Is this ick?

[OC Discus]

Can anyone identify these spots and recommend the best treatment.
55 g long
Temp 86
Ph- 7.5
Am- 0
NI- 0
NA- .5
GH- 150
KH- 120

wc 50% 2-3 times per week

Thanks!


8071180710

[Skip]

Yep.. looks like it to me

[Skip]

I used a myrancin (sp?) Concentrate.. for ich and velvet.. 4 drops per gallon.. 5 days..

It worked.. there are other methods. . Copper. .. raising temp high. Salt.. etc..

[Nick Klimkowski]

Yep that is ich, I have always done a salt dip with my other fish.

-Nick

[OC Discus]

Please Explain Salt Dip


Yep that is ich, I have always done a salt dip.

-Nick

[Tazalanche]

Info about ich: Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis (White Spot) Infections in Fish (http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/external/ich.shtml)

Proper quarantine procedures could have prevented this from affecting your display tank, but daily water changes, turn off the lights for 2 weeks, daily water changes, salt (aquarium salt or non-iodized table salt, 1-2 tbsp per 10 gallons of tank water dissolved in a cup and poured in tank), daily water changes, high temps (88-90 for 15 days to speed up the lifespan of the ich parasites & watch to guarantee its eradication) & daily water changes are all you need to treat discus for ich.

With the very short time frame that ich is actually susceptible to chemicals, plus the quantity of meds needed to treat your 55 gallon tank is an unnecessary expense & risk to the discus when salt & high temps can do the same thing. You didn't list what else is in the tank, but some plants, fish & snails might not be able to handle the higher temps. If you have a smaller QT tank, you could consider treating the dithers with a chemical treatment in it. Either way, to ensure total eradication of the parasite in the 55 gallon, it needs the high temps.

Merry & I dealt with a bout of this in December 2012 because we went lax in our quarantine procedures for some plants & mystery snails in an 86 degree discus tank. I turned out the lights on the tank, raised the temp to 88, added roughly 1.5 tablespoons of salt per 10 gallons & did feeding, water changes & everything else normally. At day 10 we turned on the lights to check everyone over, then turned the lights back off. On day 14 the lights were turned back on. On day 15 we dropped the temperature back down to 86. No ich since. Now all new plants get dipped & all new aquatic creatures get a 4-6 week QT in another room at the opposite end of the house from our display tanks.

If you wish to read up on it more, in the upper right corner of this forum, search keyword(s): ich salt raise temperature

Good luck!

P.S.: I would not recommend a salt dip for this situation because any errors with performing the dip will destroy the slime coat of the discus & weaken its immune system even more than the damage the ich parasite is causing.

[Nick Klimkowski]

A salt dip is a very delicate thing, and the more I thougt about it i agree with Tazalanche. I an just so used to useing it so i would not recommend that the first fish you try it on would be a discus. I have used it just because I have a lot of experience with it.

[OC Discus]

I used a myrancin (sp?) Concentrate.. for ich and velvet.. 4 drops per gallon.. 5 days..

It worked.. there are other methods. . Copper. .. raising temp high. Salt.. etc..

Thanks Skip. Is Quick Cure a safe option? Safe for bio filter?


Info about ich: Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis (White Spot) Infections in Fish (http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/external/ich.shtml)

Proper quarantine procedures could have prevented this from affecting your display tank, but daily water changes, turn off the lights for 2 weeks, daily water changes, salt (aquarium salt or non-iodized table salt, 1-2 tbsp per 10 gallons of tank water dissolved in a cup and poured in tank), daily water changes, high temps (88-90 for 15 days to speed up the lifespan of the ich parasites & watch to guarantee its eradication) & daily water changes are all you need to treat discus for ich.

With the very short time frame that ich is actually susceptible to chemicals, plus the quantity of meds needed to treat your 55 gallon tank is an unnecessary expense & risk to the discus when salt & high temps can do the same thing. You didn't list what else is in the tank, but some plants, fish & snails might not be able to handle the higher temps. If you have a smaller QT tank, you could consider treating the dithers with a chemical treatment in it. Either way, to ensure total eradication of the parasite in the 55 gallon, it needs the high temps.

