# How long does ich on Tetra's last?



## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

I successfully had treated my 45g for ich before and it was a fairly 'quick' process.

Now the night 11th/12th Feb my Emporer's were coated in ich. So I started on the AM of the 12th to dial up heat, start medicating.....I have been medicating since then and 1 Emporer just will NOT stop having spots even after 10 days of treatment now.

Can it sometimes take that long/ longer for the ich to stop??

I will keep up regular w/c each week; meds & heat up to the point that all visible signs are gone and then add 5 days after that. But I'm starting to wonder if I'll wind up treating this tank forever now or what?!

Just wondering what others experience is as far as duration there?


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## LisaC144 (Oct 22, 2009)

I'm sorry, Natalie. This baffles me as well. Does it look like the cysts are falling off then quickly reappearing or are they just not falling off at all? When I battled Ich, only once, it took a total of 10 days. 5 days for all white spots to fall off, then the additional 5 of treatment after the last signs of white spot were gone. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. I feel bad I cannot be of more help to you with all the help you've been to me. Hang in there girl. You'll get to the bottom of it.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

I had in ich outbreak that lasted for two weeks until I saw the last white spot. So add three days after that last visible sign, made for a 18 day course treatment for the nasty little buggers. I've never seen them since and hope I never do again.


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

My ich lasted around 2 weeks. With tetras if you're treating half the dose that could be why it is taking a while. If it's going away slowly just keep treating I'm sure it'll go away eventually.  Not being pessimistic but you won't be treating forever... they'll either die from the ich or get over it. The latter being more likely since I'm sure you keep your tanks nice.

I don't like the heat method... when I tried turning my tank up to 84 I noticed my fish gasping at the top so I turned it down. I figured that'd stress them more. I'm sure you know but if the temperature stresses them more it might be a better idea to treat them with the temperature where it normally is. The heat doesn't really help treat the ich I don't think other than that it might stress it (but then it stresses the fish too...) it only speeds the process so if you keep it the normal temperature it might take a little longer but you'll for sure not stress your fish.

Sure you already know most of this, and I may be wrong about the head method... that's just my personal opinion/experience. Just my $0.02


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## Gambit (Feb 22, 2010)

Yea i have had a case with a powder blue gromie and some molly's and it took me around close to 3 weeks to battle this thing. give it some time itll go away.

btw: i have never herd of the heat method it sounds kinda crazy too me... iv always used the meds and that usuly knockes it right out within a week or so.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Wow ok, so not uncommon to treat longer. I guess I was just "lucky" last time that it was only a few dasy before it all vanished. 
Thanks guys & gals!


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## Mean Harri (Dec 14, 2009)

Pssst. UV light. I'd get one with your luck lately


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Naw not really from the research & reading I done on them things I rather pass.

Update this AM: See 1 spot left on the big emporeor (all others have been clean for days but he's stubborn)


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## LisaC144 (Oct 22, 2009)

YAY! Great news! Seems like it's coming to an end shortly. Glad you stuck in there. Hopefully you're luck with this tank will turn around now.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Looking back how much grief the 55g had caused me uhm the first 2-3 months....An repeated ich attach in the 45g seems like 'nothing' to me lol I just wanna see my fish healthy & happy 

I did notice thou that my different/ new approach to w/c affected them positively so that's good and I'll keep that up now and just go ahead and sell the phyton (since its brand new anyway).


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## LisaC144 (Oct 22, 2009)

Refresh my memory....what new approach did you take? Doing the bucket, after bucket approach? Not looking forward to doing that this Saturday when I have to drain and refill my 55g tank...yikes! Lots of excercise for me this Saturday!


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Yea I prepped the Tetra's water early in the AM in buckets with the conditioner and then stuck air stones into the buckets and let it sit that way for uhm ~4hrs give and take and then did their tanks and they were instantly much more active then usually.
Before I had done it: Fill up bucket with conditioner and within a 10mins window add to tank. Then I done the Phyton thing right from tap to tank and adding conditioner in the tank - With both approaches Tetra's seemed a lil "off" not sick or anything but not 110% right neither , know what I mean!? This approach seemed to make them happier. 
It just got thinking about that because 2 or 3 Rummies I had lost the night of when I done w/c. Which may well only been a coincidence may not have been I donno but I am always eager to find the best set up for each of my tanks and the best way to handle each one.
Like the Barb's they actually have a blast when I fill the tank with the Phyton - Its like a field trip to the amusement park to them.


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## Mean Harri (Dec 14, 2009)

Letting your water sit 4 hrs lets it cool off, no? I went straight in to the tank with the python adding Prime a little at a time as it filled. I used the aquarium thermometer to set the tap water temp to exactly the same temp as the tank. No ich, no sick fish, no dead fish, nada.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Yea I do the same in the 55g too and have no issues.

But those fish are sick period (on more then 1 level trust me  ) so yea any idea to make them better is good by me. And no I filled it with hot hot water so by the time I got to it was still a lil warm; but I popped in my spare heater for few mins each and that did the trick.

Don't ask me what's going on; I had fish for MANY yrs now and PLENTY tanks around my house with different stocks and I never had a problem even remotely close to what's been happening here and not being able to get my hands on a good stock is aggravating to say the least...


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