Ich decimated my cardinal tetras in basically 48h. Is this normal?

[CliffA]

I had done some light reading on Ich - it seemed like something you got, you medicated, and so long as you were on top of it, it wasn't THAT bad (maybe a few deaths.. etc..).

A few weeks ago I noticed my fish had spots on them - I just have one GBR, 10 cardinal tetras, and one neon tetra (snuck in with the cards..). Tetras were about 1 inch long, GBR 1.5-2. Some tetras had many (20+) spots on them. I look at them every day - I can't imagine I missed it the day before. I saw it at around noon. Went to the fish store and got some medication after work (around 5), and applied immediate, in addition to turning water up to 89 degrees. Fish are in a 65gal aquarium, with a ~12 sump tank. Overnight - a few died. Then over the next 12 hours, a few more did. All in all, I had one 2 cards left at the 48 hour mark, and they died shortly after. Neon died after about 5 days.

I had planned on getting discus - I've done all my research, got what I believe to be a great setup for them - but this scares me! Is this how ich normally is? Or is it because my fish were too small? And discus around 4" would fair better?

Would love to hear thoughts!

[Phillydubs]

They may not have been able to handle the high temp. Although weird the neon went last?

[Second Hand Pat]

My guess is they couldn't handle the meds. Can you tell us what it was and how you dosed it. Also check your water to ensure you did not wipeout your filter.
Pat

[CliffA]

They may not have been able to handle the high temp. Although weird the neon went last?

Agreed! although I thought cards were able to handle 89, and that was one of the reason they make good tank mates?

My guess is they couldn't handle the meds. Can you tell us what it was and how you dosed it. Also check your water to ensure you did not wipeout your filter.
Pat

I used API Liquid Super Ich Cure, I used about 70ml, as it says 5ml per 5 gallons. I did not apply it again, as by the time it said to (48 hours later) I had no fish to save.

[bluelagoon]

Tetras and scaleless fish usually will handle half dosing much better than the usual dosing for other fish.

[Phillydubs]

Typically the cards will handle the higher temps. same with rummies, thats why people go that route. However 89 is still high for an every day temp if you ask me. I see no reason to keep it that way...

How do you change water? Do you age? How do you know you are matching the temp? Is it possible you did a water change and it was in the 90s? a few years back I nearly wiped out a gorgeous group of leopards and lost a bunch of tankmates cause I was guestimating water temps using the best tool i had, my HAND! NOOOOO BUENO!

[CliffA]

Tetras and scaleless fish usually will handle half dosing much better than the usual dosing for other fish.

Good to know.

Typically the cards will handle the higher temps. same with rummies, thats why people go that route. However 89 is still high for an every day temp if you ask me. I see no reason to keep it that way...

How do you change water? Do you age? How do you know you are matching the temp? Is it possible you did a water change and it was in the 90s? a few years back I nearly wiped out a gorgeous group of leopards and lost a bunch of tankmates cause I was guestimating water temps using the best tool i had, my HAND! NOOOOO BUENO!

I didn't plan on keeping it that way - just while I was treating Ich, because that's what I read to do. Perhaps next time I'll go 86 instead. At the instructions of the bottle, I hadn't done a water change - it says not to do one for 48 hours, so I didn't. I've done quite a few water changes, and I have a digital thermometer in my sump, and i've never had it vary by more than a degree. Water change with water in the 90's seems very unlikely. I do not age the water - It comes straight from my tap. pH is 8.2ish, and I apply Prime for the WC% at the beginning of filling the tank back up. To be clear, the tetras were living with this, and the water changes for appx a month before showing illness.

[EJ_B]

What was your water temp before you turned it up to 89?

[CliffA]

What was your water temp before you turned it up to 89?

84-85

[Ryan925]

Good to know.



I didn't plan on keeping it that way - just while I was treating Ich, because that's what I read to do. Perhaps next time I'll go 86 instead. At the instructions of the bottle, I hadn't done a water change - it says not to do one for 48 hours, so I didn't. I've done quite a few water changes, and I have a digital thermometer in my sump, and i've never had it vary by more than a degree. Water change with water in the 90's seems very unlikely. I do not age the water - It comes straight from my tap. pH is 8.2ish, and I apply Prime for the WC% at the beginning of filling the tank back up. To be clear, the tetras were living with this, and the water changes for appx a month before showing illness.

You say prime for wc %? You should be dosing prime for entire tank volume

[gators111]

I've always had the best luck with aquarium salt for treating ich with temps around 86ish. Only if I have a really stubborn case, do I resort to meds. Which involves a salt/super ick cure for 15-20 minutes in a gallon jug.

[Demosthenes]

What is your aeration situation like? With the heat that high you would need lots and lots of aeration. It's possible the fish suffocated. I've also found cardinals to be pathetically fragile. I have no success with them. You buy 50 and in 8 months you'll have 25, in a year you'll have 15...every...damn...time. But maybe that's just me. It wouldn't surprise me if, like others have said, the meds were just too much for them to handle.

I'm also a little confused because I thought that ich generally isn't a problem at discus temps. I've never had ich take hold in my tanks over 83 degrees. Are you sure of your diagnosis?

[brewmaster15]

I've always had the best luck with aquarium salt for treating ich with temps around 86ish. Only if I have a really stubborn case, do I resort to meds. Which involves a salt/super ick cure for 15-20 minutes in a gallon jug.

I agree with you there....salt plus temps in the mid 80s is usually all thats needed and the concentration is handled fine my fresh water fish including tetras..


hth,
al