# Best Way To Cure Ick???



## zombiefish610

What is the best way to cure ick? Are there any products that work the best or the fastest? I got this stuff called ick out and did three treatments, one a day every three days followed by a 50% water change 24 hours after treatment. It seemed to work, the fish that had it cleared up but now I noticed a spot on the fin of a different fish:evil:. This has taken lots of water being that I have a 55 gallon. I'm starting to get frustrated! Please if anyone has any suggestions, HELP!!!


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## 1077

The very best ways to prevent ICH in the aquarium is by use of a quarantine tank for new fish before they go in your main tank or display tank and,,by maintaining the water quality in your tank. Weekly water changes,not over feeding, and not over stocking.
As for medications, I haven't tried the product you mentioned but it is always best to follow the directions exactly, as to doses and length of time for medicating. Also a good idea to not use the nets or other tools used in sick tank on main tank and vice-versa.
I have used product Quick Cure which is found at many fish stores and walmart. It contains formalin and malachite green. If directions ar followed, it works well for ICH.
I and many others, use a small quarantine or hospital tank say,, ten gal. They are cheap and it is much easier and cheaper to medicate and perform water changes in a ten gal. than a larger tank.;-)


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## aunt kymmie

The other thing people fail to do is to continue treatment for 48 (!) hours after the last visible white spot has been seen. It's during the free swimming stage that the ich parasite is vulnerable to meds.
Did you continue with the meds for two full days after you saw the last visible white spot?
I used Kordon's Rid-Ich with great success.


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## zombiefish610

1077 said:


> The very best ways to prevent ICH in the aquarium is by use of a quarantine tank for new fish before they go in your main tank or display tank and,,by maintaining the water quality in your tank. Weekly water changes,not over feeding, and not over stocking.
> As for medications, I haven't tried the product you mentioned but it is always best to follow the directions exactly, as to doses and length of time for medicating. Also a good idea to not use the nets or other tools used in sick tank on main tank and vice-versa.
> I have used product Quick Cure which is found at many fish stores and walmart. It contains formalin and malachite green. If directions ar followed, it works well for ICH.
> I and many others, use a small quarantine or hospital tank say,, ten gal. They are cheap and it is much easier and cheaper to medicate and perform water changes in a ten gal. than a larger tank.;-)


I do water changes weekly and i test the water frequently. The water is fine. Now others have it.:-( I could do the hospital tank but shouldn't I be treating the water in my main tank? Doesn't Ich live in the water? I need help:-?


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## aunt kymmie

Yes, the entire tank has been exposed to Ich so QT isn't the option here. I see in your first post that you did a water change (which removed the meds) after 24 hours. That may be the problem. More than likely there were probably some free swimmers still left in your tank.
If I were you (and I'm not) I'd purchase some more medication (Kordon's Rid-Ich or Quick Cure) and follow the directions to the letter. It's that 48 hours after last visible white spot seen that is key as far as the length of time when medicating. 

You may want to read this article to better understand Ich's life cycle:

The Skeptical Aquarist


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## zombiefish610

So last night I set up a hospital tank and purchased QuICK Cure. I just put in the first dosage. Hope all goes well. I do have some questions about the hospital tank though. Should I have the tank running all the time? I used the filter and rocks from when I last had the 10gallon(Hospital) set up. Is this ok? Should I replace the filter? Is there any other steps I should take as far as the hospital goes? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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## zombiefish610

To be clear I am dosing the main tank not the hospital.


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## MBilyeu

If you are moving the fish from your contaminated tank to your hospital tank, you aren't helping anything. Your hospital tank is for fish from the store so you can watch for signs of disease before you put them in your main tank. If you move the fish to the hospital tank, you will have to treat both tanks, or just treat the hospital tank and wait a VERY long time before you will be able to move them back. At this point, I would just leave the fish where they are and treat the main tank. You must make sure that you continue the medication for a MINIMUM of 48 hours after you see the last visible white spot. Also make sure that you don't do any water changes til your treatment is completely done. I would also add salt to your tank during treatment. This will help your chances of keeping all the fish alive through treatment.


