Question About Ick

hey guys! It’s been a while since I posted here, but recently I purchased a pearl Gourami. After 2 days I noticed he had some white spots on the fins and head. I thought it was ick so I turned up the temp to 89F. This morning he is acting fine but 2 is my cardinal tetras died. I checked my parameters it was 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 10 nitrate. I also did another water change as well but the temp went back down to 85F. So my question is: Do I just keep up my tank temp at 89F to get rid of the ick? I don’t want to use salt because I have Cory cats and otocinclus in my tank. I’ll try to get a photo of my Gourami later if someone can actually ID if my Gourami has ick. Thanks!

 

I think the temp might be the problem. Though tropical fish can handle high temps, that might have been too high. I kept my tank at 84F and got rid of ich with no casualties. I did use aquarium salt though, because I had guppies and a molly. I got rid of the salt afterwards or most of it by doing 25% water change every other day.

 

I think the temp might be the problem. Though tropical fish can handle high temps, that might have been too high. I kept my tank at 84F and got rid of ich with no casualties. I did use aquarium salt though, because I had guppies and a molly. I got rid of the salt afterwards or most of it by doing 25% water change every other day.

I think I might try salt but would the cories and otocinclus be alright with that? Thanks

 

84 is just the Optimum temperature for ich to thrive. Not for the fish. Most of the strains of Ich stops reproducing at 30Deg C. I(from the tropical climate) increase heat upto 32Deg C) for treatment. Never lost a fish except once when I tried to use a formalin based medicine along with it. I don’t often use salt.

 

84 is just the Optimum temperature for ich to thrive. Not for the fish. Most of the strains of Ich stops reproducing at 30Deg C. I(from the tropical climate) increase heat upto 32Deg C) for treatment. Never lost a fish except once when I tried to use a formalin based medicine along with it. I don’t often use salt.

Thanks for the response! So I should bump down the temp to 32C and just do 2 gravel vacs a week for 2 weeks or 3? Thanks! I’m also close to home so I will be able to get a photo of my fish soon

 

I am going through a bout with ich right now.

Keep in mind that the spots on the fish (cysts) are themselves not treatable with anything except heat, but you would have to raise it (I've heard) to 89+. Your fish probably won't tolerate that.

That said, when heat will speed the cycle. Some say raise it up fast, some say a few degrees every hour or more or your fish won't cope. Depends on how they do in higher temps. Make sure you aerate the water better at higher temps. Lower your water level if you have HOB, or add an airstone - I did both. The warmer the water, the less oxygen it can hold. Your bottom dwellers will feel this the worst, so watch their breathing.

I have loaches and don't want to use salt or meds.

When the cysts burst, they will release ich pods (there is a technical name just not using it here). These pods fall to the substrate, on plants, etc. Vacuum your substrate, plants, decor. A lot - this is what will physically remove them from the tank. I am doing 25% WC every day to be able to vacuum and re-aerate the water. Above some say 86 degrees, these "ich pods" can't reproduce and develop ich spores. Hundreds or thousands of them. The pods burst and let the spores into the water column. If you have gravel, I would recommend a daily vacuum, but that is just me. Water changes will also help aerate your water.

Just my 2 cents based on some guidance I have received and a LOT of reading. I am testing my parameters daily to ensure I haven't crashed my cycle and keeping my TDS within 10-20.

 

I am going through a bout with ich right now.

Keep in mind that the spots on the fish (cysts) are themselves not treatable with anything except heat, but you would have to raise it (I've heard) to 89+. Your fish probably won't tolerate that.

That said, when heat will speed the cycle. Some say raise it up fast, some say a few degrees every hour or more or your fish won't cope. Depends on how they do in higher temps. Make sure you aerate the water better at higher temps. Lower your water level if you have HOB, or add an airstone - I did both. The warmer the water, the less oxygen it can hold. Your bottom dwellers will feel this the worst, so watch their breathing.

I have loaches and don't want to use salt or meds.

When the cysts burst, they will release ich pods (there is a technical name just not using it here). These pods fall to the substrate, on plants, etc. Vacuum your substrate, plants, decor. A lot - this is what will physically remove them from the tank. I am doing 25% WC every day to be able to vacuum and re-aerate the water. Above some say 86 degrees, these "ich pods" can't reproduce and develop ich spores. Hundreds or thousands of them. The pods burst and let the spores into the water column. If you have gravel, I would recommend a daily vacuum, but that is just me. Water changes will also help aerate your water.

