Help With Ich Treatment

Hello FL

So last Thursday I noticed the first signs of ich in my 20 G tank.This tank has a school of sterbaI catfish, glowlight tetras, 1 Honey Gourami, & a mystery snail. I raised the temperature Thursday, didn't have any paraguard, but I ordered some. That came in saturday, & I've been dosing it everyday since. I also added a large air stone.

How should I continue & for how long ? Should I stop dosing & just keep the temperature up ?

 

You shouldn't raise the temperature and use meds. Do one or the other.

At this point I would slowly lower the temperature to normal and keep using the para guard. Just follow the directions on the package. Also, make sure you remove the carbon before putting meds in the tank.

 

Frequent and large water changes, with a vac of the substrate can help.

Constant fresh water reduces stress in a diseased fish. Also, frequent water changes removes the free floating Ich.

Ich falls of the fish and starts to float around the water or lands on the substrate. It then bursts and releases more Ich ready to infect another fish.

If the Ich that's in the water column can be removed, you've reduced the chance of the Ich infecting more fish.

 

What is the carbon media again ?

I think I have some sponge & the one with small rocks in my finger

 

What is the carbon media again ?

I think I have some sponge & the one with small rocks in my finger

Carbon = black

 

Carbon is usually in the form of a black filter pad or cartridge or black granules in a mesh bag, depending on the type of filter. It will remove medication.

 

So should I remove the black sponge media ?

 

So should I remove the black sponge media ?

Yes

 

So should I remove the black sponge media ?

Not if it's sponge material. Carbon (sometimes refered to as charcoal) should be a black rocky substance. Sometimes it is encapsulated inside of some fiber floss stretched over a plastic frame.

 

Frequent and large water changes, with a vac of the substrate can help.

Constant fresh water reduces stress in a diseased fish. Also, frequent water changes removes the free floating Ich.

Ich falls of the fish and starts to float around the water or lands on the substrate. It then bursts and releases more Ich ready to infect another fish.

If the Ich that's in the water column can be removed, you've reduced the chance of the Ich infecting more fish.

What about if you have plants and shrimp in the tank?

I just noticed the same problem myself. I am doing constant 25% water changes daily because m 5.5 gallons is not cycled yet anyway. But I noticed two celestial pearl danios with 2-3 ich spots. I am not sure if it affects shrimp, but I think there are white spots on them or it could just be natural for red cherry shrimp. I am 100% sure I got it from the store I ordered my fish, since one fish with a large white bump on it's head died within 24 hours of having arrived. Also I noticed the plants had tiny snails kept in them, so who knows what else.

Should I remove the hornwort, put it in a bucket for a week and just do constant water changes without cranking up the temperature? I don't want to buy medication because I hear it can kill your shrimp and my shrimp have just adjusted to the uncycled tank.

 

Okay, yeah it’s just strictly a black sponge, & the media bag rocks are white not black

 

TheFishmonger , I can't comment about your plant situation. My knowledge about plants is very limited.

Yes, most meds for Ich are probably not good for shrimp.

I have used the med Kordon Ich Attack on a tank that had some ghost shrimp, and they all lived. I used that med + heat + frequent water changes and I was able to get rid of the Ich without any fatalities.

 

TheFishmonger , I can't comment about your plant situation. My knowledge about plants is very limited.

Yes, most meds for Ich are probably not good for shrimp.

I have used the med Kordon Ich Attack on a tank that had some ghost shrimp, and they all lived. I used that med + heat + frequent water changes and I was able to get rid of the Ich without any fatalities.

I guess I will stick with water changes and gravel vacuum.