# Treating ich. How long?



## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Hey all. 4 days ago, one of my hatchets was showing 2 spots of ich. I raised the temp. of the tank to 86 degrees (speed up the cycle and, from what I read, stop ich reproducing).

Anyways, I am using Super Ich Cure by API. Its essentially Malchite green with something else. The directions say to add one packet per 10 gallons. Then, after 48 hours, dose again. afterwards, wait another 48 hours, do a 25% water change and you are done.

I am a bit skeptical about this. I thought it took longer to cure ich. Also, i have sensitive fish so I used half the dose. I am at the end of my last 48 hour cycle. I have kept the tank lights off for 4 days and have not fed either, just in case.

What do I do now? The spots are gone....Is that it?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I don't know. I usually say "use as directed" and I usually trust API, but I know ich can last for 14 days or more before its gone through a complete cycle. The higher temp will have helped.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

I beleive I read somewhere that at 86, a cycle will last approximately 4 days. Unfortunately, I do not know how accurate that is, and I am a little worried about the fact that I had to use a half-dose. Would a half-dose still kill all the ich?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/fyi-your-info/17445-ich-fighting-west-texas-style.html

TR


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

real ick can be eliminated in under a week, but there are many "icks" out there, some needing up to 23 days to wipe out for good.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Jones, Thats for the link. I think for now, I will do a 25% water change and place carbon in the filter to remove the medication. Then I will continue to do a water change every day and slowly reduce the temp. (currently at 86).

Now, do you think i should add salt just in case? In other words, I might as well just do your whole reccommended treatment, right?

Or I may just do the water changes daily, reducing the temp. and continue with regular maintenance. if it comes back, I will do your treatment....

TheOldSalt, thanks for the heads-up! I didn't realize that there were different varieties lasting different periods of time.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I guess I would slowly revert to normal and watch the fish every day to see if it recurs. If it comes back, treat twice as long.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Alrighty. If it does come back, I will try Jones's method with the salt...

UPDATE: Well I just noticed three spots on my clown loach :O I already added the carbon and did the water change. Plus, the fish did not like the medication.... The tank is set at 86 degrees. Should I just keep it there and begin the salt treatment now?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

llamas said:


> The tank is set at 86 degrees. Should I just keep it there and begin the salt treatment now?


ll:

Yes: but start at the low salt concentrations.

TR


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

try Aquarisol....one of the reasons i like it is because it doesn't stain the water...plus;it is good for other maladies..


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Day two of the "waiting" period is over. I have my salt concetration up for two days now and the ich just is getting worse (Particularly with the cardinal tetras).

So, I beleive I have encountered one of these "super" ichs. Salt has failed me, the temp. (86+ and they wont attach to fish) has failed, as well as the half dose treatments of Malchite green (could not full dose due to fish sensitivity.

So now, i feel that there is only one thing left to do.....Copper....

I have some Coppersafe. I beleive its time released copper. Anyways, I used it last time and got effective results. I did not try it first however, since copper can be deadly, and I have soft-water and scale-less fish. I also cannot find Aquarisol at my LFS.

Should I go ahead and start doing daily water changes to remove the salt, and then start copper treatment?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

llamas said:


> I have some Coppersafe.
> 
> Should I go ahead and start doing daily water changes to remove the salt, and then start copper treatment?


ll:

My response comes from a ton of internet research wrt Coppersafe and chelated copper.

I would start both simultaneously as I cannot ascertain what percent of the chelated copper in Coppersafe will be converted into cupric chloride.

TR


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

llamas said:


> Day two of the "waiting" period is over. I have my salt concetration up for two days now and the ich just is getting worse (Particularly with the cardinal tetras).
> 
> So, I beleive I have encountered one of these "super" ichs. Salt has failed me, the temp. (86+ and they wont attach to fish) has failed, as well as the half dose treatments of Malchite green (could not full dose due to fish sensitivity.
> 
> ...



its not necessarily going to go away in 2 days. you need to give it time to work. 
stick with the heat/salt treatment. stop treatment 3 days after the spots have gone away.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

I am now sure that it is not working. The ick is growing in numbers. The fish have it more and more. If it were working, the free swimming parasites wouldnt make it to the fish, right?

This is driving me nuts! I visited the tank to find a dead (and quickly decaying due to reaised temps) pleco. The fish also look very stressed.

Copper is my last chance, I feel. with this Coppersafe, I do not want to half dose as I know it probably will not work. Last time I had ich, I full dosed with my clown loach with no problems. I also have kuhlis now.

What do you all think? I am really frustrated now!!!


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

TR: Do you mean do water changes daily and just add the copper meds to the fresh water? Also, should I start at full dose?

I have also read many horror stories with copper being highly poisonous and deadly to fish :O


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

llamas said:


> TR: Do you mean do water changes daily and just add the copper meds to the fresh water? Also, should I start at full dose?
> 
> I have also read many horror stories with copper being highly poisonous and deadly to fish :O


ll:

Copper is a "last ditch" effort which is not yet warranted IMHO if you have been increasing the salt concentration and temperature but you believed that it was warranted now.

Your question was the effect of the salt on the copper compound to which I responded.

You can add the copper to the WC water at full dose.

IMHO you waited too long into the ich attack to commence treatment and are now on a prong of the horns.

Do you continue with increasing the salt concentration and temperature and accept some losses or go now with the copper which is "nasty stuff".

IMHO continuing to increase temperature and salt concentration is appropriate.

TR


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Thank you very much for the information.

Yesterday, while searching the web, I stumbled upon Seachem Cupramine. Apparently is it much better than chelated, in terms of being stuck in an intoxic form. It barely releases any toxic copper into the water (supposedly).

I think I may give this a shot. from what I have read, there are some strains of ich that are resistant to salt. At this point, I do not feel like taking chances by raising salinity.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Take your best shot. If the meds kill fish, console yourself that the ich would have killed them anyway.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

I will try to keep that in mind. luckily though, i feel like I have "super" fish. Haha. I used copper before with the clown loach and tetras. Back then, I did a whole dose at once, not knowing that it could be a disaster. However, all the fish pulled through!

The only difference with the tank now is that I have some kuhlis and the new hatchetfish


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Alright. The copper is not showing up on the test kit (seachem multi-test Copper). I ran a reference test and it showed up. So, I have little to no coppe rin the tank. Now that I think of it, I have some plants (anacharis and frogbit) that are probably absorbing the copper. I also have a large piece of driftwood and a smaller one


I will remove the plants, but have nowhere to put them. It is only a bunch of anacharis and teh frogbit will be removed later on anyways. Should I just throw it away.

Also, if I remove the large driftwood, my fish will have no plae to hide or seek shelter. Should I keep lights off?


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

R.I.P. Kuhli....One the plus side, my copper is at the right level and I am noticing fewer spots...Better move some decorations and ensure that there are no more deaths


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