Ok, the ICH crisis in my 10 gallon just got more crisis-y. I noticed now that she has the ich around her gills :C I bought nox-ich just in case, but I'm thinking that I should medicate now.
I know I'm supposed to take the carbon out of the filter, but will the nox-ich upset the cycle? The tank already has a small amount of ammonia (less than 0.25 PPM) in it, and I'm concerned that medicating will cause an even bigger ammonia spike.
What should I do?
Last edited by hooxeii; October 29th, 2009 at 09:08 AM.
Reason: Changed title to reflect newer nature of post
Hi hooxeii. Have you raised the temp of your tank water? I don't know much about any ICH meds nor do I use any. More experienced members on this will give you a better way to approach. Sorry and good luck!
I have indeed raised the temperature, it's around 82-83, gonna try to get it to 84.
The only thing is she's breathing fairly fast and is going to the surface for air so much more than usual, I think the ich is impeding her breathing :/ Will she live long enough for the warm water to work??
If it's getting worse, to the point you'd say the fish are infested, medications are needed to save them. You can cure ich without meds if you catch it early enough.
You need to run an air stone with the temp that high to maintain O2 levels. Also, gasping at the surface is a sign of ammonia poisoning, so it's hard to tell exactly what the reason is for that.
Can you provide a pic?
Last edited by Jaysee; October 23rd, 2009 at 02:07 PM.
hooxeii..she is too weak for meds..the ammonia and cycling of the tank, on top of the ich, is taking its toll...you NEED the temps to 84 with the extra air stone to help her..it cant be 82-83 with it fluctuating with water changes a degree or two.it has to be a steady 84 ...is the heater faulty or something? ..just a small stone is needed not an entire wand or anything...see if you can get her to eat anything soaked in fresh garlic juice..that will help her immune system...the ich is spreading because the temps arent high enough to speed up the life cycle of the darn virus another small water change with some prime could help her..keep the temps to 84 tho
I'm so scared I'm going to lose her :/ She was being weird and showing vertical bars a little bit ago, which confuses me because horizontal bars are indicative of stress usually...
Both the other fish in her tank are fine. Not an ich speck on them...
On the same end, I'm nervous to medicate because it might mess up the cycle, stressing her more...
I'm so scared I'm going to lose her :/ She was being weird and showing vertical bars a little bit ago, which confuses me because horizontal bars are indicative of stress usually...
Both the other fish in her tank are fine. Not an ich speck on them...
On the same end, I'm nervous to medicate because it might mess up the cycle, stressing her more...
If your showing ammonia in your water there's a chance your cycle is already messed up. Maybe it's a false reading?
I've medicated and never had a issue with the cycle.
The heater is not faulty to my knowledge. I haven't changed the water today, but when I do I will use warm water only. Where does one pick up garlic?
I know you are scared..some of us ( me included) have been there and know how you feel!!
the 84 temps are very important to keep consistant for 2 weeks...dont worry about the cycle as its not there right now..you must do water changes, and id do one now , but dont make it warmer than 84..its crazy i know and hopefully shes a tough cookie and can hang on! shes had allot going on..dont compare her to others as each fish handles things differently...you can get fresh garlic in the jars at your grocery store and just soak ALL her food in some of the juice for the next few weeks..if you can get her to eat small pieces of it, that will help also....shes a tough gal as shes been through allot ..dont give up!
EDIT:
Jaysee please read all her threads on this fish before recommending meds...thank you
She seems to have made a small improvement already since I turned up the airstone. Not going to the surface as much A temporary reprieve, perhaps, but relief nonetheless.
I put one of her plants closer to the surface so she could rest on it... it was already pretty close, but I moved it up more...
Will a water change cause the ammonia to spike? It's just slightly above 0...
I have a small, almost 5 gallon plastic tank. My only issue is that I don't have another heater/light/other things for that one, and anyways heat can be tough to regulate in the plastic tanks. That tank is mainly for emergencies where I'd have to remove her without question.
