[lfb]

Hi!
I wish this were not my first post, but I'm a lurker, so that's what I get...
Anyway. I have a 10 gal aquarium, semi planted (amazon sword, crystal wort, hornwort, and one tiny clump of java moss) with 2 guppies and 4 glass catfish.

The tank was cycled using the filter and some plants from my year old aquarium, and (after a quarantine) the glass catfish and guppies were added. Water parameters were and still are:
Nitrate: approx 5
Nitrite: 0
Hardness: 75
Chlorine: 0
KH:120
pH: 6.9

The glass catfish have a cave with plants around, and have been eating well even through treatment, and the guppies were doing fine. Not bothering them at all, and eating well.

Unfortunately, I picked up the wrong plant from the wrong tank at a petstore (can't remember the plant's name...sorry) and got snails, and a disintegrating plant. :frustrated: And a few days later, the ich showed up on my guppies.

I'm treating with Kordon Rid Ich. Full dose, but done gradually (read it on a forum while trying to figure out how not to kill the catfish, but make sure they're ich free).

I finished the first full dose, and all are eating and well, but the cats are getting a little milky looking. Still swimming and eating, but I'm afraid I'm stressing them too much.

No one has signs of ich, and they have been under treatment for about 56 hours.

So finally my question! Should I stop dosing? or should I continue until the 3 days the bottle recommends? I'm worried for my catfish...

Thank you all so much!

 

[lfb]

Oh yes, and I cranked the heat up gradually to 82, but am afraid of going higher because of the catfish

 

[jaysee]

Welcome to the forum

Turning the heat up to 82 has no bearing on anything.

If you are concerned about the fish dying, then you should discontinue treatment. It's only successful if the fish lives....

 

[lfb]

Thanks jaysee. I had read that higher temps speeds up the life cycle of the tomite, and makes it reach a susceptible stage quicker.

I didn't know if since the catfish had survived this long, that they'd be ok, or if it was too much. I may stop treatment.
Thanks for your advice!

 

[jaysee]

Yes, raising the temp does speed up the life cycle, though assuming your tank was already ~80, 82 isn't much different. I exclusively use heat to treat ich - it's all that's needed. Every new fish gets a heat treatment while in quarantine. I raise the temp to 88 for two weeks, and that's that. Doesn't get any easier. I have kept a lot of fish, and I have never had one that could not handle the treatment. Even "cold" wanted fish. It's generally recommended for the temp to be 85-86, but I go higher to ensure the parasite is killed. Different strains can tolerate different temps, but 86 is the most popular recommendation.

 

[lfb]

Oh really? I hadn't used the heat treatment because I thought the catfish couldn't handle it! I may quit the medication and ramp up to 86 then.

 

[Romad]

That's a tough call. I've never raised the heat higher than 82 because of my cories. I didn't want to take the chance of killing them.

I had one outbreak in my 75 gallon a few months back from not leaving a fish in quarantine long enough. I put in an airstone, raised the temp to 82, and used the Kordon's.

I didn't add any salt to the tank because it's fairly heavily planted. I kept it up for approx 10 days - maybe a little more and I'm happy to say that I didn't lose any fish. The only thing that died off was my cabomba.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[jaysee]

That's a tough call. I've never raised the heat higher than 82 because of my cories. I didn't want to take the chance of killing them.

You won't kill them. I've administered the treatment on several species and know countless others that have as well.

 

[Mikaila31]

You won't kill them. I've administered the treatment on several species and know countless others that have as well.

It does depend on species. All but one of my healthy rosy barbs died due to heat last summer. They were okay at 82 but started dropping quickly at 86.

Each to their own tho. I've always used a copper medication and never heat to treat ich, as I have certainly seen heat stress in fish.

 

[jaysee]

It does depend on species. All but one of my healthy rosy barbs died due to heat last summer. They were okay at 82 but started dropping quickly at 86.

Each to their own tho. I've always used a copper medication and never heat to treat ich, as I have certainly seen heat stress in fish.

And all of my rosy barbs have made it through the heat of the summer year after year, as well as the mandatory 88 degree heat treatment in quarantine after purchase. Is the super warm water acceptable for a long term temperature? Of course not. It's a 2 week treatment. I've administered the treatment on more than 50 species of fish without losing a single fish. But some people rather use medications to cure what can be cured naturally. You think its more stressful (though youve never tried it) than medicating, while the opposite arguement can easily be made. i used to medicate when i was a new to the hobby. Yes, to each their own.

 

[1077]

I have for year's used Quik cure with all manner of fishes.(half dose for some species)
Treatment usually last's three day's .
Would alway's add some type of aeration for temp's above 80 degree's for there is less dissolved oxygen at warmer temp's.
I do not treat fish in quarantine,or subject them to uncomfortable temp changes,water chemistry, unless symptom's dictate it .Just time, and observation's.
Opinion's vary.

 

[jaysee]

Quick cure was my preferred medication - if I were to medicate now, it's what I would use.

A parasite living in balance with its host is difficult to detect. I prophylactically treat for parasites while in quarantine for that reason. I prefer to make full use of the fishs time in quarantine. I do not add any supplemental aeration, even at 88. I've found it to be unnecessary.

 

[MoneyMitch]

i follow the exact same routine as jaysee and have also done so for years, still yet to lose a fish to the heat, 86 is technically the number but I go warmer just to be sure. takes about two weeks and in my opinion not as hard on the fish as a chemical. but then again we all have our ways and opinions.

(never used the "extra" aeration either)

 

[lfb]

Well, sad news. The glass catfish were fine for the two days of medication, but when I tried the heat treatment and discontinuing the meds that were stressing them, they died. There is only one left.

 

[jaysee]

Well, sad news. The glass catfish were fine for the two days of medication, but when I tried the heat treatment and discontinuing the meds that were stressing them, they died. There is only one left.

I'm sorry to hear that. It's really best to give the fish a break between treatments when you administer multiple. The fact that they were stressed already was reason to not begin something new, especially because they were not exhibiting signs of the parasite. I;m sorry that a discussion about treatment methods led you to this.

 

[MoneyMitch]

in my personal experience I had a group of pictus cats that came down with ich. I had used a ich cure type medication on them even though I had never used meds for ich before. well during the treatment I lost the whole school (7), come to find out they were sensitive to the particular med I was treating them with. im sure if I went with the heat they would have pulled through, but then again hind sight is 20/20

 

[lfb]

It always sucks to lose fish.
I thought that since I had discontinued the medication and started ramping up the next day that there would be a sufficient break, but I guess I really should have waited longer. I probably panicked when I should have been patient.

 

[MoneyMitch]

I probably panicked when I should have been patient.

ive done this before we all have at one point or another. accessing the situation and choosing the best method to react is always best. like I said I hate usiung meds cause its a chemicals you expose the fish to while they are already stressed.

sorry about the loss btw