Ick Filter component Q

[Memnoch]

Hiyas!!

As my query is sickness related I'm moving to here from Loaches corner:)

Question.

I've now been battling ICK in a Very old established tank

I'm on week 4 and so far doing great though this is the stubborndess (wordcheck:) case I've ever dealt with.

My question relates to my filter. ie: Fluval 350

As directed I removed carbon when I started medicating for ICK

3 Days ago I removed the ceramic rings from my fluval. Not the bio type, the ones used for large debris etc.

I can swear that the Ick on my baby loach is vastly improved since then.

Presently the only filter component left are the foam sections.

Once I'm clear for one week solid, medication stops and I'll replace all filter media.

Can the rings have caused my prolonged issue with ICK?

[shari2]

That's an interesting question, though I have no idea.

To be on the safe side you may want to boil them before re-using them.

[Memnoch]

Thanks Shari!!

Actually They have been deep 6'ed:)

I have all new media for filter.

Bio rings on top

Ammo carb for the hmmm center methinks

And the Rings mentioned above as the lowest layer.


Foam will also be replaced as the present are blue and this last ICK has been so tenacious that I want to be slow and careful:)


So far so good Pumkin is thriving and almost doubled in size.

And my 24 year old sharks are looking fantastic!!

Well ones 22:)

Regards

[shari2]

PICS!!!

we need pics!

[chefkeith]

The answer is absolutely not. Ich is a parasite with a life cycle. That means it needs a host to reproduce and only fish can be its host.

Small Ich infestations can go unnoticed to the human eye for an indefinite amount of time. In these cases the ich will usually only infect the fishes gills. We've seen cases where ich has gone unnoticed for 6+ months before it finally became visible.

When ich goes unnoticed for this long, each generation of ich may become stronger and more resistant. After many months a super radical strain of ich may develop that will completely devastate fish in a matter of days.

If you don't understand the ich life cycle I suggest reading a few articles about it-

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml

http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/476fs.pdf

[Cin]

Hello Shari2 and Chefkeith

I am actually responding on Memnochs behalf. I am his wife...he is currently stuck in traffic here on LIE due to snow, and wanted me to respond to both of you...and I wanted to respond myself.

We have learned so much from LOL in the past few weeks, and I wanted to thank you all. It is a very informative site, and we both really appreciate it.

Shari...just wanted to say that we should have pics of Loachy (the 24 year old loach that we sadly recently lost) somewhere, and will make it a mission in the near future to find some of him as well as the 2 sharks (20+ and 24 years old as well) and post them on here (doubt we have any of the Chocolate Raphael, and the Pleco that we lost too, but will look..they always hid) . Also, once Pumpkin is 100%...I will definitely get some pics of him as well. He certainly seems like a very strong clown loach...and is just adorable He has probably tripled in size...he was sooo tiny a couple of weeks ago.

Chefkeith...thank you for your response as well. Mem wanted to know although you said it was impossible, if the eggs from the ich could possibly get on the stones in the filter? We have been studying this site for how to deal with ich, and have followed most all of the advice given. One being when doing the water changes, cleaning all plants, tubes etc. So, I think he was wondering if the eggs could somehow seep into the filter stones. The strange thing is ... he removed the stones the other day just on a whim (purchased new ones to replace for when the ich is completely gone), and since then, the clown loach seems to have a lot less cysts on him. Could just be a coincidence, but just wanted to ask.

We have been treating with meds for just about 4 weeks (this weekend will be two weeks with the Maracide with biospheres), and are just now finally seeing some results on lil Pumpkin! 4 weeks! It has been a nightmare. The cysts are still visible on his tail, which is mostly where he had them the whole time...not many on his body or fins or gils at all. One or two towards the tail on his body. Sprout (the other new little guy we lost last week) didn't even have as much ich as Pumpkin, and then boom, one day after starting the Maracide, it spread over his whole body, and he passed away the next day...very sad.

Thank you for explaining the ich cycle, because that might be the explanation we have been looking for. I have a feeling that the ich has been in the tank for a loooong time, unfortunately, and just this past month has shown up on the new clowns. Probably killing all of the old guys we recently lost without even knowing it was the ugly ICH! So, we are hoping within the next couple of days that Pumpkin will be ich free, and then we will still treat the tank for four days or a week after no more signs on him....Hopefully!!! This is definitely a nasty strain, that's for sure. The irridescent? Sharks seem to be doing better than ever, and the new Pleco (about 8 weeks new in the tank) is or seems to be ich free and doing fine.

Again, thank you all for your help...we really appreciate it. Now, I am addicted to this forum too Sorry to ramble on with such a long post!

Regards,
Cin

[shari2]

ugh. The LIE is awful even without the snow!

I seem to recall reading a recent scientific abstract a while ago commenting that a particular strain of ich did seem to survive off host for an extended period of time, but I can't find it. I do recall being surprised because it has been a long held conviction that such a thing was impossible and the myth busters among us have been trying to debunk the 'ich is always in the tank' idea.

I'll look about for it. Thought I'd posted it here - somewhere...
It might not have been ich at all, though.

In any case, hope he gets home safely (before midnight!) and you're very welcome here.

[chefkeith]

I'd treat the tank for at least 10 days after you see the last spot.

Ich can get everywhere, like in the gravel, filters, fish nets, gravel vacs, but it still has the same life-cycle and cannot reproduce without a host fish. The time of the life-cycle can vary. It's usually 2 to 7 days in tropical fish tanks.

There might be a rare strain, like what Shari said, that may go dormant, but there hasn't been much evidence of it.

The ich cysts on the fish go away even if you do nothing. That's just part of ich's life-cycle. Keeping the tank bottom clean during the life-cycle after the ich spot falls off does help prevent reinfestations.

There really aren't any sure fire ich treatments once fish become highly infested.
Many do fail because the treatment times aren't long enough and the dosages are subjective to underdose or overdose.

[Memnoch]

Good Mornin!!

Thank ye both fer input etc!!

Got home last night and I'm starting to feel like we turned a corner.

I think pumpkin will make it.

Gravel is spotless , tank is spotless, plants(artificial) are clean.


50 gal tank

water temp 84F

5 capfuls of Maracide every other day.

25% changes alternating with 2 75% percent changes widely seperated.

Filter rinsed every other time.

I'm thinking if we are clear completely by Fri, I'll do ten more days.

In all my time with Aquariums, I've never dealt with such a tenacious ICK infestation.

The only plus, is it was a wake up call to the hobby and our enjoyment of.


<looks up> Now to coax Cin into a ....River Tank:)


Regards!