Ich / velvet, doesn't seem to be clearing up.

[ridethespiral]

I battled Ich a while back, and I guess I never really got rid of it. Upon closer inspection, I noticed tiny yellow dots, not like the larger salt grain sized Ich cysts.

I increased the temp to 31C, and started using Mardel Maracide. It's dosage instructions are 10mL/10g on day 1, 3, and 5. I've gone through one bottle which is 2 treatments, and 1 dose from a second bottle.

I dosed day 1, 3, 5, waterchange & redosed day 6, 8, 10, & 12.day 14 tomorrow, water change before dosing.

There is also 1tsp of salt per gallon in the tank.

It seems like it may be getting worse? There are larger cysts now on my crowntail betta's fins, that look like Ich. I think the goldish cysts on his anal fins are thinning out, I'll double check tomorrow.

Maybe it's just following the 'it gets worse before it gets better' rule?

Am I on the right path?

[medhatnoobee]

I'm battling ich right now also. from what I've read, ich has a hard time completing it's life cycle at temps 30+. the salt aids in slime coat and also is detrimental to free swimming ich. the chemical will kill off remaining free swimmers. Doing a not so good job the first time around lets Darwin take hold and those that survive are tougher. IMHO go to a tbls/gallon, get the temp up another couple degrees and do another chemical treatment. keep temp and salt up till a few days after all spots gone.

"insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome"

I'm using malachite green at half dose do to clown loaches. temp at 31-33 depending on time of day. 4 tbls/5gallons. on my 5th day and things are cleared up. Didn't lose anything.

[aquaman1942]

I used to have ich many years ago when I purchased fish from a shop without checking other inhabitants of the tank.

The cure is not meds because they actually effect your fish and some discolour everything in the tank, its heat!

As mentioned the temp should be raised to 30-32c no higher, because you start losing oxygen retaining ability of the water

and will stress your fish.

If you look up the life cycle of ich on the computer, you can judge when its time to return to normal temps.

I have learned this information over the last 50 years thru books and by using the info myself.

I do not have diseases in any of my 60 aquariums.

Dave

[nautilus]

Usually don't use chemicals but aquarium salt (lots), raise temp 30-32C, uv sterilizer on 24 hrs, bubbler (more better) for at least 1 week pref longer and when ich gone, water changes to gradually bring salt down.

[ridethespiral]

Usually don't use chemicals but aquarium salt (lots), raise temp 30-32C, uv sterilizer on 24 hrs, bubbler (more better) for at least 1 week pref longer and when ich gone, water changes to gradually bring salt down.

I'm pretty sure I'm battling velvet as well and salt wont kill velvet.

Is 1tbsp per gallon not extremely stressful to Cory cats? Ill start upping the salt today along with some more maracide and nice fresh water.

Tank is only 10g with betta, 3 peppered Cory's and a sterbai Cory

I also use Indian almond leaves

[ridethespiral]

Maracide did not seem to help at all, so I switched to mardel coppersafe and maracyn two. Bettas eye was getting cloudy and had a very obvious spot on his eye, scales were a bit rough.

Couple days of treatment and no visible spots on the body, some on the rays of his fins that still need to complete the lifecycle.

Unfortunatly, as a combination of heat + salt + coppersafe + maracyn two, I lost my sterbai cory

Peppered corys are happy as can be though!

[ridethespiral]

My betta is not doing well.

I've removed most copper and have only left in salt and using heat to remove as much stress off him as possible without quarenteening him

[Guppygirl]

I have heard that if you are using the high heat method-with or without salt to do gravel cleanings every few days to get rid of the ich/velvet cysts that fall off the fish. I have never used that method I tended to use Super Ich cure. I haven't had a full blown outbreak for quite awhile. I hope never to have another knock on wooden stand. Hope your betta and other fish recover.

[ridethespiral]

I can't clean the gravel well because it is a planted tank. Once I get my new tank it will be turned into a hospital tank. Until then I cannot do much. Placing him into his own container seems like it would stress him out more because I will not be able to maintain a steady temperature

[MMAX]

I'm battling marine velvet right now, killed 3 fish out of 8 in my tank. Last fish to die was a 4" kole tang which I suspect was the culprit who brought it in. My 2 clowns were covered but I medicated them and brought them back to health. I don't know if it would work for freshwater but my display must remain fishless for at least 2 or maybe 3 months. With no fish to host off of the parasites will eventually die.

[BettaFishMommy]

i would think the ich would be affecting the cories as well. no spots on them?

[ridethespiral]

Corys are fine. No spots or anything. I haven't seen any on my betta, he just is not doing good now.

Maybe the damage went to far already

Edited November 10, 2010 by ridethespiral

[ridethespiral]

I wonder if this is dropsy?? =[ I don't think he's going to live much longer.

[MMAX]

I wonder if this is dropsy?? =[ I don't think he's going to live much longer.

Could be, are his scales lifting? I had one of my big comets in my pond develop dropsy in August. He looked like a big pine cone, stopped eating and sat in one place. I was able to scoop him out with my hand and ended up euthanizing him. When they get to this state they're as good as gone--has something to do with kidney failure and water retention.

[ridethespiral]

Yeah but he doesn't look like a pinecone. His scales are really rough, but not an extreme case.

I might pick up oil of cloves later. I can't let him suffer anymore. He doesn't really even eat now =( and I thought he was doing a little better ahh

Bettas are not my thing. I always kill them