Ick - please help

Sparg93 · Post by **Sparg93** » 09 Sep 2006, 20:39

I've had the same group of freshwater Cichlids and PLecos for the last 4yrs, and have never had ick or any disease in my tank.

I purchased my first Gold Nugget last week and it turns out the little lady has ick.

Any recommendations?

I have a 125g tank, so dosing the whole tank would take quite a bit of chemical and i just put all new carbon in my canister filters.

Is there any easy way to cure the little pleco or is it better to does the whole tank?

What is the best medication to use?

Thanks!!

-Craig

George · Post by **George** » 10 Sep 2006, 02:12

With a 125 you don't know what quaratine is? You deserve what you get. Treating the whole tank is your only alternatve unless you want to pick the winners and losers. Why do so many fishheads think quarantine doesn't apply to them? I am not un-sympathetic but you have to treat the whole tank and you knew it before you posted. I hope you don't lose anyone. Do it now!!

George

Fish Soup · Post by **Fish Soup** » 10 Sep 2006, 02:58

Yeah, you will need to treat the entire tank unless you can pull all the fish and allow the 125 to run fallow for a month to six weeks.

What other fish are in the tank? Plecs and cichlids can handle salt at levels that will kill the Ick in it's free swimming stage. You need 7.6 grams per gallon. Works out to just a hair over 2 pounds of salt for a full 125 gallons. Add it slowly over a day or two then crank the temp up to 86. When the fish clears you can lower the temp a bit but keep the salt in the tank for at least two weeks after the last spot drops.

Hope that helps. Good luck, and get a QT tank!

Don

Sparg93 · Post by **Sparg93** » 10 Sep 2006, 05:16

i know i know about the QT... i got the fish from a friend of mine and never even imagined it would have problems b/c of how healthy the fish was.

I'm going to try the salt and temp increase method...after reading about it, it seemed to be the most natural and less stressful for the fish..thanks Fish Soup.

George, you seriously need to take it easy...i was simply asking for advice, not your opinion about the QT i didn't use for this fish.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 10 Sep 2006, 12:25

Hi Sparg93.

What was the temp of the tank when you introduced the gold nugget?

Sparg93 · Post by **Sparg93** » 10 Sep 2006, 16:24

It was about 81.

I floated it and dripped for about 2hrs before introduction.

pH of both tanks (his and mine) were identical at 7.8

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 10 Sep 2006, 16:50

It was about 81.

Ich is usually present in most tanks in backround levels, and when fish get stressed it gets the better of them.

Cold water is often the cause (especially for warm loving nuggets), but your temp seems OK. What was the temp of the tank it came from?

Must have just been the stress of moving.