Does Ich medication kill beneficial bacteria?

Hi All

Update that I was able to save 4 out of the 6 glofish tetras that were infected with ich. Here was my original thread I am a new fish owner. Is this Ich? | Freshwater Fish Disease Identification Forum | 518096. I used Ich-X and API General Cure.

So my question is, did the ich medication kill the beneficial bacteria that I spent months trying to build up? I'm noticing that my ammonia levels now hover at 0.5 to 1 ppm and nitrite at 2.0 ppm after starting medication with Ich-X. Before I started medication, the levels of ammonia and nitrite were 0 to 0.25 ppm.

The FritzAquatics website says that "Any medications containing copper, formaldehyde, malachite green, and methylene blue are extremely inhibitory or lethal to nitrifying bacteria". The Ich-X medication that I used says it has formaldehyde and malachite green.

Do I have to do daily water changes while trying to build up the beneficial bacteria again? I did not use a quarantine tank since all 6 of the fish were infected. I do not have any other livestock.

 

Hi SiennaMom
As you are now seeing some ammonia and nitrites in the water test then yes the bacteria has taken a hit.

The good news is it’s very likely some bacteria has survived and it will not be many water changes before the tank has a full working nitrogen cycle again.

Just checking you don’t have ammonia and nitrites in your tap water do you?

Sorry you need to smash out some water changes. Don’t clean any hard surfaces including the glass and hopefully it won’t be long.

I personally have never lost bacteria with those medications but all brands warn it can happen. Perhaps your cycle was not firmly established?

 

Hi SiennaMom
As you are now seeing some ammonia and nitrites in the water test then yes the bacteria has taken a hit.

The good news is it’s very likely some bacteria has survived and it will not be many water changes before the tank has a full working nitrogen cycle again.

Just checking you don’t have ammonia and nitrites in your tap water do you?

Sorry you need to smash out some water changes. Don’t clean any hard surfaces including the glass and hopefully it won’t be long.

I personally have never lost bacteria with those medications but all brands warn it can happen. Perhaps your cycle was not firmly established?

Thank you for the response, Flyfisha. I have low levels of ammonia in my tap --- like somewhere between the pure yellow of 0 ppm and the light green of 0.25 ppm.

It could well be that my bacteria weren't firmly established. I started fishless cycling January 4, and when it got to 0-0.25 ppm ammonia and 0 nitrite on February 3, I assumed that it was ready to add fish. That's not a full 6 weeks, which I've heard is the norm, but I assumed it was ready since it was 0-ish and 0 for ammonia and nitrite.

 

Sorry to hear that you're seeing some ammonia and nitrite. Just wanted to chime in and say that I have also never had my cycle disrupted by those medications.

 

Sorry to hear that you're seeing some ammonia and nitrite. Just wanted to chime in and say that I have also never had my cycle disrupted by those medications.

Thank you Freshfishguy. Nice tank pics BTW!

 

Thank you Freshfishguy. Nice tank pics BTW!

Thank you!

 

Until a cycle (the bacteria) has time to get firmly established it is still fairly delicate. I think that is why the medication affected your cycle.

If you don't already have it get a bottle of Seachem Prime. Try to keep the total amount of ammonia plus nitrites well below one with water changes and add Prime to detox what's left. Add enough to treat the full tank each time. There is still hope that all the bacteria didn't get killed off. Only time will answer that question.