# anyone successfully save fish covered in ich?



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I know someone who has a tank with several fish with the characteristic white ich spots. Some have died already. I am wondering if it is worth putting Coppersafe in the tank. Have any of you had success saving fish that were already covered in ich.

I am wondering, Would it be more humane to just humanely euthanize these fish? Once you have added Coppersafe, how long until you should see some benefits? I am wondering if it is just cruel to do with the fish already in such bad condition? A few of the fish are swimming about, seemingly unaffected. Are some species more susceptible to this disease then others?


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

The earlier treatment is started, the more chance you have of saving the fish.

Yes, absolutely add coppersafe and slowly raise the temperature in the tank to above 84F, this will help speed up the lifecycle of the ich parasite.

Intense vacuuming of the substrate and making sure the water is kept as clean as possible with daily without fail water changes is also extremely beneficial. 
You should start to see improvements in 3-7 days provided treatment is started immediately. Any longer the tank is left and the more chance the fish have of dying from it.

1 tabelspoon of aquarium salt will also help a long way in ridding the tank of the ich parasite.

Once you notice the cysts falling off the fish, this is when vacuuming the substrate needs to be vigorous, clean it as best you can and perform daily 50% water changes.

Prior to starting the treatment (which I recommend you start immediately!), remove any carbon in the filter, carbon will render the medication useless otherwise and will only remove it all.

After all the fish look as if they are cleared from ich, keep the treatment going for another 5-7 days, this will make absolutely sure it is indeed eradicated from the tank.

Yes some species are more prone to ich than others.

Hope it works out.


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## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

Inga said:


> I know someone who has a tank with several fish with the characteristic white ich spots. Some have died already. I am wondering if it is worth putting Coppersafe in the tank. Have any of you had success saving fish that were already covered in ich.
> 
> I am wondering, Would it be more humane to just humanely euthanize these fish? Once you have added Coppersafe, how long until you should see some benefits? I am wondering if it is just cruel to do with the fish already in such bad condition? A few of the fish are swimming about, seemingly unaffected. Are some species more susceptible to this disease then others?


I'd add an Ick specific medication and raise the temperature to about 82-85. Beyond that, just follow the instructions on the bottle. I have found that most of my ick outbreaks have occurred as a result of a sudden drop in temperature. Warmer water fish are more prone to ick than cooler water fish and all fish are more susceptible if conditions are not good.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Me too. I told her the water temperature thing. I know another heater was added. I read somewhere NOT to do water changes once the meds are added for at least a week? The Coppersafe says it treats water for one month but then says to also treat replacement water. 

I told her no salt since I read that catfish can't handle it. Is that true or not?


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

If there are catfidh, then yes no salt


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Taz, What about the cleaning? What should I tell her? Wait the first week for the treatment to work then do daily cleans or clean, treat, clean treat? The tank is pretty darn clean already. Also, what about keeping lights off all the time. Total dark for a few days to reduce stress? I thought I read that somewhere. I have never had an experience with ich so I have nothing to share other then what I happened to read here or somewhere else. Thanks for all your healp. 

It seems funny to me when anyone comes to me for fish advice. ha ha


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Once treatment has started then they should be vacuuming the substrate daily, if the medications causes the cysts to fall off, you need to remove them as quick as possible to prevent them spreading.

The need for vacuuming is not just for the cysts but also to remove the various stages that ich goes through. It will actively search a host (ie fish) and can sit dormant for some time.

There is no harm in keeping the lights off, although it would make it easier for vacuuming to have them on. Water changes, I would also be doing daily again to remove anything which could affect the fish more and keep the water pristine.

The high heat and medication should do the trick but the tank will need more work than usually required.


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## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

I'd follow the instructions on the bottle closely. Doing anything else could impact the dosage and result in too weak or too strong of a concentration.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Well, so far her fish are still alive. Surprising really. One of the fish was covered in the white spots and was sort of laying/hovering at the bottom. I thought for sure it was a goner but she said, it is swimming a little more now. I was shocked. 

I think the big water change is to happen after 3 days of the meds in the tank and then re dose the coppersafe at that point for another couple days before another change? I don't know. As I said, I have no experience with ich. I wonder if she should rip out the live plants? Can ich live on plants? I would take all the fake crap out of the tank and scrub it really well too. Is that right?


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## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

I wouldn't do anything major until the treatment is complete. Supposedly, ich is always present. It's only a problem when fish are physically stressed or weakened due to another issue. I don't think any particular object in the aquarium would cause ich unless it was causing some other unhealthy condition. Unless there are things that tend to get gunked up or trap uneaten food and such, I'd let the good old water changes be my major restoration tool. Of course, any maintenance issues that might lead to poor conditions should be corrected.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Well, it seems a miracle may have occured. The fish in my friends tank that looked like it was dead in hours, is still alive. The fish in question was literally laying on the bottom of the tank and not wanting to move at all. The other fish were picking at it and I thought it best to euthanize but... the fish is now swimming and ate a little food. Still not itself but I did see it posture when the other fish thought about coming by it, which to me is a sign of serious improvement. I still see some specs hanging on this poor fish but the physical improments are uplifting to say the least. 

I know that I have on occasion lost a few fish but to lose a whole tank would be mind bobbling. I suspect if that were to happen,, she would be done with fish forever. I don't know what started this as the tank those fish are in is never too dirty. At least not that I have ever noticed. 

Coppersafe was the medication of choice. I wonder how long she should continue with it? It is expensive to do a large tank with the major water changes also needed.


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