Ich

[snakeeyes03]

Alright everyone, here's the deal. I recently (2 days ago) put 3 new fish in my community tank. All that's in there are guppies, black skirts, danios, and a couple corys. I put in a couple Groumis -spelled wrong, which are the new fish. I noticed last night that one of the new guys had Ich. Unfortunately, I don't have a hospital tank, and I started treatment right away.....lots of salt, and Ich treatment.

Well I just got home at 2am and noticed that the one with Ich was dead and half eaten. I've never experienced this one before, and I'm afraid now someone else is going to get sick.

Can fish get Ich from eatting the one that was infected????

 

[Pat Kelly]

Follow the instructions on the medication and keep treating.
Ich lives in the gravel also and will reappear if not killed.

 

[Sonny Disposition]

If the ich returns, it probably means that the medicine couldn't reach it in the gravel. I had some weird protozoan parasite live in my gravel for years. Evenutally, I ended up bleaching the gravel.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pat Kelly @ Jun 29 2008, 11:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Follow the instructions on the medication and keep treating.
Ich lives in the gravel also and will reappear if not killed.[/b]

 

[maddog10]

I have used a product called Rid Ich. I treated just like the directions said, but I treated for twice as long. Ich hasn't come back yet (almost 2 years later).

In all actuality, Ich is probably present in all of our tanks. Most fish are healthy enough to fight off the infestation on their own. What probably happened in your case was that the fish was stressed and the Ich was able to get established on the fish and it was not strong enough to fight it on it's own.

I always take this opportunity to remind everyone how important it is to quarantine new additions. 2 weeks minimum, but 4-6 weeks is MUCH better.

 

[F8LBITE]

Im a firm believer in having a hospital tank, I would hate myself if I lost a tankful of fish ive raised cuz I added something to the tank.

 

[dogofwar]

Be careful with ich medication and tetras. Rid-ich and others recommend 1/2 dose (1 drop per 2 gallons if memory serves me) for tetras, catfish, and other scaleless fish.

Another way to knock out ich is to raise the temp: I crank it up to 86-88 and treat with medication. It never hurts to add an extra airstone, either (more aeration for higher temps).

 

[mscichlid]

When treating fish it is best to start with the salt remedy without using another medication. Combos are killers.

I have cured ich in pleco tank with tetras by using the following method. First I vacuumed the gravel thouroughly. Replenishing the water, I then added one teaspoon of salt per gallon. Cranked the temp to the high 80's and added another air stone. Turned off the lights. I then waited 24 hours and did a 50 percent water change, siphoning the gravel thourougly. Added the same amount of salt after the water change. I did this everyday for 3 days. All fish survived.

 

[snakeeyes03]

A little update.

I have done the treatment for about 2 days now. As stated before, the infected fish did die, but all the rest of my fish seem to be doing fine. I just did a 75% water change, and I'll do another one in a few days. All the fish seem to be celebrating that the sick guy is gone. I hope everyone stays healthy, but I'll keep an eye on it.

Thanks again for all the suggestions....I need this tank to be healthy so I can take Jose's Rams and give them a new happy home.

 

[SubMariner]

Dude, pray that stuff never comes back. Discipline yourself on isolating every new fish from this day forth.

Just a thought...


SubMariner

 

[F8LBITE]

They are cute little buggers! No rush Mike, they are chilling in my 15G at my mom's house. Get your tank right and you can come scoop them up.