I have a small, almost 5 gallon plastic tank. My only issue is that I don't have another heater/light/other things for that one, and anyways heat can be tough to regulate in the plastic tanks. That tank is mainly for emergencies where I'd have to remove her without question.
if you can afford a heater, and one of those small air pump filters, you could put her in the plastic tank alone and it would be much easier to get her healthy and target feed her...leaving the temps still at 84 in the 10g as the ich is present there now
If it's getting worse, to the point you'd say the fish are infested, medications are needed to save them. You can cure ich without meds if you catch it early enough.
Without pictures there's no way to know how bad the PARASITE problem is, and infested fish can easily die before natural remedies can turn things around. Then again, the meds can kill a severly infested fish as well, as you said. That's why it's best to maintain good water quality and avoid the problem alltogether.
It's been a while since I've had a fish die from ich, but it is something that does pops up from time to time.
I'm new to this forum - are we expected to read all the threads pertaining to a tank before posting? If so I'm sorry for not doing my due dillegence.
Without pictures there's no way to know how bad the PARASITE problem is, and infested fish can easily die before natural remedies can turn things around. Then again, the meds can kill a severly infested fish as well, as you said. That's why it's best to maintain good water quality and avoid the problem alltogether.
It's been a while since I've had a fish die from ich, but it is something that does pops up from time to time.
I'm new to this forum - are we expected to read all the threads pertaining to a tank before posting? If so I'm sorry for not doing my due dillegence.
I agree totally with you jaysee and im sorry if I sounded rude....but yes when you recommend something when a fish is so ill, it is best to know where the fish has been before and how it got where it is , so that the recommendations and advice can only better the situation ....the ich is something thats come up from other situations that hooexi is trying to remedy...salt and ammonia is a few of them I think if she medicated at this point, it might be too much..sorry if I didnt clarify...of course everyone has other advice and im sure hooxei will do as she see's fit again Im sorry
I know this fish has been through quite a bit and it's probably weak.
Keeping in mind, I don't know if this is ich or not and how bad it is or isn't.
I found this recommendation interesting: Successful fight against ICH
I saw that, thought about buying some, but my LFS and the local big chain pet store didn't carry it :c
I'd prefer to do things the natural way, honestly. Less stress on her, less on me, less on the beneficial bacteria which I need to eat the ammonia.
As of now, I'm not exactly sure how to phrase her condition. She's swimming around really frantically, and she's going to the surface a lot again despite my having upped the amount of bubbles from the airstone. The temp is right where it needs to be. The spots are still visible on her, and there are some in/around her gill membranes :C
She still has an appetite, ate a couple bloodworms tonight. I was unable to locate the garlic shawnie recommended. Anyone know of large-chain stores that carry them? Apparently walmart only has minced garlic...
Here's a video of her darting behavior... was not able to get a shot of her at the surface, but she is going to it. The bubbles you see for most of the video are from the extra air stone... does it look like its making enough oxygen?
Hi, you can use minced garlic, or buy a clove and squeeze out some juice. Put minced garlic on a toothpick and see if she'll eat it. Or you can buy liquid at your LFS, but that's expensive.
Good luck with your tank. I actually think that both shawnie and jaysee are giving you decent advice, and you should take the advice you think will work better for you.
Ok, shawnie was telling me to dip the bloodworms in the garlic to boost her immune system. Is the minced garlic really ok? It has phosphoric acid in it... I might just opt for the clove/juice method.
Somethings bugging her for sure.
I wonder, have you tried re-arranging her deco. Maybe covering the back with a background of some type so she doesn't feel all out in the open?
If you don't have a regular one, you can really use anything.
I use colored poster board.
Sometimes there may even be something next to their tank they don't like.
Just a thought, is all.
Edit: I use mince garlic juice from the jar, never had a problem with it
Hello Hooxeii. So sorry to hear your betta isn't feeling up to par. Clove juice? I've never heard of this being fed to a fish. Adding the garlic juice to her food is perfectly fine.
Best wishes!
Ken
the minced garlic in the jars is what I use...the juices you get from that are fabulous....dont use clove oil of any kind...we use that to sedate a fish before they are euthanized the fact that shes eating is great!! keep up the water changes and the warmer temps...the bubbles look fine for extra oxygen and the filter looks much better that shes not being blown around..great job!
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A temporary reprieve, perhaps, but relief nonetheless.
