# ICH! PLEASE READ n comment



## Fleuryy (Feb 6, 2010)

I have a tank with 2 Oscars about 5 inches in length. Ich was starting to get infested in the tank from having no algae eater(before the oscars i had Cichlids and Barbs in the tank without Algae eater for about a month or less) 

I used Wardleys Ick Away solution and it seemed to be a dud. Meaning it didnt exactly do anything.

So i tried a different approach, raising the temp to about 86-87 degrees and adding salt to the tank(aquarium salt). im on the First day of this method, and there seems to be a film like salt residue. My question is does that mean the parasites are dieing off??? and is this a good method, lots of research and forums surgests its effective.

MAIN QUESTION: best method for ICH problems, and helpful hints please????????


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## Mean Harri (Dec 14, 2009)

You don't get ich from not having algae eaters. They eat algae, not ich. 

Read this: Using Heat to Treat Ich in Freshwater Tropical Fish - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish
Special credit to Stephanie for that link.


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## Fleuryy (Feb 6, 2010)

ok i understand that...you get ich from a poor envirnment, without a bottom feeder, or algae sucker, your tank is more susceptible to diseases... and i also bought fish from Petco and a local only pet shop, without a quarantine tank. I know that was stupid but Ive learn to not to do that. But I have 3 tanks clean and clear as can be> just the last one with the Oscars have ich. 

CAN SOMEONE MAYBE GIVE ME ADVICE ON TREATING ICH???
currently its been 5 days with 87 degree tanks, today was the 5th day and last day of adding Aquarium Salt(slowly added small amounts for 5 days to acquire the right level)
No ich spots visable on any Oscar, but millimeter or (smaller) white "Parasites?" on tank glass. Slowly disapearing but still towards the bottom(the coldest spot im assuming?).

Oscars have some open wounds but are healing fast. Im using Melafix, a natural remedy of extracted "tea tree"

Sorry for ranting.

Please reply. Thanks for any helpful advice.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Fleuryy said:


> ...you get ich from a poor envirnment, without a bottom feeder, or algae sucker, your tank is more susceptible to diseases...


Absolutely not true. If YOU do not keep up a good water quality then there's a porblem and no pleco in the world will change that. A 40-50% water exchange each week is necessarily in a tank using a good quality water conditioner.



Fleuryy said:


> and i also bought fish from Petco and a local only pet shop, without a quarantine tank. I know that was stupid but Ive learn to not to do that. But I have 3 tanks clean and clear as can be> just the last one with the Oscars have ich.


And THAT right there is exactly how you carry ich into your Oscar tank getting this fish there for feeders for the Oscars w/out QT or raising your own feeder fish

You keep up the treatment and high temp 5 days AFTER ALL visible signs are gone and then do a GOOD gravel vacuum with a large water exchange of ~70%

What works best for me is stuff I found at Walmart called QuIck Cure; that and heat.


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

You can not see free swimming ick. Did you dissolve the salt before placing it in the tank? Wondering if the white you are seeing is either undissolved salt or hard water deposits. Have you tried scraping it off?

I use the heat treatment myself. Once you get this treatment over, keep water quality good through weekly water changes, maintain zero ammonia and nitrites, Ick should no longer be an issue. (as long as you QT all new fish)

PS, Hello and welcome to the forum!


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

I never had luck with the heat remedy, so I'm not going to recommend it... Though apparently it is a good option to try.

86-87 seems really high... but i don't know much about cichlids. That high of a temperature should really stress the ich and possibly kill it.

Did you take the activated carbon filter out when you put the medicine in? As angel recommended, I also recommend QuICK Cure. It got rid of my ich. 

Though as opposed to the temperature method in my experience keep the temperature at what it normally is, add the medicine, and keep the water clean. If you can keep the water clean your fish should be able to fight the ich off on their own I believe, but the medicine will REALLY help.


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## Fleuryy (Feb 6, 2010)

thank u all for the advice, i appreciate it.. 

ok so i should add water conditioners weekly??

****To Twistermoms, the white things are not the salt, i premixed in a cup to dissolve it before adding it to tank,and i used maget cleaner on the sides and it came clean until next day the parasite multiplied. If you have good eyes and look really close at a certain angle you can see them crawling slowly. I am still not seeing any visible signs on the fish(white spots).

*****To Angel, thank you, I am not feeding my oscars smaller fish, currently they eat high quility fish discs and blood worms. is Quick cure have a staining color, like blue to the formula?? Im trying not to expose my fish to meds at the moment, trying a more natural alternative for now, if this dont work within a 14 day period, i will rethink my idea.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Austin said:


> I never had luck with the heat remedy, so I'm not going to recommend it... Though apparently it is a good option to try.
> 
> 86-87 seems really high... but i don't know much about cichlids. That high of a temperature should really stress the ich and possibly kill it.
> 
> ...


 

+one8) For keeping water clean with weekly water changes .
No feeder fish for oscars (can carry disease)
Lower water level, or provide airstones with Heat method.
Follow directions on meds, (more isn't better)
Wounds can heal with clean water.


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

Uh, ich isn't large enough to be seen with the naked eye. You must have some other problem. The white spots are not the parasite. They are the wound caused to the fish's flesh caused by the parasite as it leave's the fish's body to multiple (at the bottom of the tank). 

You shouldn't add water condition to the tank weekly, but add it to any new water you add to the tank with your water changes. I use AQUASAFE and add it to all the water I add to my fish tank during my weekly water changes. Look up some information on oscars. I'm not sure, but they might appreciate some salt REGULARLY in their water, as mollys and such do. 

Treat them with the medicine, and give them lots of places to hide (you normally should have this), keep the water clean, also I hope your tank is pretty big. 2 oscars need a lot of room. That could be why they are stressed.

Gl.


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## Fleuryy (Feb 6, 2010)

Yea at the moment there is a couple month old 37 gallon tank, im upgrading in a couple months to a 120 gallon or more tank

And there are open wounds from them scratching, i watch them closely, they still have a huge appitite, im trying to keep the water clean, i do water changes alot, not for the last 5 days since im following a protocol with the heat/salt treatment. If that dont work in a couple more days i have Ick Guard from jungle that has (Victoria Green and Acrifllavine, sodium chloride) ingredients, that im only using with my angels and seems to actually clears those millimeter parasites Ive been trying to explain >.< hahah. 

And more about the Oscars, before i started treating them, they did have the distinct white spots on fins and gills, about 40 spots on each i would say. I originally used a Ick Away treatment and the next day almost completely clear of white spots. But still visible parasites on tank glass??

Kinda stumped on that, imma have to research more, my Oscars are stressing and im stressing even more..


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

Is it possible to take a picture of these parasites, or are they to small? Do they have legs, or are they worm like in appearance?


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