Merry & I dealt with a bout of this in December 2012 because we went lax in our quarantine procedures for some plants & mystery snails in an 86 degree discus tank. I turned out the lights on the tank, raised the temp to 88, added roughly 1.5 tablespoons of salt per 10 gallons & did feeding, water changes & everything else normally. At day 10 we turned on the lights to check everyone over, then turned the lights back off. On day 14 the lights were turned back on. On day 15 we dropped the temperature back down to 86. No ich since. Now all new plants get dipped & all new aquatic creatures get a 4-6 week QT in another room at the opposite end of the house from our display tanks.

If you wish to read up on it more, in the upper right corner of this forum, search keyword(s): ich salt raise temperature

Good luck!

P.S.: I would not recommend a salt dip for this situation because any errors with performing the dip will destroy the slime coat of the discus & weaken its immune system even more than the damage the ich parasite is causing.

Thanks Taz. The ick started several weeks ago when I removed gravel and added sand. I treated with high temp and salt for about ten days and it cleared up. Then I had a heater malfunction and shoot up to 95, so I replaced it with two heaters that could only get the temp up to 84. At night it dropped to 82. I have noticed a few spots on their tails for a couple of weeks, but just noticed this outbreak today. I finally replaced the two small heaters with two that can get the temp up to 89-90 and raised it this evening.

The only thing in the tank is six discus, 5 cardinals and 3 coreys. Since they never really got over it last time I wonder if I should medicate this time. What are your thoughts on Quick Cure? I have some on hand.

Thanks.


A salt dip is a very delicate thing, and the more I thougt about it i agree with Tazalanche. I an just so used to useing it so i would not recommend that the first fish you try it on would be a discus. I have used it just because I have a lot of experience with it.

Nick, thanks for the reply and the correction.

[Skip]

Idk. I made a thead for my ich problem in my homestead

[jmf3460]

I have used quick cure to rid of ick with no harsh side effects. I will stain your airline tubing if you have any into the tank though.

[OC Discus]

I've scoured a lot of pages on the forum and the web. There seems to be a general sense of agreement that just raising temp to 89 and doing daily water changes will cure the ick problem in time- 10-14 days. Any confirmations or objections?

BTW- This particular fish has been fighting a lot. He and a silver pigeon about the size and age are always sparring. He is usually the aggressor, but she stands up to him sometimes (He and she are uncertain, just for emphasis).

[pastry]

You don't need to use anything. Turn up the heat (89-90) for 72-96 hours & increase aeration as needed.

[OC Discus]

Thanks Elliot. I feel better doing that- and the water changes. Don't want to get my bio filter all out of whack. Did 75% wc this am. They sure love that clean water and the air in it.


You don't need to use anything. Turn up the heat (89-90) for 72-96 hours & increase aeration as needed.

[pastry]

No prob OC. Easiest thing to cure without meds and best done directly to whatever tank it's in. On your WC's, while most of us aren't too precise on temp of the WC, I'd say try to keep it really close to that higher temp (you can still do this by touch).

[OC Discus]

Done. Thanks.


No prob OC. Easiest thing to cure without meds and best done directly to whatever tank it's in. On your WC's, while most of us aren't too precise on temp of the WC, I'd say try to keep it really close to that higher temp (you can still do this by touch).

[OC Discus]

Elliot,

What became of the fry in the planted tank? I was just reading the old thread where the new filter was sucking them up and at least one was peeking out through the plants. Did that one make it? How's he doing?

What about leaving the new filter off from the time they attach until they are big enough to not get sucked up, then turn it back on?

[pastry]

OC, I'm the type that usually learns the hard way at least twice... so back in 2011 I had pair successfully have a batch make it until installing my fluval which sucked them up. Well... I sort of did the same thing this time around when installing my sump. I think I had a minicycle but also noticed the intake to the fluval had the screen knocked off (so they either got sucked up or wiped out by the minicycle). Now, I DO have one little bugger that just came out of no where after not seeing any for almost 2 weeks. So I wonder if there are any others lurking in the tank! I'd like to try one more time to get a batch but I may take half of them out after a few weeks and grow them out a little in small tank... then leave the other half in for another round of "survival of the fittest"

[OC Discus]

What size is the little guy? Can you get a pic?

[pastry]

he's about 1.25... maaaybe. As for a pic, as soon as I get my wife's camera fixed that I broke! I took it apart (dumb idea) and still haven't been able to put it back together. Soooo... that might be an extra xmas present for her

[OC Discus]

:)