Please HELP ich getting worse what am i doing wrong ?????

[fishmad]

My Set Up

Ive done a search and read lots of write ups on this forum.

160 litre tank = W 30" D 15" H 20"
Tetratec 700 external filter with carbon matter removed
Good circulation, Lots of bubbles and good surface water flow, and temprature raised to 80/82. Small gravel bottom.

Over a week ago i discovered my clown loach had ich so i have been treating them daily with (Waterlife) Protozin, Im putting 10ml in daily vacuming the bottom well every other day and doing water changes every other day replacing the meds in the fresh water. Ive now been treating for over a week and sitting here tonight have noticed that other fish now have ich too.
Am i doing something wrong as im at the point of throwing in the towel, ive had my clowns for 5 years and they have caught ich in the past but this is the worst its ever been and the longest, Really dont want to lose these fellows, everyone loves watching them when they visit.

[chefkeith]

Don't give up on them yet.

There are a few tough super strains of ich. Some can stay in the white spot stage for several weeks, in which case you'll have to keep medicating for one week after all the spots are gone. The complete treatment time can easily last a month, possibly two months if there is a relapse. Best of luck to your loaches.

[fishmad]

Don't give up on them yet.

There are a few tough super strains of ich. Some can stay in the white spot stage for several weeks, in which case you'll have to keep medicating for one week after all the spots are gone. The complete treatment time can easily last a month, possibly two months if there is a relapse. Best of luck to your loaches.

Thanks chefkeith didnt realise it could last that long will stick with it, My fellows are worth it

[andyroo]

Temperature raised to 82? Seems a little cool for a fish from Borneo/Sumatra. Slowly (over days/weeks) increase temp to >88 (31C). Clowns are fine with that, but the parasite is not. The increased temp will increase the cycling of the parasite bringing it to the chemical-susceptible stage faster, and can (will) also kill the parasite outright.

[glenna]

hang in there, Ich is a long slow, yucky ride.
I think RELENTLESS is a better word. You have to be MORE relentless.
Keep treating and vacuuming. I agree with a higher temp.
DON"T stop just because you do not see anymore cysts!!!

I recently treated some resistant ich with quinine, which worked. However, it was not a quick fix. Still had to do the daily water change, vacuuming and my tank was a WRECK at the end, but everybody lived except one striata (he was so cute

It is easy to get discouraged since you are working HARD and nothing good happens for a while
Don't give up!!

[fishmad]

SAD NEWS

Came home tonight from work had a look in the tank and to my horror
4 Clown loach died
1 Knife fish died
1 Cherry barb died

I am gutted had the clowns for over 5 years, A very sad day

PS Thankyou for the kind words Glenna

[ahmandi2]

I am so sorry for your losses!!! I understand the grief. And how amazing that you had them for SO long....
Please do not give up; it WILL get better, and lets all cross our *everything* in the hopes that this is the only loss, and from here on it will be more positive and healing.
Once again, I am so sorry. It is very disheartening.

[fishmad]

I am so sorry for your losses!!! I understand the grief. And how amazing that you had them for SO long....
Please do not give up; it WILL get better, and lets all cross our *everything* in the hopes that this is the only loss, and from here on it will be more positive and healing.
Once again, I am so sorry. It is very disheartening.

Thakyou for your kind words, I have 3 loach left now but the biggest one is covered. There is 8 lemon tetra in there and the ich has not touched them. I have everything crossed for the remaining fish. We have a one eyed XL Gourami and he is thrieving in the tank, I really dont understand.

[starsplitter7]

I am so sorry to hear about your losses. Good luck on the rest. Please don't give up.

[cider]

so sorry to hear of your losses , too .

You are on the best site to help you get through this horrible situation so hang in there and I wish u the best of luck with the others .
G

[fishmad]

Unfortunatly on getting home tonight i have lost the last 3 clowns, 7 clowns in 2 days is beyond belief.
I would like to thank everyone who replied to my posts about my little fellows and gave me there knowledge of these wonderfull fish, I still have some tetra in the tank but they still have ich i hope they will pull through.
Unfortunatly i will not keep clowns anymore all though they gave me hours of entertainment and are such lovely fish i couldnt go through watching them slowly dieing from some thing i tried so hard to stop.

PS should i continue to meds every day or as someone suggested maybe change the meds to see if i can rid of this ich once and for all.

Again thankyou all

fishmad

[chefkeith]

Sorry to hear the terrible news. I feel bad that I didn't help more. I should of suggested a more aggressive ich treatment, but I'm not even sure if that would of helped.

[cider]

loosing them is gut wrenching , I know .... so sorry , G

[bookpage]

Sorry for your loss. Been there, done that.

[fishmad]

Thankyou all for your kind words, This is a great site and proud to be part of it