# Ich....AWESOME



## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Well, looks like the green phantom pleco I bought had ich. Now it's exploded to the point that my figure 8 puffer has bumps all over it. My green phantom has spots head to tail, where usually it's only the first half of the pleco. Just noticed this 2 days ago, had the green phantom pleco for 9 days.

Cleaned the tank thoroughly yesterday, going to do a 30% water change tomorrow and continue to do so on a bi-daily basis. Or should I do this daily?

Tank - 10g with filter, 115w heater, T12 17w (stock lighting). Photo period about 10-12 hours a day (cutting down to 6-8 for now). Tank barely has any algae in it period regardless of cleanliness, scrubbed the very top of the fake plant as it started to have a shade of brown. Maybe 6 leaves entirely and it came off with no scrubbing, got it all off with running water. Scrubbing tank walls made little to no difference in clarity.

Any other advice?


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## egoreise (Mar 16, 2011)

I know ich treatments can be super hard on the fish and kill some of them.. but I've had really good luck with QuICK. One day of treatment is usually enough. And I've had to use it a couple times and never lost a fish doing so.


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

well you could try the salt and raising the temp route, but not sure if that route would be bad for ethier fish.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

I'm headed to bed and noticed the pleco was dead. Turned the light on today at 1030, turned off at 6. Just flushed him.

Going to try and add salt and raise the temperature up to 80 and do a water change tomorrow and start the temperature raise.

There goes $25 thus far of the pleco that lasted 9 days.


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

most fish stores offer a refund on fish that dont make it within the first two weeks two a month, my local fish store gives me 15 days to return a fish, but have to bring a water sample with me to get my money back or another fish


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

The most we have around here is 72 hours, with the dead fish. No water, or anything like that.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Well....my figure 8 is now laying on the floor barely breathing looking pretty white. 

Raised temperature by two degree's to 77-78 for now and if he makes it will raise it again to 79-80 tomorrow. Did about a 30% water change and it just doesn't look like he's going to make it.

Crap.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

I suggest you use a quarantine tank from now on...


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> I suggest you use a quarantine tank from now on...


My house won't really allow it. Three dogs, no counter top space, back porch is available but when it's 90+ degree's out I'd need a chiller to keep the water temps the same as my tanks. Honestly don't want to spend 200+ to get a chiller for a quarantine tank. High today was 89, next week will probably be in the mid 90's.

Can't really create more space by having a stand either. I only have a 1225 sq ft home. All of the floor space is taken up aside from what's needed for people and dogs to move around.


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## Trout (Mar 16, 2011)

If I were in a situation like that (no floorspace) I would totally move some stuff around and MAKE room for the tankstand, haha. I'm that obsessed.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

The problem is the dogs, any other area is already consumed. Dining room table seats 8 people and the dog bowls are on every piece of wall. This is where my 10g is currently. They are already cramped when eating. Then storing the dog food, as they all eat different foods. Golden eats nutro, male husky eats blue buffalo, and female husky needs puppy food still at 8 months old.

Living room - 125g tank, 2 side tables and a couch facing the 125g tank. I could put another tank here in between the couch and tank, but there's no outlet within 10 ft. On the other side of the living room is another side table, coffee table, double wide recliner for cuddling with my woman, 52" 1080p tv on a stand with 2 side speakers, subwoofer and 800w receiver, bluer-ray, cable box. Then I have french double doors going to the back porch in each the living room and dining room.

Back porch has PLENTY of room. It's 50x11. The problem is that it's not AC'd and here in central Florida I'm 99% sure I'd need a chiller. Because going into the mid-upper 90's low 100's in july/august I don't think even tropical fish would like that.

Masterbedroom - King size bed, fullsize 8 droor dresser, 2 night stands, 6x4 closet. Room is done can barely walk around. Room is 13x11

Gaming room - haha nuff said. Two computers worth around 6 thousand dollars, 46" 1080p TV for xbox, wii, ps3, and a lazyboy recliner. Done, room is 10x9.

Guest room - not happening as my roommate wouldn't allow it none the less I'd have to buy an extension for my gravel vac and completely on the other side of the house versus the other two tanks.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Started adding salt. Going to add 4 teaspoons at a time every 12 hours until I reach .3% brackish at about 30 teaspoons.

He's still alive, but not looking great.


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## Trout (Mar 16, 2011)

What do you keep ontop of the dresser? Just sayin, my dresser only has 4 drawers, and when I had a 10 gallon tank, I used to keep it ontop of there. I would say for a quarantine tank for bringing in new fish, you'd only need a 10 gallon... That is, unless you're buying adult fish. All the fish at the petco I go to (at least the plecos) are baby size. And as for size, it would only be for a few days at most, right?


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

It was 7 days before I noticed that ich was even in the tank, and yeah I didn't include that dresser. There's 2 lights on it, a 37" 1080p TV and a dvd player on it.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

I keep one of my tanks in the closet. Fish tank doesn't need a stand. This hobby is much more difficult and expensive without a quarantine tank.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I would get some Ick-ease treatment which is supposed to be safe for sensitive fish and use it anyway. Even if i f treatments are hard on some fish I figure if I don't treat they are going to die from the ick anyway. It spreads so fast and the fish are in such obvious distress.
That is not a pretty sight to lose a tank ful of fish to it.
I recently used the ick ease from mag labs and was quite impressed with it. The fish seemd more comfy within a couple of hours even though they still had spots.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

My figure 8 seems very nice and happy after 3-4 teaspoons of salt added. He'll stay active for about 4 hours and then calm down. He's still doing good, getting ready to add 4 more teaspoons bringing it up to 11 total.

Closets are full too. My gaming room closet is full of audio/video stuff, PC stuff, paintball stuff, a filing cabinet for all the important stuff regarding my home, car, boat, insurance policies, life insurance, annuity, etc. 

Master bedroom is obvious as my girlfriend lives here. She has enough clothing that she has to store shoes beneath the bed. Other than that there's only 1 linen closet in this house.

Anymore info people want to know about my house lmao?


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Don't care about the house set up- have enough lack of space for tanks as it is myself. 
Hope your fish continue to do well.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

My pleco died, posted that already. Unfortunately my figure 8 died about 6pm today after adding the rest of the salt and doing a gravel vac/water change.


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## Trout (Mar 16, 2011)

I hear puffers are not the most commonly available fish. Sorry for your loss  I for one have only seen 1 puffer (except for dwarf puffers) in the fish stores I go to. And it was in a salt-water tank. I hope you can get your tank taken care of, and get replacement fish.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Around here FW puffers are pretty readily available, actually. I more worry about the life it had, and then the cost of fish. 

The pleco, was cheap for its L number, was still $25. L-200.

With a job offer I have I might end up moving so I'm not getting anything going on either of my tanks as they both need work now.


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