EcstaticTiara Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Got this little one the other day, didn't look great at pet store but was hoping I could nurse back to health - because I really wanted a lemon pleco. Now seems it may have ich, definitely not doing well. If it is ich what is best treatment? I see a lot of people recommend ich-x but have to order, coukd take a day or 2, idk if they'll make it that much longer 😔 QT tank is planted, 74-76°F and I have suddenly had a nitrite spike in tank that was cycled so idk what I did but omg...it's all gone crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Ich can be a slow moving disease. (parasitic infection). Salt can help with that. Aquarium salt only. 1tbsp per 3 gallons. Heat is also needed. it speeds up the lifecycle of the parasite. so, heat up to 84-86 works best. plants won't like that but should survive. Plants also won't like the salt either. the thing with the salt. it doesn't evaporate, so any water changes that are needed. only add salt to the water you replace at the specific dose. if you add 3 gallon water, only add 1 tbsp salt. I'm not honestly sure if I'd use ich-x at all. plecos can be sensitive to it. i think just the heat and salt. probably for a week or more, then maintain regular quarantine for another month. I'm hoping your fish friend is strong enough. ich is a parasite, but most fish won't have problems with it if they live in a healthy tank. which you know he didn't you can use your quarantine tank. just keep an eye out for any ammonia. when you see it do a water change. then use prime to dechlorinate the water. wouldn't hurt to add some more bacteria in as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 I am going to get a second opinion here as to whether that's ich or not. @Guppysnail does that look like ich on that bristlenose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Most effective treatment is ick X or a similar medication containing malachite green such as kordon rid ick plus and aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 3 gallons as ich causes massive electrolyte loss and the salt adds back in essential electrolytes ick X safe for bristlenose I have used it before not had any issues @EcstaticTiara 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 On 3/12/2024 at 3:07 PM, Tony s said: I am going to get a second opinion here as to whether that's ich or not. @Guppysnail does that look like ich on that bristlenose? I can’t really see it that well. If @Colu thinks it is I’ll go with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EcstaticTiara Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 He's so washed out. Something isn't right, parameters are good. His tail is clamped. So any thoughts would be soooo appreciated. I want to help the poor little pleco 😭 He's so washed out. Something isn't right, parameters are good. His tail is clamped. So any thoughts would be soooo appreciated. I want to help the poor little pleco 😭 Here's another photo fuller shot. Whatsa goin on and how do I help? Help 😪 He's so washed out. Something isn't right, parameters are good. His tail is clamped. So any thoughts would be soooo appreciated. I want to help the poor little pleco 😭 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 On 3/12/2024 at 5:04 PM, Guppysnail said: I can’t really see it that well Yeah, the lemon color is really throwing me off. I was hoping you had a better idea of what to look for. I can see spots, but I’m not all that familiar with what a bristlenose is supposed to look like. And I’ve seen your babies, beautiful btw, so was hoping you’d know. Are the dark spots along the sides normal? Maybe if @Colu could look at the last picture. Much better for diagnosis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EcstaticTiara Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 Idk if this is better for viewing, he's relaxed a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EcstaticTiara Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 P.S. they all look so bad at petco and I said something like "hey, these babes look a little sick... sad... something is wrong. All their fins are clamped. Also all of your Oscar tank has ich 100%." And he said "oh yeaaaaah, that tends to happen to them." 🤨 I would have bought all the lemon plecos bc they're my new favorite fish, and beautiful, like flying freaking sunshine with giant wings 😆 but at Petco they charge about $30 for sick fish. Giant ash-holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JE47 Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 I hope he gets better, I have had an outbreak of ick with two clown plecos I got at a big box store salt helped and higher water temps. I personally used fritz's ick solution with my plecos and I believe it helped them beat the sickness. I wish you luck in curing it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 On 3/12/2024 at 5:54 PM, EcstaticTiara said: Idk if this is better for viewing, he's relaxed a little That is much better. before he was reflecting light in inconvenient locations. so, yeah, follow colu's advice on the ich cure. and if you can't save him, you gave him the best shot he was going to get. so good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EcstaticTiara Posted March 14 Author Share Posted March 14 Well the pleco died just a bit ago. I have another lemon pleco, she wasn't so washed out, but same raised spots all over her fins. Maybe the ich killed the first one or the treatment? Idk, they were far gone... I have the 2nd lemon pleco in treatment now. I just really wish I had some good pictures of, specifically, young lemon plecos with ich. There is too much info "could be ich. Could be epistylis..." I really don't want to lose this last one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 On 3/14/2024 at 2:38 AM, EcstaticTiara said: Well the pleco died just a bit ago. I have another lemon pleco, she wasn't so washed out, but same raised spots all over her fins. Maybe the ich killed the first one or the treatment? Idk, they were far gone... I have the 2nd lemon pleco in treatment now. I just really wish I had some good pictures of, specifically, young lemon plecos with ich. There is too much info "could be ich. Could be epistylis..." I really don't want to lose this last one. If the spots are raised you could be dealing epistylis it feeds off of gram negative bacteria on the slime coat of your fish and spreads more quickly at higher temperatures the most effective treatment is maracyn2 in food feeding a small amount twice a day for 7 days dose the tank with ick X you can add maracyn2 to repashy add the medication as it starts to thicken that when it rapidly losses heat as some medication are heat sensitive you can store any leftover medicated food in the fridge for 7 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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