kuma
New Member
Posts: 2
|
Post by kuma on Apr 25, 2011 21:14:29 GMT
Hi guys,
My Betta has caught the Ick (a.k.a. Ich or white spot). I have tried searching online for the cures, and have mostly been presented with something called Aquari-sol. This remedy does not seem available in the UK however, and the American shops won't ship here.
What do you suggest I do? What can I use instead and where I can buy them? He looks in bad shape. Please help! I can't bear to see another one go.
I have isolated him and added salt into his small (15L) tank. I heard the the salt only detaches the parasite, but not kill them. I have also raised the temperature to 28C
Thanks very much!
P.S. I'll check the aquarium shops tomorrow, it's bank holiday today and way too late for any shops to be open.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roxane on Apr 26, 2011 7:33:58 GMT
Right, first things first, raise the temperature in his tank to 30C. White spot is nasty and fatal. White spot are parasites that go through a cycle. At adult stage they attach themselves to living hosts (fish). This is the post where you can actually see them as white spots on the fish. They feed off of the blood supply of the fish, growing fat, and then fall off again. They then attach themselves to plants or gravel and reproduce. Newly hatched white spot parasites become 'free swimming' for a couple days before finding their host. It is this part of the cycle (and ONLY this part of the cycle) that the parasites are susceptible to medication. A full cycle takes around 7 days (from memory).
You can leave all plants etc in the tank but remove any filtration system. By raising the temperature, you make the living conditions for the parasites more difficult and the higher temps will kill some of them off too. It also helps the fish by raising it's metabolism to help it fight any infections. If you can, add Methane Blue to the tank (if failing that, a white spot treatment) and some salt. Re-dose as stated on the bottle. If using a white spot treatment, it will usually ask to re-dose after 3 days and then again after 6-7 days. You MUST treat for at least 10 days! Do not feed the fish and do not change any of the water. It seems a little harsh starving the fish for 10 days - i would at least starve them for 5. If you feed them, you're also feeding the parasites.
The most important thing of all is the temperature. If you cant find any medication, the temp plus the addition of salt could do it on it's own.
Remember - don't feed for at least 5 days, preferably 7 and NO WATER CHANGES for a minimum of 10 days whilst you treat the tank. You must treat for at least 10 days otherwise the cycle will just continue. The reason for it being 10 days is you don't know what stage the parasites are in. As they are only susceptible for a 2 day period of the 5 day cycle, it is extremely important to 'over treat' to make sure you get ALL of the parasites.
I hope this makes sense and helps??
Roxy
|
|
|
|
Post by nataliey on Apr 26, 2011 15:04:34 GMT
I remember when i had my 100 litre tank divided into 6 sections and i bought a new male to put in there and he was carrying white spot even though he only showed the symptoms last.
Roxy is perfectly right with everything she has said what i also did was cover the tank with a blanket and keep the lights off. I treated for 2 weeks just to make sure it had gone all bettas pulled through thankfully as i know and as Rox said it is fatal if not treated!
Good luck with treatment and hope all goes well Kuma.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roxane on Apr 28, 2011 12:15:20 GMT
Natalie! I forgot to mention the bit about keeping all lights off! Thank god you remembered!  I think the main purpose of turning the lights off in the tank is to reduce the stress caused to the fish. Roxy |
|
|
|
Post by nataliey on Apr 28, 2011 16:02:27 GMT
LOL! its fine, you mentioned the main things, i think it is to keep them from stressing out.
|
|
|
|
Post by timeout on May 5, 2011 12:54:58 GMT
How is he doing?
Is there really a med called Methane Blue? I've used Methylene Blue quite a bit, but never against ich. Methane, as far as I knew, is a Natural Gas and comes out of your pipes! I've used Interpet Anti Whitespot with some success. I've been recommended the Sera Med rang of products, but haven't had the occaion to try them yet (I'm not going to hope a fish falls ill to try them...).
I've never starved a fish during treatment. Salt doesn't do much against ich as it also occurs in marine tanks. The salt is mainly for the fish.
Raising the temperature actually shortens the life-cycle. You could be treating for a lot longer if you don't, but then again, you have to bear in mind the limitations of any other fsh he may be living with. With increasing the temperature that much (especially if you add Meth Blue to the tank) you have to watch out for oxygen levels (yes bettas can breathe at the surface, but there's no sense in stressing them out more than necessary). Adding an air stone can help, or carrying out water changes. If you do a water change, you'll need to calculate the amount of meds to put back in to compensate for that which you took out. Most med bottles will tell you to change 80% of the water after the first course of treatment anyway. You want to be syphoning the bottom mostly to suck all the eggs/dead cysts up.
It's probably the easiest affliction to cure, so you shouldn't have too much trouble :-)
|
|
|
|
Post by charliem177 on May 9, 2011 13:12:18 GMT
Just for future reference, Interpet No. 6 Anti White Spot is a great medication for takling this parasite. All lfs's will have a brand or two of medication specifically for this disease as its so common.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
Post by nataliey on May 9, 2011 22:35:15 GMT
Just for future reference, Interpet No. 6 Anti White Spot is a great medication for takling this parasite. All lfs's will have a brand or two of medication specifically for this disease as its so common. Charlie Thats the medication i used |
|
kuma
New Member
Posts: 2
|
Post by kuma on May 17, 2011 15:12:27 GMT
Thanks very much everybody for your replies. Unfortunately he lost the battle 3-4 days after the post, I did get some medicine from the shop, he looked like he was going to heal (spots were almost all gone), but ... I suppose it wasn't meant to be =( Well now I've learned my lesson and will be more equipped to deal with it if I'm to be unlucky enough to experience it again! Thank you again
|
|
|
|
Post by charliem177 on May 17, 2011 15:37:02 GMT
 sad times |
|
|
|
Post by nataliey on May 22, 2011 14:16:12 GMT
Thats sad sorry Kuma |
|
|
|
Post by RommolfsepVep on Sept 24, 2020 11:03:21 GMT
|
|
sad times