Ich help

[CaptKirkland]

Hey guy I'm really frustrated and looking for help.

Stocking and Parameters:

55 Gallon

5 Giant Danios

5 Serpe Tetras

2 Long Finned Danios

5 Platys

5 Buenos Aris Tetra

2 Black Skirt Tetra 

1 White Skirt Tetra

Snails and African Dwarf Frog

Albino Pleco

N03 - 0 (I assume its zero Nitates because I've been doing 30% water changes for a week daily with Ich treatment. Also I stopped dosing Easy Green)

N02 - 0

GH - 300

KH - 180

PH - 6.8 / 7.0

CL2 - 0 

Ammonia - 0

Temperature - 74

The tank has been established for a long time (years) but recently did full drain to install new Universal Rock background and add some substrate. 

Running a Hang on back with prefilter sponge, have an Aquarium Co-Op sponge filter and air pump on the way. 

Food - Frozen Krill, Freeze Dried Blood Worms, Xtreme Krill Flakes, Hikaro Micro Pellets

So here's the story - I stupidly bought some Platys and Serpe Tetras and added them without a quarantine (I know better now). So I have developed what I thought was Ich. I treated Ich with Ich x until I thought it was gone for 4 days. After two days it came back. Treated again and now I'm on day 6 of treatment and it's not going away. It's not getting substantially worse but not getting better. I followed all directions for treatment. It looks like Ich, I haven't seen any protruding spots or spots on the eyes. 

Obviously, my tank is planted and has snails which rule out Aquarium salt. I don't have a QT tank but I'm going to Petco to pick up a 10 Gallon right now. I have all the trio on hand as well as Aquarium Salt. My question is this...... First, is this Ich or Epistylis? Did I screw the treatment up by stopping early? Should I keep treating Ich x for a few more days? Should I attempt to catch the infected fish and move them to a QT tank dose with Salt and put them on a no-feed diet? Is it possible this is stress Ich? I don't see what the stresses would be, the Giant Danios and pretty active but no one is getting fin nipped. 

I'm sure I missed some information here so please ask any questions you want. I'm really at a loss here. I pride myself on being an informed fishkeeper and I'm trying my best to treat this but I'm really at a loss for my next steps. As I said my next plan is to purchase a QT tank and dose it with salt. I will NEVER EVER not QT new fish, that's for dang sure!

Thanks, NERMS!

[Janoš Bećar Pecaroš]

That does look like ich to me. I would try raising the temp to 80.

[CaptKirkland]

Cory said said he doesn't agree with rasing temps for treating Ich .  But I agree it seems like Ich. I ruled out stress Ich because pretty much every species has had it and all of my parameters are normal. I think it's getting better so I will continue to treat Ich. 

[Colu]

I agree looks like I would keep treating with ick X treat for 3 days after you see the last spots I would also add a Small amount of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 10 gallons as ich causes massive electrolyte loss and the salt will add back in essential electrolytes @CaptKirkland

[CaptKirkland]

I thought salt will kill plants even in smaller amounts 

[Colu]

On 3/5/2023 at 3:03 AM, CaptKirkland said:

I thought salt will kill plants even in smaller amounts 

1 table spoon for 10 gallons is fine to use most aquarium plants can tolerate a higher dose of salt for a shorter amount of time I use salt in my planted tank all the time in small amounts have not had any problems 

Edited March 5 by Colu

[CaptKirkland]

So I finally beat the ich with no casualties.  I netted out the worst fish and put them into QT with salt for 5 days then an Fritz Ich treatment. Thanks for your help.