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## MBilyeu

I just looked at your tank info. I would also increase the temperature of the tank between 80-84 during treatment. And you must be careful of not overdosing, your loach's life hangs in the balance! Good luck!


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## zombiefish610

Okay so today I just did the third treatment of QuICK Cure. I have added salt and raised temp to 82. I put in 55 drops as directed each day. It says to do a 25% water change if treatment is necessary after 3 treatments. Still got ich. So I guess tomorrow I'll do the water change and continue treatment. Does this sound right? Also, I have a spotted catfish that isn't looking too good since I started treatment. Its barbels are curling and look to be shorter. I don't know what I should do. I don't want to loose him! Please help! Should I keep him in the main tank?


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## zombiefish610

As far as the catfish goes...He was always in his cave, now he has been staying at the very top of the water. This is not normal for him.


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## aunt kymmie

I think the combo of high temp, salt & meds all at the same time is WAY overkill and VERY stressful on your fish. After 12 days of the heat/salt treatment I was still seeing spots on my clowns and began noticing a general sluggishness of all my fish. I agonized over what to do and decided to do a 50% water change to remove as much salt as possible and slowly lowered the temp back to 82 and treated with meds. 
I was ich free after five days. My pictus also developed curling barbels that looked like they were becoming transparent. They did grow back. 
If it were me (and it's NOT) I'd do the same thing that I did as it worked for me. 
My guy never did leave his cave during all this so it worries me that your cat is floating up top. 
I wonder if you should remove the cat to your hospital tank (assuming it's set up) and treat both tanks for ich using only ONE of the methods?? (heat/salt combo OR meds)


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## MBilyeu

I would also use a different medication. Get one that you put in daily until the ich dissapears. From the sounds of it, the one you have tries to cure it in one dose which will be hit and miss if the meds stay active long enough for the parasite to drop off the fish. I have heard Kordons Rid-Ich+ is good. If you can't find that, you might try API's Super Ick Cure.


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## aunt kymmie

Yes, I agree with MBilyeu. Kordan's Rid-Ich is the exact med I used. 
I dosed at 1/2 strength as I keep loaches, otos & cats. I treated for five days (day 3 was when the last visible white spot was seen). I would do a 50% water change now, then no w/c until you're finished with the round of medications.


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## zombiefish610

Well I planned on doing a 25% today but maybe I'll do 50%.


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## zombiefish610

Today is a sad day for the empire... Yesterday my spotted catfish died and today I woke up to find one of my glass catfish dead and the other one looks bad. I put that one in the hospital. I don't know what else to do. This really sucks I've been following the treatment to a T. All of my other fish seem to be great. There is only one fish left with a spot on it and its fading. I'm very sad. Anyone have any suggestions?


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## shakib123

*Best, Fastest, Most Effective Way To Cure ICH*

Basically what ich is :it is an extremely comon parasite that affects aquarium fish. It is highly infectious and potentially lethal and manifests as tiny white spots all over the fish. The spots are no larger than grains of salt. I would personally put in Salt (aquarium freshwater salt) you can buy it at Walmart or any Bigals Store. It works as 1 Teaspoon per 20 litres = which is equivalent to 1 teaspoon per 5.3 gallons (jut take 5 gallons), i have a 55 gallon tank too, and just recently got ich; 

- Raise temperature to 84F - 86F
- Add Aquarium Salt - 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons
- Medicate for 10-14 days - With ICH Away (Best) or any other medicine uesd for ICH.
- (OPTIONAL)Reduce medication when treating scaleless fish
- Discontinue carbon filtration during treatment
- Perform water changes between treatments
- Clean water everyday (waterchange) and dig deep in the gravel with the gravel vacuum, after you see what comes out...you will be surprised.

After this your Ich problem should go away in 6-10 days :-D 

Sharkkeeper 101


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