Ich treatments for scaleless fish?

[Andrew]

I've been working in a aquarium store for a few weeks and one thing I've noticed is that a great number of catfish and loaches come down with ich in the stock tanks. The water is clean (changed at least once a week) and the fish are well-fed on live and prepared foods. I've tried using Malachite Green in a half dosages along with raising the tank temperatures and this seems to have a limited effect but the rates of attrition are still high.

Does anyone have any suggestions for treating ich on these scaleless fishes?

[Silurus]

This may give you some ideas.

[dag]

I think it was rid ich I used when my loaches got it . Actually , from what I understand , Ich is always in the tank but fish get it when they are suseptable ( stress being a common cause ) . In my tank only the Loaches and the black tipped shark catfish got it , not suprizingly as they are both scaleless fish . Whenever I do any major decor changes with my water changes the loaches start flashing and I freak out thinking its another ich outbreak but for 6 months they have been clean . I think they are just trying to give me multiple strokes when I screw with their environment , so I don't rearrange ANYTHING in that tank anymore . I have come to realise that clown loaches are really smart ( kinda like the brain bugs in the first starship trooper movie ) . As long as I dont mess with their space , everything is cool . It stands to reason that , after what can only be a horribly stressful transport to a retail environment , those wee loaches are suseptable . I have heard of people using salt and heat to treat but I havent tried this method and wouldn't recommend without thorough investigation . Do you leave the lights down for the new arrivals ? This can give them an adjustment period of lower stress .
Good loach....er..luck
Dag

[Elspeth]

... work wonderfully on carp (goldfish and koi). But domestic carp are extremely salt tolerant; I've treated ich successfully at 3 teaspoons salt per gallon of water, and that's strong enough to taste. Others have added 6 teaspoons per gallon to treat salt-resistant parasite strains. Some Koi are kept in 3 teaspoon/gallon water indefinitely, as a preventive -- doesn't hurt the fish a bit, but we think that's where the salt-resistant parasites developed.

That's a LOT of salt! Doesn't bother carp one bit; but that doesn't mean it won't bother other fish. I seem to recall seeing contraindications for salt re: raphaels, otos, tiger barbs, and bala sharks. I'd assume non-carp cannot tolerate these high levels of salt until and unless I saw them on a specific "salt okay" list from someone I trust. Better safe than sorry!!

[Dinyar]

Malachite green is quite toxic -- for fish and humans -- so use with care.

Since you work in an LFS and receive new fish often, one approach that I would recommend is to put a UV sterilizer on a dedicated hospital tank. They are extremely effective when used correctly, and lately the prices have been falling (about US$ 80 for a unit appropriate for up to a 70-80 gal tank).

A UV sterilizer is best used in conjunction with a canister filter, and should be plumbed after the canister. You want a canister with a moderate (not high) flow rate, as most ectoparasites (like ich tomites) need a fairly long exposure ("dwell time") to UV light to have their DNA disrupted.

For a dedicated hospital tank, best to go bottomless and keep tank furniture to a minimum, but create some hiding places to allow the fish to hide and relax. The bare bottom should eliminate opportunities for the parasites to attach to the tank; if they are resident in the canister, they'll be zapped as soon as they emerge.

This approach may not be necessary for the casual hobbyist who acquires new fish in small numbers and at long intervals, and if you're working with cheap, run-of-the-milll fish, it may not be worth the hassle and expense, but it makes sense for those who regularly receive larger quantities of higher value fish.

Dinyar