# Ick treatment/ Tapeworm



## blugourami1 (Oct 16, 2011)

I am currently treating my 29 gallon tank for ick. A few while back, I caught a wild livebearer fish and I made the mistake of putting it in my tank, along with my other fish.

I believe it is tapeworms, because I was reading online about swollen abdomen in fish, and the article said it could be tapeworms, as they are usually brought in from exotic imported fish and wild-caught fish. 

Would it be dangerous for my fish if I went to immediate treatment against tapeworms right after ick treatment?

Please help.


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## Sorafish (Sep 15, 2011)

Depending on what your using to treat it, you should be able to do both at the same time. 
Chances are, if you're treating for ich, you're using a med that has malachite green and formalin. 
These have the potential to be effective against the tapeworms that are outside the bodies of the fish. A internal parasite treatment, like a medicated food, would be needed to treat the fish themselves. Two different medications. Your fish would be fine.
If you haven't already, take the carbon out of your filter, if you have some. This filters the medication out of the water. 
What is your Ph at? 
Also, what is the symptoms? White spots on your fish's scales would indicate ich or velvet. A swollen abdomen can be caused by overfeeding, or feeding food to fish that take in a lot of air with the food.


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

I agree. Are you treating the ICH with medication? If so, I don't think you would be able to treat the tank straight after the ICH treatment for the tapeworms (That's why I recommend always doing the natural way to treating ICH than using medication < Heat and Water changes, simple as that).

Now, but before you go to treating the "tapeworms", are you exactly sure that it is tapeworms?


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## blugourami1 (Oct 16, 2011)

lmb said:


> I agree. Are you treating the ICH with medication? If so, I don't think you would be able to treat the tank straight after the ICH treatment for the tapeworms (That's why I recommend always doing the natural way to treating ICH than using medication < Heat and Water changes, simple as that).
> 
> Now, but before you go to treating the "tapeworms", are you exactly sure that it is tapeworms?


Can you explain to me your heat and water changes method? How much water do you remove and how often?

Thank you.


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

When I stumble upon a ICH infestation, I slowly raise my temperature to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (Specifically 1 degree per hour. That a way it avoids raising the temperature too fast and possibly giving shock or stress to the fish). Once the heat is raised to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, I keep it up at that until I see no signs of ICH. But, I'm not done yet either, I usually do this, just as a precaution, I keep it on for a extra week longer, just to make sure that ICH is gone. Then after the week of precaution, I slowly lower it back to my normal temperature.

As for the water changes, I do one 15% - 25% every other day (Every 2 to 3 days), Gravel vacuum style. Why I do is because the gravel vac helps suck up all the fallen off spores that could have a chance of re clinging to the fish (And therefore helping the treatment with the addition of heat).


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

What's up with the suspected tapeworm? Have you isolated the suspect fish?


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