I have Ich in my tank and am using CoperSafe but it is only getting worse any ideas?

Question

I also am wondering if the dosage is correct, on the package it says "Instructions: Use 1 teaspoon (5mL) for 4 gallons of water. Treats water for 1 month. Treat replacement water with CoperSafe."

I have a 10 gal tank with only a pleco and a Harliquin Rasboera in it and the pleco is infected BADLY and it has only gotten worse sence I added the CoperSafe about 2 days ago.

Also I had other fish die recentlly due to an amonia spike (which I am treating as well with Biozyme and Zeolite crystals)

Biozyme is not a chemical, it is a biological agent that introduces higher concentrations of bactera that will restart the amonia cycle in the tank.

*currentlly removing as much of the copersafe as possible and trying the heat approach*

Answer 1

Ditto to 8 in the corner. If one treatment isn't working after 48 hours, time to switch to another. Copper can be a pain to use as the label instructs based on a typical tank with typical water conditions. Temperature, hardness and pH can alter the amount to use to be truly effective. Heat and salt should take care of the problem though.

MM

Answer 2

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.

I have used this heat treatment more than once and it has always worked well.

BTW, ammonia spikes should not be "treated" with chemicals, you should be doing weekly partial (25-30%) water changes to keep the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates at or near 0 levels. The more chemicals you add to an aquarium, the more things can go wrong.....

I have tanks that have been set up for over 6 years without a teardown. All I do is the weekly partial water changes and vaccuum half the substrate (gravel/sand/marbles) about once month (next month, the other half). All my fish are healthy and happy and spawn consistently.

Email me if you have more questions on either subject. 8

Answer 3

I had quite a hard time with ich when I first got started.How long have you had your tank and how often do you do a water change?I've tried every product they have.It seemed the only thing that really helped was allowing the tank enough time to cycle before adding any more fish.It may also help to get a couple of cleaner shrimp.

Answer 4

If you are using Biozyme and Zeolite read the directions. Most research shows these two in conjunction with salt is not good for you fish. Also, using coppersafe isn't the best medicine for use with Pleco's. (Not that it doesn't work)

Also it takes roughly 10 days of treatment for ich. Two days isn't enough to know if it is working or not. Read the instructions and follow them completely. You should have to retreat the tank with the 10 days.

I would suggest continuing with what you are treating with now. Changing in midstream isn't allowing the original medicine to work fully.

Answer 5

Be careful, Scaleless ( like a Pleco ) fish are sensitive to ich medications. So you should use half the regular dose.


I think the best cure for ich, is aquarium salt.

I'm not sure how much to put in since Pleco's don't handle salt well, so ask a serious pet store, ( has a lot of fish ).

Answer 6

itch is a good indicator that you haven't been taking care of the tank , i would do daily water changes of about 10% along with a really good vacuuming of the bottom of the tank (to remove the itch that has fallen off the fish and into the gravel waiting for the next opportunity to strike. itch is a 3 stage parasite , the stage that we see , white spots on fish is only 1/3 of how many are in the tank . clean water , and regular half doses of itch meds , along with water changes , and vacuuming will reduce , and eventually get rid of the itch. since you have no snails in there i would get a different treatment other then copper safe , and use half doses to help out the pleco...

Answer 7

try another brand