# Parrot Fish/Cichlids------ick problem......



## sammiller (Jun 25, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I am the NEW kid on the block and I need some help fast. I have a 55 gallon freshwater tank with 5 parrot cichlids, 1 large sucker fish, and 2 little sharks, and I can't seem to get rid of my ick problem. I already have tried using a product called "quick cure", which isn't true to it's name! I followed directions, removed carbon from filters, removed the sponges, turned off the underground filter, but kept the other filters going just with no filters or sponges in them. Did this for 3 days, following directions for the amount of drops to be put in tank each day. At the end of the 3 days, I did 2 water changes, about half-way, then added the stress coat to each change. Most of the ick is gone but my biggest guy still has it around his eye and it looks nasty. Sometimes he will swim upside down if the light is left on all day. When the light is off he swims normal. I had someone tell me about turning the heat up, but I need to know from someone who has more experience than I do about this type of help for my fish. In the past we've had this problem once before and lost our fish to this disease and NOW I want to try to save my fish. Could somebody with experience with fish and that I can trust, please help me?! Just explain to me what to do and for how long and when can I expect results. Also, let me know what fatal signs to look for......
I would certainly appreciate it sooooooo much :thumb:


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## BetterMetalSnake (Jul 7, 2011)

Google is a pretty good resource for researching issues, but make sure you check several sources like getting opinions from multiple doctors. It sounds like you're doing everything right, just keep in mind that it may take several days of medicating in order for the problem to go away (like antibiotics.) If the light is causing the fish to swim upside down then turn the light off or cycle it for fewer hours, the fish don't necessarily require it as its mostly for our benefit and for plants. Try daily water changes (before medicating) of about 25% and keep up with the stress coat; it could take 2 more days, it could take a week. Only turn up the heater to a point tolerable by all fish in the tank so you dont kill them, but the increased temperature will hurry the life cycle of the ich causing it to burn out faster; also, many fish do not respond well to quick changes so make sure everything you do different is slow and gradual. Make sure you're water parameters are ideal as the less comfortable the fish are the more they will be susceptible to infection. Couldnt hurt to invest in an air stone as well. Perhaps someone else will have different suggestions? Everything I've listed above has helped me in the past. Hope this helps, and remember: research, research, research.

Good luck!


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

It sounds like you have the ich under control. After medicating I would have waited longer than 3 days to do the water change, unless the instructions specifically say to do so.

I agree with BetterMetalSnake. Increase the temperature gradually and make sure you have you have water agitated for oxygen gas exchange on the surface. Add aquarium salt. The rest is patience. I remember waiting longer than a week for signs of full recovery.

If you haven't done so, read here for very good information: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php


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## mccluggen (Jul 5, 2008)

Just keep doing what you are doing. The organism that causes ich forms has 3 stages. One is the white spots you see on your fish, as well as a free swiming stage, and a cyst stage (like eggs). They can only be killed by salt or medication when they are free swimming or attached to the fish. The cysts are impervious to it.

The reason you want to turn up the heater is to speed up the parasite's life cycle so they hatch faster and become vulnerable to your treatment. Even when the apparent symptoms of the ich clear up you must continue treatment because another batch may hatch ready to infect the fish again. The antibiotic analogy is a good one, as you are always told to continue to take all of the medicine even when you think you are not sick so you don't relapse.

Just follow directions, treat the tank, and when you do your water changes vacuum the gravel thoroughly to help remove unhatched cysts.


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## BetterMetalSnake (Jul 7, 2011)

Ya, what they said.


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## sammiller (Jun 25, 2011)

A HUGE Thank You to BetterMetalSnake, mccluggen, and des for reading and responding to my problems with ick. I have had cichlid fish for years, but have had this problem only a few times. I DO have plenty of air stones, so extra air is not an issue. I have the power head for the under gravel filter, plus 2 other filters with the charcoal n stuff, and an air stone, and 2 other sources of air. No live plants though, they seemed to be a hassle more than enjoyable. When I do the water changes, I always vacum the gravel throughly so that I can get those little critters that could be hiding. I do know to turn the lights off if it makes my fish swim upside down. We usually only turn the lights on to show off the tank to the grand kids or any visitors! Just wanted to mention it so nobody thought I didn't know what I was talking about!! 

I read the cichlid forum that des put in his reply, Thank you. It was very beneficial! I am going to try the heat method with the salt now. As far as patience is concerned, I can hopefully find that, it's just the not knowing if everything is working or not and if my fish are strong enough to take the heat, ya know! Once again, Thank you for all your help and I hope you will answer again if I need help.......I think I will go and print out those instructions for the ick problem, and I will check back here later. :fish:


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## sammiller (Jun 25, 2011)

:dancing:

Hello everyone,

I have to admit, when I joined this site I was a little skeptical about the kind of replies I would get, but the people who answered my questions and gave me advice on where to get more information about my cichlids having ich were totally awesome and extremely polite. The last time I posted, back on July 10th, I took the advice I was given about using the heat method and it WORKED!! Believe me, patience was a virtue. I did lose my big guy, but he was the one with the ich pretty bad, and when I tried to even remove some of the ich myself, I knew then he wasn't going to make it. But my other ones survived and have their awesome color back, which is a pretty orange!
All is back to normal, did my water changes like the instructions said to do. Seems like they are "happy campers" again! :fish: 
I just wanted to express my gratitude again to "BetterMetalSnake", "mccluggen", and "des" for ALL THEIR HELP....This is where I will come to if I ever need help again....... :dancing:


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