hours without a host. YOUNG
parasite that is, still got the mature ones to tend to . Meds and
raising the temp.
As I mentioned prior, most cases of ich occur in autum and winter,
If a completely healthy fish is infected by one or two parasites it
will not suffer muchy, and if the tank is NOT crowded the chances of
reinfection are NOT to great.
In such cases, infection may remain in a latent stage for a long
period,since the parasites in the skin of the fish it will grow very
slowly and consequently no symptoms of ich will appear.
However, if the resistance of the fish is weakend by unsuitable
conditions the parasite will have a better chance and THEN the
epidemic may accur.
This explains why epidemics often appear when tropicals are kept at
too low temps., while on the contrary, in cold water fish epidemics
may accur at too high temps.
Now here is the kicker,
Cysts of ich can often be found on water plants, which explains and
is how most time these parasites are smuggled from tank to tank.
Ever bought a fish that appeared healthy and when you get it home
and put it in your tank walla. ICH. As I mentioned above there are a
few factors that can and will contribute to ich and also how long in
lingers around.
There, Hope this helps and Hope you enjoy my Mini Book. LOLOLOL
You Guys were warned....
Increase aireation, Do a partial water change to eliminate
previously used meds, get some GOOD affective Meds ( Maracide), cut
back on feedings till problem is under control. I am surprised a bit
though because plecos are normally the last ones to get / show signs
of ich. Must be a pretty tough outbreak.
Danny
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