fish have ich, how do I slow it down?

[Lemon]

so I think my tetras have ich, it is only on their fins. how can I slow it down while I wait for the med trio from aquarium co op? I can't add salt because it is a planted tank. will dropping the temp a little help? and I can't move the fish to a qt tank for 2 reasons; too hard to catch them because I have a lot of plants, and the qt tank has a breeding pair of kribs with fry.

thanks for the help.

Edited June 18, 2021 by quirkylemon103

[FrozenFins]

You can do the oppoiste of dropping the temperture! Raise the temperture! Warm waters will help speed up the life cycle of the ich parasite. I would also do every other day waterchanges until the meds come.

Good Luck! Keep us posted!

[Lemon]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:24 PM, James Black said:

You can do the oppoiste of dropping the temperture! Raise the temperture! Warm waters will help speed up the life cycle of the ich parasite. I would also do every other day waterchanges until the meds come.

Good Luck! Keep us posted!

how would speeding up the lifecycle help? 

[FrozenFins]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:31 PM, quirkylemon103 said:

how would speeding up the lifecycle help? 

the faster the life cycle, the sooner they die. The sooner they die, the less they spread.

[Lemon]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:49 PM, James Black said:

the faster the life cycle, the sooner they die. The sooner they die, the less they spread.

but wouldn't they breed faster too? 

[lefty o]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:59 PM, quirkylemon103 said:

but wouldn't they breed faster too? 

im in the raise the temp a few degrees camp. i dont like to do a big raise myself.  main thing to be concerned with short term is killing off the ick. if they have a 2 week shorter lifespan or a few decide to breed, oh well. that is a better option than all dying from ich which will greatly shorten the lifespan. i myself also will use salt in a planted tank. not at quite the dose of a non planted tank, but plants will tolerate some salt, and usually those that dont tolerate it, melt back, and regrow.

[Lemon]

On 6/18/2021 at 2:12 PM, lefty o said:

im in the raise the temp a few degrees camp. i dont like to do a big raise myself.  main thing to be concerned with short term is killing off the ick. if they have a 2 week shorter lifespan or a few decide to breed, oh well. that is a better option than all dying from ich which will greatly shorten the lifespan. i myself also will use salt in a planted tank. not at quite the dose of a non planted tank, but plants will tolerate some salt, and usually those that dont tolerate it, melt back, and regrow.

how much salt? 

[lefty o]

id do about 1/2 of a normal does per gallon.  you can go more, but it is a balance of do you lose fish, or lose plants. maybe up to 1/2 tbsp per gallon. how many days til the ich x shows up? 1 or 2, do a light dose of salt just to help slow the ich until you cant treat with the med.

Edited June 18, 2021 by lefty o

[Lemon]

On 6/18/2021 at 2:28 PM, lefty o said:

id do about 1/2 of a normal does per gallon.  you can go more, but it is a balance of do you lose fish, or lose plants. maybe up to 1/2 tbsp per gallon. how many days til the ich x shows up? 1 or 2, do a light dose of salt just to help slow the ich until you cant treat with the med.

I ordered it today 

[lefty o]

then you're a couple of days out, id toss in some salt.

[Lemon]

the ich hasn't spread at all, maybe it isn't ich there are only white dots on the fins of some of the tetras. also I haven't seen any "scratching", and they are eating well 

[Jungle Fan]

I would quarantine those who appear to be infected in a quarantine tank, then add salt and raise temperature. Raising the temperature makes the parasites grow at a more rapid rate and then fall off the host. If you do that in your aquarium, you will now have the parasite in your gravel. Better to have that happen in a quarantine tank without substrate and which you can clean after treatment is discontinued.

[Lemon]

On 6/19/2021 at 12:31 PM, Jungle Fan said:

I would quarantine those who appear to be infected in a quarantine tank, then add salt and raise temperature. Raising the temperature makes the parasites grow at a more rapid rate and then fall off the host. If you do that in your aquarium, you will now have the parasite in your gravel. Better to have that happen in a quarantine tank without substrate and which you can clean after treatment is discontinued.

I can't put them in a qt tank, I have breeding kribensis in qt. also I don't think it is ich. from aquarium co ops article on ich 

"Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, rapid breathing, fish rubbing their bodies against surfaces, lethargy, and hiding behavior." they are eating well, they aren't rubbing on anything, they are active, and they are out all the time. and they only have dots on the fins. I will try to get picture 

[lefty o]

the ich is already in the entire tank if it is on the fish.

[quikv6]

Agree with lefty o.....if it is visible on a fish, it's in the tank....provided it is ich.

While heat is used to speed up the life cycle, you would want to have the Ich-X on hand and start the dosing. This way, the Ich-X can be effective during the parasite's free-swimming form, when it is looking for a host.

Some also use the heat to directly kill the parasite, but many fish may not be tolerant of such temps. (Above 86 degrees, if I remember correctly.) In my opinion, why take the chance of stressing the fish with those temps, when it isn't required with the Ich-X. I do think a few degree bump is totally fine, and helpful, just to speed up the Ich life cycle.