Loaches Online Forum

Noticed this today while feeding, all the loaches were active and loving their bloomworms.

Noticed several of the fish in the tank have a few small white specs on them. Got this picture of the worst affected.

Think its ich?

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Just read this article:

https://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=16721

I've seen my loaches flashing for weeks............. but never saw the white spots... perhaps this has been coming all along....

Looking forward to your replies

There I reposted the picture, figured most wouldn't be comfortable with clicking the first link I posted

Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but here is what I've done.

Drove to the store and got API Super Ick treatment

Immediately did a 50% water change (55 gal tank full) removed 25-30ish gal.

Used SeaChem prime, replaced 25 gallons of water. Purposely not adding the last 5 gallons so my filters created more "splash" for oxygenation.

Removed carbon. I don't use it, but the last filter i got came with a bag and I added it and it was a few weeks old anyways.

Dosed with 1/2 the recommended amount of API Super Ick (per recommendation for "scaleless fish", 50 gallon tank (short 5 gallon) x 5ml per 5 gal x .5 = 25 ml


If any of ya think I'm getting ahead of myself please let me know!

That does look like it could be Ich.
Flashing + white spots on fish is very suspicious.

Keep up the water changes, emphasizing vacuuming the bottom, and all the surfaces. Ich falls off the fish and lands on almost everything in the tank to reproduce. You can remove quite a few by vacuuming, before they breed. It is not so much a matter of volume, but thorough coverage of any surface Ich may have landed on.
Re-dose the Ich meds so you maintain that minimum dose in the water.

I'd keep with the meds since you've already started it.

As advised in the previous thread, the more water changes you do, the better, and replace the meds at water change in line with meds instructions. Ich is vulnerable only when it actually falls off the fish so it is imperative you follow the treatment. Loaches can be sensitive to ich meds. I personally have never used ich meds. I have ever had one fish with ich, one new baby loach and I did salt and high heat water treatment at the time. He made it and didn't seem one bit stressed while I was treating.

Half the dose, treat twice as long is my general rule. & it does look like ich.

My heater has an internal thermostat, that runs from 78 to 80. Im going to pick up an adjustable unit tomorrow so i can crank it up a hair.

I think the issues ive been having all along finally showed itself.....

Ill keep ya'll updated

50% water change today, redosed at %50 and fed. An angelicus came out tonight to eat that I've never seen since stocking her. Fish still have visible ich spots. I increased the water change temps. Haven't added a heater to bump the temperature.

Think I should do it? my best guess is the water is around 80.

I've never had any luck with meds and ich.

I always just jack the heat up to between 86 and 88 F and that does the trick.

Can the loaches handle the heat? Thats the only thing i haven't done yet. been very hesitant to up the temps but ide be happy to pick up a new heater tomorrow with an adjustable thermostat.

Tonight me and the family fed them, and everyone was active, but there is clearly still white spots on several of the fish. 4 days into treatment. Doing a 50% water treatment tomorrow and redosing at 50%.

When you turn up the heat the water cannot hold quite so much oxygen.
Increase water movement, more surface air-water action. You could add a circulation pump, or lower the water level a bit so the filter returns with a bit of a splash.
Raise the temperature a couple of degrees F or 1 degree C per day and watch the fish. If they start gasping at the surface then increase water movement even more, or lower the temperature.

There are several strains of Ich. One type can handle any heat that is safe for the fish. The other types can be affected by the high temperatures. Part of the problem is that the substrate may stay cooler than the water temperature shows. You might have to raise the water temperature a few degrees higher to make sure the substrate warms up. Remember that the Ich lands on the surface to reproduce, and the heat acts by interfering with reproduction.