Ugh. Fish Coming Down With Ich?

Had a 20 gallon for 2 years without issue.

Upsized to a 55 four weeks ago I picked off craisglist. Tank completely cycled a week ago. Added a small school of rummynose tetras, some driftwood,

5 days later I'm down 2 Rummy's and a Sterbai. Starting to see some very small white granules on the Rummy's I think.

Done some research.. mostly here on the forum... Could use some assistance..

I've started raising the temp... Up to 80 now..

Is the stock I have going to be able to handle the temp rising? The meds? The stress? Do meds kill your BB?

Stock:
- Crowntail Betta
- Harlequin Rasporas
- Rummynose Tetras

Any help would be appreciated...

Adam

 

I would treat the tank. Can I have some pictures (if you can) of the white specs? Does it look like salt?

If it really is ick, I think the best thing to do is treat the whole tank! What brands of itch treatment are available to you?

 

Thanks for replying.

Yeah I'm pretty sure.. it's just started becoming visible.. the bumps are really small, and not covering all fish, but the new Rummy's all look like theyve got a few marks each on tails and fins.. like maybe 3 bumps each.. nothing is showing on the Rasporas, but I have seen one flashing against a plastic plant 3 or 4 times.

I hope they can take the heat!

I'm in a pretty suburban area.. lots of PetSmarts and Petcos around, and I've got a decent LFS close by.. (although I did get the Rummy's from him... But his store and his stock look fantastic.. I'm definitely going to let him know..)

 

Okay! I would stick with some of the more familiar brands for the ick treatment ( API, Tetra, Melafix ) I am sure I am forgetting some other brands!

I wouldn’t go hotter than 82. The hotter the water, the less oxygen. So I would recommend turning you filter up as much as you can, to get water moving a little, causing more oxygen! Make sure your betta can still swim though!

 

Anyone know the effects of Seachem Polyguard on beneficial bacteria? If it kills it, is there a way to save it like in a bag in the freezer or something?

 

Betta passed. As have 3 cories. Total tank deaths now at 6.

Did a 60% water change.. vacuumed substrate, raised temp to 84, added an airstone, and have now dosed with Seachem Polyguard.

Now that there's no Betta, I've maximized surface agitation and water movement.

Rummynose now have less "grains of salt" on them, but appear to have white patches close to their dorsals. Harlequin Rasporas are all fine and the one that had been flashing against decor has stopped... But it may be that they're dealing with any itching by riding that new current over and over...

 

I highly recommend the heat treatment for ich. I've done it once with great success using no other meds. Slowly raise tempts to 86 degrees. Your fish will be just fine as in nature they experience heat waves like this and can tolerate short periods of high heat. Keep your temps at 86 degress for two weeks. At 86 degrees ich cannot reproduce to complete it's life cycle so it's crucial to keep it there for 2 weeks as the heat only kills ich in one particular stage of it's life cycle. continue with normal water changes thoroughly vacuuming the substrate to get out dead ich cysts and whatnot, put some polyfil in your filter to help catch free floating dead ich. After two weeks slowly bring he temps back down just as slowly as you brought them up. here's a better article on the heat treatment Using Heat to Treat Ich in Freshwater Tropical Fish - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

 

also add an airstone during treatment for extra oxygen, higher heat means less o2 in the tank

 

I highly recommend the heat treatment for ich. I've done it once with great success using no other meds. Slowly raise tempts to 86 degrees. Your fish will be just fine as in nature they experience heat waves like this and can tolerate short periods of high heat. Keep your temps at 86 degress for two weeks. At 86 degrees ich cannot reproduce to complete it's life cycle so it's crucial to keep it there for 2 weeks as the heat only kills ich in one particular stage of it's life cycle. continue with normal water changes thoroughly vacuuming the substrate to get out dead ich cysts and whatnot, put some polyfil in your filter to help catch free floating dead ich. After two weeks slowly bring he temps back down just as slowly as you brought them up. here's a better article on the heat treatment Using Heat to Treat Ich in Freshwater Tropical Fish - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

I believe raising the temperature increases the speed of the lifecycle, making them reproduce faster. Since the parasites can only be killed while they're not on the fish, this raised temps force them into the next stage of falling off the fish into the substrate where reproduction takes place. That's why vacuuming the substrate helps eliminate the parasites.. and that once reproduction has taken place, they only have 48 hours (or less due to the increased temperature speeding up the lifecycle), if you get them all at that stage before they can attach themselves on to the fish, you break the lifecycle.

Is that correct?

I'm dosing with the Seachem Polyguard in case it's Ich or anything else..

 

I think you're right! I'm no expert, I had ich a couple years ago and did tons of research on it but don't remember it all since I haven't had to deal with it in years. But I do remember using the heat method and it got rid of it. Haven't seen it since. But what your saying sounds correct.

 

I think you're right! I'm no expert, I had ich a couple years ago and did tons of research on it but don't remember it all since I haven't had to deal with it in years. But I do remember using the heat method and it got rid of it. Haven't seen it since. But what your saying sounds correct.

lol. I've been doing lots of research!

This tank and all it's inhabitants were perfectly fine for 2 years in a 20h. I upgraded to the 55 (purchased used), 4 weeks ago, added 2 pieces of store-bought mopanI driftwood, and the Rummynose..

And in 10 days Ive lost 2 new Rummy's, 3 of 4 SterbaI cories, and the Crowntail Betta.

 

I believe raising the temperature increases the speed of the lifecycle, making them reproduce faster. Since the parasites can only be killed while they're not on the fish, this raised temps force them into the next stage of falling off the fish into the substrate where reproduction takes place. That's why vacuuming the substrate helps eliminate the parasites.. and that once reproduction has taken place, they only have 48 hours (or less due to the increased temperature speeding up the lifecycle), if you get them all at that stage before they can attach themselves on to the fish, you break the lifecycle.

Is that correct?

I'm dosing with the Seachem Polyguard in case it's Ich or anything else..

Ich cannot survive in the higher heat unless it is a heat resistant strain (not as likely to get), so it dies off after emerging from the host fish, the heat speeds up how fast they emerge and kills them once they have. Which is why it is important to vacuum as the dead ich needs to be taken out.

It sounds like they have a fungus, which grows faster in heat (I know so helpful these diseases). I would treat with a med for that, I honestly would see if you can get Artemiss and Herbtania from petco and use both together (lower tank temp down to 78-80 to help with oxygen levels while treating), they will take out the ich and the rest of the issues fairly quickly. They are safe for everything I have used them with (from shrimp to wild caught fish and scaleless fish).