The Puffer Forum

Hi,

So I've found the proper area on the forum to post about sicknesses. Well I've been treating my tank for 4 days now with a raised temp of 86F with 1-2 tablespoon of salt for every 5 gallons. I've also added melafix and pimafix together in the tank with the recomended dosages. Throughout this treatment I didn't notice a change at all. the spots are still on him and new spots actually appeared. Also now not only my Abei has it but my Oto has it aswel.. One other note is that the spots that were on him at first are still there they didnt tall off yet. Now i'm thinking of using medications rather than this treatment. Should I wait it out now? its already been 4 days without improvement. Or should i get some medication and treat it? also what is the safest ich medication for puffers? thanks alot

I'm going through the same thing. I've been treating since Sunday, and I've only noticed more spots, not fewer.. Perhaps that's just the way it goes? It might be too early still.

Really? so are you going to continue the salt and heat? I guess I will continue it for 10 days and see if it improves. if not then i guess i would have to use meds right

I'm going to continue the salt treatment..

You're doing 50% water changes every other day, replacing the salt as you replace the water, right?

I really prefer not to use any chemicals in my tank. Especially with my puffs. I just don't trust them.

actually i didnt do any water changes.. am i supposed to 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate... i thought that the heat and salt will kil the free swimming ich even if i dont remove the pouch that drops..

The life cycle of the ich parasite is potentially FOUR WEEKS.

You don't just dose with salt and raise the temp for a few days and expect it to be gone. You have to wait for all the eggs that are already laid to hatch, all of the adult parasites to lay their new eggs and then for those eggs to hatch, any that survived the initial exposure to go through their life cycle again, etc etc. The salt and heat can only kill the parasite at a certain point in its life cycle, so you have to continue the treatment until every egg has hatched out and grown to the right point.

Raising the temperature speeds up the process a bit, but four weeks is considered "safe".

The article says that raising the temp can speed up the life cycle to 3 days, but in general, most people continue to treat for 2-4 weeks from the last visible sign of any ich parasite, and those that don't often experience it comes right back.

wow. could fish tolerate this temp of 86F for a month? I guess ill just wait it out for a month to see what happens

Probably not, but it will depend on each fish.

I'd worry more about the salt treatment for the entire 4 weeks and just use the heat to "boost" it at first, and back off on the heat if the fish seem stressed.

and -- you should be doing a thorough gravel vacuuming and 50% water change every other day to be getting rid of the parasites and what not.. How will they go away if they're still sitting in your tank?

I cant gravel vac. i have eco complete its like dirt.. everything comes up if you vac it.. i thought that the free swimming ich will die from salt and heat above 85F. so even if the white grain drops and i dont vac it.. once it hatches.. the free swimming ich will die from heat and salt.. thats why i didnt think i needed to change water..

ahh.. I've got gravel...

from what I've read it's very important to be doing those wc.. it helps to get rid of the parasites.. someone that has been through this already, correct me if I'm wrong.. that's just what my research has lead me to believe.

There's a thread you should read, titled something like "Elvis and ich - it won't go away." Elvis just got over ich and has been removed from hypo. That thread would probably help.

Hypo is used for SW Ich only. Salt and increasing the temp are the best in FW.

Ok I just did a large 50% water change today and i will be doing 25% water changes every second day.. i try to vac the eco complete but it just sucks everything up.. so i hope the water changes will help thanks for the advice

Dadof4 wrote:Hypo is used for SW Ich only. Salt and increasing the temp are the best in FW.

Ahhh. Thanks. I was a bit confused on that.