hopesmom

has anyone ever used Ich Guard? How many days did you have to treat the tank?
thanks!
Denise

hopesmom

can you treat ich and velvet at the same time in the same tank? or does using 2 meds at the same time screw things up even more? Denise

btate617

here is an article that you may find useful, hope it helps.
Brian
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

btate617

you can get a med made by Mardel..... it is Maracide.... it treats ich, velvet, and other external parasites. hope that helps.
Brian

hopesmom

Thanks Brian!

btate617

Yep

btate617

i dont know if you saw this on your other post........ just explains ich to you so you understand it better......
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php
Brian

hopesmom

thanks again, Brian! I will print that out and keep it, because I am getting so much info about so many things, and my little mind can't seem to remember it all...there is so much to know about this hobby! now I understand why somebody (maybe Gunnie?) has newbie forever under their name! I totally feel the same!
Denise

chickadee

Of all the cases of Ich that have been treated on this forum with the raised heat to the level of 85 degrees for 14 days, I have never heard of one case that did not work without the addition of salt or medication. If the fish can do without salt or medication it is just one less stressful thing for them to deal with. I do not go along with the use of either salt or medication for the treatment of Ich because they have not been necessary in any case that I have known of.

Rose

btate617

i agree...... i always raise the temp and let it go.(the only ich med i like is quick cure) if you use a qt tank it elimanates most problems that will come up.
Brian

chickadee

Denise-

First of all, you shouldn't use salt because you have a frog and a pleco who will not handle salt well and most of the ich medications contain medications which are going to be hard on your tetras. There is a medication called Quick Cure that you can use that is Formalin and Malachite Green that you can use but will have to cut to half dosage for the tetras. If the outbreak is severe, then I would recommend a medication called Clout. Velvet also usually needs a dark aquarium as the parasite thrives on light. put a dark colored garbage bag loosely over the aquarium or towels or something that lights will not penetrate and feed and medicate and cover as quickly as possible.

If the Ich Guard that you have has the active ingredients of Formalin and Malachite Green then you can use it with no problem on the tank but use half the recommended dose for the tetras or you will have them stressed.

You will also have to raise the temperature and run the airstone at a high level and leave it there for 14 days for the ich. Also remember to remove the carbon from your filter.

Rose

btate617

......

btate617

just going to give my experience here..... not trying to step on anyones toes. salt if used in the right amounts is fine for plecos, and catfish(and all scaleless fish for that matter) is it recommended, depends on who you ask. i only say this because before i had a qt. tank set up or a hosp tank i had to treat all the fish in the tank, as do most people do. but if a fish in your tank has ich, more than likely all the fish have it, even if the symptoms are not there. some show symptoms sooner than others . so if you dont treat them all, why treat 3 of your fish but not the other 2? i agree with chickadee, tetras do have a different doseage. and also she mentioned your oxygen...... the higher temp does effectt that..... if your air pump is not very strong then you can lower your water lever so that when the water comes back into your tank from the filter it breaks the surface of the water. this will help with your oxygen. it up to you on what you treat with, just like mixing certain types of fish..... what works for you may not for me..... and some people just dont like certain methods. good luck with it.
Brian

hopesmom

aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh! ok, I've got the temp up to 85, the light off, and a towel over the whole shootin' match. I will do another large water change tommorrow and this time no Ich Guard. Hopefully my ammonia will be at 0 again tommorrow. Today after the water change it was .5 I had changed the media the day before and I guess I started a mini cycle..grrr my poor fish. I feel like a horrible fishkeeper so far. Thanks everybody for enduring me...
Denise

LilaBean

i feel your frustration- - so many times i feel at a loss even though i have done everything i know i could have done-- i'm in the process of clearing up ich now and it's so hard waiting to slowly raise the temp while i;m worrying about my little ones--watching them to make sure they don't get worse- -- that was agreat article though-- and reassures me that i've done everything i possibly know how to-- LILA

chickadee

Let's have a progress report. How have things gone? Is everything okay with the ammonia levels now?

Rose