# Ich goes from bad to worse!



## BellaDonna (Feb 7, 2009)

Hey all!

I bet a lot of you are thinking, "OMG! Another Newbie posting about her sick fishy when CLEARLY all the answers are available on the web!"

But this is serious. 
I got the most beautiful white fishy at my LPS about 2 weeks ago. His name is Opal. (See pic) He's beautiful! ... well at least he was.....

He seemed fine for a week or so, then I noticed indications of Ich. I treated with PrimaFix...and he seemed fine the next day. 

A few days later, the symptoms appeared again.. only worse! He had white spots all over his fins, body... everywhere!
I did a complete water change, added some salt, as well as some more PrimaFix to try to get my little baby better. 

Now, its turned into a disaster!
Strange behavior: Jumping 1/2 inch out of the water,
He has open body wounds all over his body
Ends of fins have turned red (Bloody)
Appearance of fin rot....

I dont know what to do now. 

He seems like he is in severe pain, but he just wont die!
So, in the mean time, I wanna try to get him better. 

I wonder if I overmedicated? And that the meds were so strong that it started eating his skin and fins? Is that possible? 

What is the best solution? Salt or more meds? (PrimaFix, MalaFix)

Please let me know what you think!

Healthy Fishy


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## nusabbeh1 (Feb 5, 2009)

first of all niice fish....although i am a beginner i recently had the absolute same problem with my betta ! what really worked for me was raising the temperature to 28c and adding meds ...in about 2 days time my betta was ick free and active again.....


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

If your fish has ich, raising the temperature to 80 F will help. It makes ich's life go by faster. I dont know how well Rid-ich works, but i have heard people on here say that it has worked for them. Maybe that will work for you.

Hope this helps and he gets better


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

BD & nu:

As no one else has responded I will but please keep in mind that it has been like 35 years since I have kept Betta's (are they not enjoyable to breed and raise).

I never had to deal with ich on a Betta but I have had to deal with it in a tank with some very sensitive fish which I believe that Betta's are not as they are indigenous to the regions of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia and thrive in muddy rice paddies.

Please take *this protocol* with a "grain of salt" (no pun intended) but if you cannot deal with the ich your Betta will die slowly and possibly painfully.

TR


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

pimafix is not an antiparasite med and is not going to do anything for ich. Sounds like he is in dire need of some antibiotics AND an antiparasite med. Formalin, Rid ich, Copper these are time tested treatments for severe infections of ich... get one of these to treat him with. Antibiotic wise I would recommend maracyn or maracyn 2 or even tetracycline.


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## BellaDonna (Feb 7, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies so far!

I wen down to my LPS this morning, and picked up something called "Liquid Super Ick Cure"
The active ingredients are Benzaldehyde Green and PVP. 

I dont know if my little guy is gonna make it, but I'm starting to gain a little bit of hope. 

We'll see how it goes. 

I'll keep you posted!


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## BellaDonna (Feb 7, 2009)

Good Newses Everyone!

My Baby boi is doing much much better!
I ended up putting him in my bathroom, as that is the warmest place in the house (80 F!!!) 
The meds really seemed to work. So thats a relief!

I dont trust him with a babysitter yet, so he will be coming with me on a romantic getaway this weekend.... Geez! The things we do for our fishies!


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## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

You realize that you need to have a filter, and a heater with your betta right?


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## Mew_chan (Jan 28, 2009)

My boyfriends Betta has Ich, she is in a tank with live plants, fire ember tetras and cories. After looking on the internet I am very annoyed! There is so much conflicting infomation! some say use salt others say dont, some say use meds others say dont! its horendous... I was reading one thread where every single post said a differnt thing... so honestly I have no idea where to go with the treatment of his fish...


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## BellaDonna (Feb 7, 2009)

Meds and heat. 
Thats what I have found most effective with my severe case of Ich.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

itwuzhere said:


> You realize that you need to have a filter, and a heater with your betta right?


No filter needed. Frequent water changes are all you need. A heater isn't needed either as long as the temp in your house stays 72 or higher and is consistent, I've kept several bettas this way for many years... however heaters do create a more stable environment as well and bettas do prefer water that is warmer.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Lots of ich treatments have a good chance of working. There is resistant ich out there though, so nothings perfect. But pick a treatment, get it started and stick with it. File all the conflicting advice away to try next time.


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## BellaDonna (Feb 7, 2009)

My Baby is doing so much better!

I am still concerned because he hasnt eaten in more than a week!

Tonight, he got close.... But he just spat out his food. 

Would it be OK to feed him a pea?


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