# Ick on uncycled tank!



## Sanchez324 (Mar 15, 2012)

I just bought a new fish and I believe it has ick, but my tank is uncycled. Should I treated normally with the ick medicine or should I just return the fish although I would feel bad for the fish doing that.


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## madyotto (Mar 24, 2012)

Sanchez324 said:


> I just bought a new fish and I believe it has ick, but my tank is uncycled. Should I treated normally with the ick medicine or should I just return the fish although I would feel bad for the fish doing that.


i would yes 
also cycle 25% to reduce the ick in the water


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## Sanchez324 (Mar 15, 2012)

How long should I remove the cartridge filter for?


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## madyotto (Mar 24, 2012)

Sanchez324 said:


> How long should I remove the cartridge filter for?


usually i would remove any peat balls, carbon media, and any other type of filter other than you main bio filter 

always throw away any peat-balls and any activated carbon 

treat as instructed on box as you start to see a big change and know it will be your last treatment 
give it 48 hours and replace all filers into the tank


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## Geomancer (Aug 23, 2010)

1) Return the fish since your tank is not cycled. Using fish to cycle is unnecessary and will cause them long term health problems, if they survive in the first place.

2) Read here for several methods on how to cycle a tank without using fish: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/

3) Ich needs a host to survive, cycling a tank takes usually 4-8 weeks to complete. No need for meds, it will solve itself in an empty tank. Just jack the tanks heater up to the low 90's (if no fish or live plants) to speed its life cycle up.


With Ich, an entire tank will be infected, including the filter. Removing the filter for a couple days then putting it back in will accomplish nothing. Changing any percentage of the water will change nothing. Ich is a parasite that attaches to the fish and starts to feed. It is immune to medications in this stage. When full, it will detach and drop to the bottom of the tank (or decorations or get sucked into the filter) and will begin to multiply by the hundreds/thousands. Again, it is immune to medications. When finished, it will become free swimming and this is the only time it can be killed by medication. If it can't find a new host ... it dies.

If your filter has carbon, dispose of the carbon but leave the filter pad so you don't loose the bacteria. Do not save the carbon and re-use it. The carbon will be infected, and can not be left in the tank if using meds as it will absorb most of them. Follow the directions on the package of the meds.

The speed of that cycle is dependent on temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the cycle. If you are treating fish, you want to get to at least 86 degrees if the fish do not show signs of stress from the elevated temperature. If they do show signs of stress, lower it until they don't, but get it as high as you can.

Ich is present pretty much everywhere, and can be more or less dormant for months. Fish with a healthy immune system can easily fight it off and not show any signs. But being in an uncycled tank causes extreme stress, and stress weakens the immune system and invites disease.


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## madyotto (Mar 24, 2012)

Geomancer said:


> 1) Return the fish since your tank is not cycled. Using fish to cycle is unnecessary and will cause them long term health problems, if they survive in the first place.
> 
> 2) Read here for several methods on how to cycle a tank without using fish: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/
> 
> ...



very good point there as i had not noticed that he had said uncycled lol 
DAM my dyspraxia


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