Just my 2 cents based on some guidance I have received and a LOT of reading. I am testing my parameters daily to ensure I haven't crashed my cycle and keeping my TDS within 10-20.

Got it! Thanks! So I’ll maintain the temp of 32C and add an air stone along with daily gravel vacs. By any chance do you know how long I should keep the temp and WC? Thanks

 

I have heard 10 days to 2 weeks.

Good luck - hope it works !


Also, lower the temp gradually over a few days.

 

I have heard 10 days to 2 weeks.

Good luck - hope it works !


Also, lower the temp gradually over a few days.

Thank you so much! I’ll lower down the temps after I see the spots go away.

 

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• Grumpyfish32
• Feb 20, 2018

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• Grumpyfish32
• Feb 20, 2018

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• Grumpyfish32
• Feb 20, 2018

8D3A8491-6C57-4A67-B84C-8F77231BA38B

• Grumpyfish32
• Feb 20, 2018

I just got home and finally took the photos. Is this actually ick? He has more spots around the spine area the photos won’t focus on it. He had a small spot in the fish store as well. I asked the owner and he said it got the mark from a fight with the other Gouramis. Thanks for the help

 

Does not look like ich to me...because it usually starts on the fins for me. But don’t take my word for it, if you start seeing more white spots then we’ll kmow for sure.

 

Does not look like ich to me...because it usually starts on the fins for me. But don’t take my word for it, if you start seeing more white spots then we’ll kmow for sure.

Got it thanks! So I guess I’ll just wait it out a bit then start treating with heat. He’s still acting normal so it may be a scar from the other Gouramis? I guess only time will tell.

 

Ich on mine was first seen on fins as well. I sure hope it’s not!

 

Ich on mine was first seen on fins as well. I sure hope it’s not!

I hope it not as well, but he does have 2 spots on his tail fin. Should I start treating with heat when he starts to rub against the decorations?

 

Got it! Thanks! So I’ll maintain the temp of 32C and add an air stone along with daily gravel vacs. By any chance do you know how long I should keep the temp and WC? Thanks

Since you are not in tropics 30deg C will do. Don't try 32 in one go. The Ich should worsen first day or 2 as it speeds up the parasites lifecycle. It is when the ich sheds and try to reproduce, the temperature stops it from doing it. Stick to 30- 0r 31(which is 86 to 88 deg F) which will do in your case.

 

Alright, for now what you should do is relax. If it is ich, you have time to find out if it really is and will have time to treat it, my mollie was on the verge of death when I found out. I added salt and increased temp and the next day it looked perfect. Usually fish with ich keep their fins clamped really close to their body and if it’s a severe case, they will be weakened and fall down or start turning over. Salt helps with the gills and ich really seem to dislike it, so it speeds up the process by a lot. but if you can’t or don’t want to use salt, you can just keep temp between 84-86F and it should be gone within a week or two. Good luck!

 

Since you are not in tropics 30deg C will do. Don't try 32 in one go. The Ich should worsen first day or 2 as it speeds up the parasites lifecycle. It is when the ich sheds and try to reproduce, the temperature stops it from doing it. Stick to 30- 0r 31(which is 86 to 88 deg F) which will do in your case.

Got it thanks!

 

Alright, for now what you should do is relax. If it is ich, you have time to find out if it really is and will have time to treat it, my mollie was on the verge of death when I found out. I added salt and increased temp and the next day it looked perfect. Usually fish with ich keep their fins clamped really close to their body and if it’s a severe case, they will be weakened and fall down or start turning over. Salt helps with the gills and ich really seem to dislike it, so it speeds up the process by a lot. but if you can’t or don’t want to use salt, you can just keep temp between 84-86F and it should be gone within a week or two. Good luck!

Yeah I guess I’ll wait and relax until I figure it out. Thank you so much for the help as well!

 

Why is everyone saying 89 degrees for ich ?? I understand it to be 86 degrees.

Was there a change that I don't know about ?

 

Why is everyone saying 89 degrees for ich ?? I understand it to be 86 degrees.

Was there a change that I don't know about ?

It should be 86 or above. Never 84. That’s all I said. Here 86 hardly does as our temperatures are already near that. 30Deg C is where you wanna be minimum.