# First Ich outbreak - when will things improve?



## brice.phillips (Dec 29, 2010)

I've read the articles and decided to go the 86 degree temperature route. now that the temperature is set there, when could I expect the fish to recover? I have already lost 4 beautiful fish today, and there are 2-3 more that look like they may not make it through this.

How long does it take the temperature to kill the Ich?

I pray I don't lose more overnight...


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## Dannysaur (Feb 15, 2011)

I am going through the same thing you are at the moment. This is my first ich outbreak and I am also going the increase to 85-86 degrees route. Three clown loaches are affected. Unforunately, one of them passed earlier today (R.I.P.). I hope you don't lose any more fish and good luck to you.


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## brice.phillips (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks Dannysaur - I will keep everyone updated on any success/failures in the next few days. With four fish lost today (red empress, A Bi-Color, C. Trewavasae, P. Steveni Taiwan), there has already been about 1/3 tank carnage. Definitely NOT a good day. Hopefully the fish will be replaced by the vendor whom I purchased from.


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## Guest (Feb 18, 2011)

if your fish are already dying it means you've had the ich for at least 4 or 5 days already.. you probly didnt notice it right away... i just had the beginnings of an outbreak i am now at day 4 of raising the temp and using the drops (i didnt use them today) and the ich is all gone...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Basically the heat does not kill the ich but rather speeds up it's life cycle so it dies faster. It's a three week thing.


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## Guest (Feb 18, 2011)

oh wow.. didnt know it took that long... ill keep my temp up for awhile then


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## bpman25 (Oct 21, 2010)

temps under 85 speed up the life cycle but anything over 85 will kill all new ich parasites, the white bumps you see eventually fall off your fish and create thousands of new parasites, if you water is above 85 when this happens they will die right away, so you need to bump your temp and wait for all of the white spots to clear, that usually takes about a week and keeping your temp above 85 for two weeks is precautionary to make sure the ich is all gone.


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## splur (Jan 11, 2011)

If your fish are already at a severe level, like noticeable ich around the head and gills, you might want to consider actual treatment. I mean raising the temperature works, but it takes time and your fish might die before that.

I got malachite green (might want to check which one is best for the type of fish you have, I hear malachite green is actually kind of dangerous to the fish), and it cleared up the ich in 2 days. Unfortunately I waited almost a week before actually using treatment and 2 of the 3 fish died in that tank.


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## brice.phillips (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I was seeing too many fish deaths, nine to be exact, and some really nice fish, so i went the treatment route with quick cure from AP. Treated yesterday and this morning and am waiting for things to clear up. A few fish still have spots all over them, while a few have seemed to clear up a bit in 18 hours.

I have read conflicting things about totally eliminating ich. I have heard that the high temps over 86 will kill everything, and i have also read about dormancy with ich, so what is the answer? I don't want to have to fight this over and over, so if it can go dormant, i would rather break the tank down, bleach everything and start over completely.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Excellent article here.


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## DrgRcr (Jun 23, 2009)

When I set up my first tank, a mixed community, I had an ich outbreak. I had good luck treating with heat and salt. I raised the tank to around 85 over the course of 2 days, and during that same time, added nearly a full container of table salt, something like 2 teaspoons/gallon. I never had another outbreak in the tank. I think the important part is to continue treatment for several days after you see the last signs disappear. And then a good gravel vac, followed by several water changes to gradually remove the extra salt and get the water back to normal temp.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

It will help to do several large partial water changes and gravel siphonings DURING treatment. This will remove parasites--won't completely get rid of them but it will help with any treatment. If you're using the raised heat method then just be sure that the water you add is the same temp.

Robin


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## Marvouls (Feb 21, 2011)

Hi have just joined your forum in looking for answers. I note the temperature and salt treatment. The acquarium shop sold White spot treatment with formaldehyde and green malachite green. this is our third and last day of treatment to which the ich has not responded. also concerned about the toxicity of this product - I wish I had seen your forum earlier. How soon after this treatment can i start with salt and temperature? I don't think my poor little guys are going to make it. They share the tank with angel fish, sword tail and guppy. Please advise so that we do not have fish pass.

thank you, Maria


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## dreyofaud (Feb 3, 2011)

Hey Marvouls! I'm currently dealing with an ich problem myself. Unfortunately, the medication doesn't get rid of the white spots on the fish.. first the spots have to fall off, then they multiply and change into the swimming phase. The swimmers then find a fish, attach do it and repeat. The medication only kills the swimmers! It's when the ich is vulnerable. The life cycle takes a little while, depending upon how warm the water is. The warmer the water is, the faster they'll go thorugh it. That's why I've turned up the heat in my tanks. Plus, if it's over 86 degrees F, it will kill the stupid little things when they reproduce, completely eliminating the swimmers before they have a chance to reattach to your fish and make more white spots. Salt also aids in this. Make sure to keep those tanks aerated though, as warmer water cannot hold as much dissolved oxygen, making it harder for the fish to breathe properly. The medication also creates breathing problems, so get a little surface disruption with the filter or a bubbler. Good luck! Keep us posted!


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## Marvouls (Feb 21, 2011)

Hi Dreyofaud, thanks for the tips which I started after I ditched the medication. Temp is up and gradually adding the salt in. They are ich covered from head to fin but luckily they are swimming around and enjoying their feeds. When do you recommend a bottom tank vaccum and water change? Thanks again.


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## dreyofaud (Feb 3, 2011)

How are your fish doing? Haven't been on the computer lately. I had some bad luck with my ick, unfortunately. I was treating my betta with the heat/salt treatment and he ended up dying.. but his betta tankmate never got it. I used meds on my cichlid fry and it's gone now, so they're fine. You should do lots of gravel vacuuming to get as many parasites out as you can. It helps to keep it under control. I was doing it every day for my betta.. I haven't though for the fry, since I wanted to make sure the meds stayed in the tank. Hope your fish are doing better!


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## Marvouls (Feb 21, 2011)

Hi the ich is disappearing thanks to the salt and temp treatment. Have done a couple of water changes also. The smaller clown loach looks a little worse for wear - he is red around the gills and as is his intestinal tract which can be seen through his body. Although surviving he is not healthy. The rest are good. Would think twice about introducing more clowns as they seem to be high maintenance. What do you feed yours? There is differing advice about feeding with frozen bloodworms. Cheers


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2011)

i feed all my bottom feeders shrimp pellets... i cut a 1inch pvs pipe to 2 feet... i slide all the food down the pipe with the pipe at the bottom so the cichlids dont eat the pellets on their way down... clown loachs and loachs in general are just really suseptible to ich and the meds because they dont have scales... i am a big fan loachs.. give the lil buddies a chance lol


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## katchmart (Mar 7, 2011)

It will help make several changes to much of the water and gravel trap during treatment. This will remove the parasites - not get rid of them completely, but will help any treatment. If you use the heat raised below, just make sure that water is added is the same temperature.


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