Green Terror has Ick! help me!!

[unforgiven118]

My green terror appears to have contracted Ick... and though I moved him to a separate tank and medicated it appropriately, he's still getting worse...any idea on how to save him, I don't think he has much time left... somebody help!!

[Rex Karr]

Try doing a 50 % water change every day, vacuuming the gravel each time if there is a substrate (its best if there is no gravel though). Keep the temp. at 85 degrees or so, and keep some salt in there too. And also continue with an ich medicine.

Good Luck

[unforgiven118]

Would I have an easier time in a smaller tank then the 20gal tank I'm using as a haspital tank? (the fish is very young and very small) I mean, would a 3 gal tank be easier than the 20.

[finz]

The key to getting rid of ich is the raise in temperature. It causes the parasite to leave the fish to breed - where the "medicine" can kill it. Make sure your thermometer is accurate so you know the temp is high enough. Make sure to remove the carbon from your filter while adding the medication.

[unforgiven118]

85 degrees, right?

and the disease is fatal isn't it? It's killed several of my fishes in the past and I had no luck treating them.

why doesn't it seem to affect bigger fish?

and are
Ick and Ich the same thing?

The bottle of medicine I have says ICK on it... and the fish has the little sugar crystal type growths that all sources I have describe as Ick

[Rex Karr]

Ick and ich are the same. 85 degrees is fine.

[b:b293a7eb1c]The life cycle of ich [/b:b293a7eb1c]

[u:b293a7eb1c]
Eggs all into the gravel (bottom of tank) - This is one reason vacuuming, and bare bottom tanks helps.

Eggs hatch

Baby Ick's swim up to the fish - The only stage that is affected by medicines. But to get this stage to come around more quickly, the temp is raised as it will speed the cycle of the ick.

They find a weak host

They burrow into the fish leaveing white marks on the outside

Ick's grow and die, and release more eggs into the tank bottom.
[/u:b293a7eb1c]

A 3g is fine. What is your pH staight from the tap? Unless it is extreme, just use straight tap water without pH adjustment aids (you may already deo this). Remember to try and keep the temp and water conditons as consistant as you can.

Good luck