# sometimes we forget



## Cardiff (Jun 2, 2008)

how hard it is to keep these beautiful things. I have noticed over the past few weeks the odd fish rubbing on the sand but nothing too mjaor but upon feeding them this morning my plec has a few white spots and is not a happy bunny. So i read up on here before my LFS opened and upped the temp to 80 degrees and have done a 40% water change and added a ich treatment and hope he pulls through and hope others dont come down with it.

A question though, my 90L, i have seem a few fish there doing the old dive to the sand should i treat them to be safe or leave it?

I checked my water and all was well and i do weekly 25% water changes etc but am putting it down to adding new fish over the last few weeks, i hope!


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## GBSTEVE (Dec 10, 2007)

At the risk of being contrary...... I'm not a fan of ich treatment AND raising temperatures - IMO this robs too much oxygen from the water, stresses the fish and therefore starts a snowball reaction of poor health. As UK shelf remedies are (again IMO so as not to upset our fine retailers :wink: ) so weak - for our own "safety" of course I forgo the treatment and raise the temperature to 84 - 90 over a couple of days,(depends onyour comfort level / bravery - but higher the better within that range) and leave it there for 14 days before taking it down again over a couple more days. Combine this with 25% water changes as often as possible upto daily if you can. You can't harm the Ich whilst it's on the fish, anyway, and the cysts cannot live in these temperatures once free.

I also subscribe to the belief that Ich is present in all tanks - but only once weakened or stressed by another influence is it able to "conquer" the fish - a bit like us getting ill when over tired etc!


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

in the old days for ich treatment they'd jack up the temp to make the ichs life cycle speed up & then salt the tank to kill it off. todays remedies dont require you to raise the temp. I agree gbsteve, its best not to for the fishes sake. I think they recover better when you dont play with the temps.


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

I'd rather raise the temperature for a week than add a **** load of chemicals that are ich treatments.


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## FLGirl1977 (Jul 24, 2007)

I have used the raise the heat method (which I actually raised my tank temp to 86 degrees F with africans) and added salt and it worked out well (just make sure you increase the agitation on the water surface to increase the O2 exchange). You need to do it for 14-16 days though for it to be completely effective and to make sure it is completely gone.

I've also used Malachite green and it also works well! It's inexpensive and very easy to use. I've used it in my discus tank when I noticed my cardinal tetras covered in ich. It will tint your water a faint blue, but disappears shortly after. I didn't have any problems with staining and it actually made the water look more clear! :lol:

Both methods are very effective and easy, it's just which ever you prefer. Good luck and keep in mind as long as it's caught early, it's really not a big deal and it's very easy to get rid of!


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## Cardiff (Jun 2, 2008)

well i upped my temps but think the heater is working to hard in such a big tank as temps are still below 80. I have put the third day of the treatment of PROTOZIN my plec still aint looking well and according to the label i leave now until day 6 and treat again.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

Also I forgot to mention when ever anyone is treating a sick fish....remove your carbon from the filter or the carbon will do its job & remove the medication! The fresher the carbon the faster it'll remove it.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

raising the temperature entices more trophonts to hatch out, so our meds/salt can kill it. without an increase in temp., their life cycle could delay for months, making your treatment less effective. IMHO.


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## Cardiff (Jun 2, 2008)

thats what i thought lloyd and many reports say the fish are fine with the higher temps, i have a big air stone on anyway.

I am right then that my plec who has the white spots on him will have to wait until they falloff and the medication will simply kill the bug when in the water, so he has to fight it off himself?


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

pleco with ick are a double edged sword. they demand high oxygenation, while at the same time, many treatment (except salt) risk depletion of same. this is why pleco with ick are often found at surface, inside sponge filter draft tube, clinging to filter return, etc. i have seen pleco jump out of tank during heavy ick infestation. 
you are correct that all fish need to tolerate the treatment, but knowing what effect treatment has on water parameters, helps us to make the duration more bearable. adding aeration device, increasing turbidity, increasing water change volumes, and removing heavily assaulted individuals are tasks i find helpful to successful recovery. IMO. HTH.


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## Cardiff (Jun 2, 2008)

well the pleco disappeared over the weekend and found him dead this morning under a rock 

i was told by my LFS to do a second treatment to be safe, so did a water change and left it two days and today started another course. The rest of the fish seem ok, one other had a few spots but they have gone now so hopefully they are ok but will never assume so am keeping a close eye.

For the future what are the first signs of it? Is it the rubbing on the sandy floor?


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