My clown loaches are plastered with ich (just got them a week ago) and my pictus is getting sick..OVERWHELMED?

Question

Pictus started to act difefrent and now today noticed his eyes getting cloudy now he is swimming at top of tank. I have been treating for ich but now I dont know what to do about my catfish? My water levels are fine. I am overwhelmed and dont know what to do.

Answer 1

Trying to medicate loaches and catfish is a dangerous thing to attempt. Many of them are killed by medicating as you would for other fish. Even the directions on the medicine tell you to only administer 1/2 doses for them. Here is the best way to cure ich on scaleless fish like the loaches and some catfish (like your pictus).

I have used this treatment and it has been successful for me in the past. Follow the directions to the letter.

If you have already tried medication without results, there is another way to cure ich. The other approach is to actually destroy the organism with heat, and can be combined with the salt treatment, but not with meds.

The data that was studied (including a report by the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center) suggests that most strains of Ich cannot reproduce at temperatures above 85ºF.

To use this temperature treatment approach, slowly (no more than 1 or 2 degrees per hour) raise the temperature to 86ºF, while maintaining strong continuous surface agitation to oxygenate the water.

This is extremely important because water holds less O2 at higher temperatures. (This is why meds should not be used in conjunction with high temp – most Ich treatment products also reduce oxygen levels. Less available oxygen, combined with the respiration difficulties an infected fish is already faced with, could be fatal.)

The adjusted temperature should be maintained for approximately 10 days, or a minimum of 3 days after all signs of the parasite have disappeared (the life cycle of the parasite is 7 days).

Do not discontinue treatment when the spots go away. This is critical, because we know that the parasites are visible only as a white spot (trophont) on the body of the host, and not during the reproductive or free-swimming stage. We also know that trophonts on the gills are impossible to see.

Answer 2

Pictus Cats are scaleless, and most ich medications are harmful to scaleless fish. Check the literature that comes with the meds to see if there are any warnings. Either remove the pictus and put him in another tank if you have one, or do an immediate water change to dilute the medication.

Answer 3

I would suggest 8 in the corner's plan as well only I would increase the heat to above 88 F as research from the US Fish and Wildlife Service shows at this temperature ick not only stops reproducing but the vast majority of strains die.

MM

Answer 4

Very regular water changes are a must at this point, 20% every week. If possible use Reverse Osmosis treated water.

Check every other day your water tests. (PH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia)

I advise you get your local fish store to look at him and check him over, the fish in question may have other diseases and it sounds like he has an eye infection.

And if possible, add a UV sterilising system with pump, it sounds like you need em, or if possible a quarentine tank.

It may sound a bit late but in the future its best to quarentine your fish before adding them to the main tank.