Best way to treating ich?

[Matt LeBaron]

New Pajama Cardinal I have in my 10G quarantine tank has ich. I went to a little local pet store and they recommended Kent RX-P, which after I got home and read a bit about it is a pepper based treatment that recommends a protein skimmer and strong biological filtration. Some quick google-foo doesn't make me feel a lot better about it either.

 

Does anyone have a recommendation? I have 3 more Pajamas coming Tuesday and I'm giving some serious consideration to buying another 10G to house them in unless I can feel confident in treating the ich that this one has.

 

Thanks,

[ridetheducati]

Did you read the sticky?

[monkiboy]

to answer very simply the question in your thread title...seachem's cupramine.

 

that being said, please do your research for optimal results and safety of your fish while using it.

[BowieReefer84]

Todays Pet over in Columbia carries Cupramine.

[Coral Hind]

If you haven't seen it yet check out this thread: http://wamas.org/forums/topic/41558-ichy-battle/

 

Here is a good article explaining which type of copper to get: http://www.reefland.com/forum/marine-fish-care-health-disease-treatment/18915-copper-treatment-use-problems.html

 

I do not recommend mixing other meds or a dechlorinator with a complex copper as it may break the protein binding and make it very lethal.

[Tracy G]

Personally I would do hypo salinity. It takes longer but has done great for me in the past.

[Coral Hind]

For me hypo requires much more work of constant measuring to maintain. A cupramine treatment is much easier.

 

The hypo kills ich but can let other things like velvet alone. A copper treament will kill both ich and velvet plus other external parasites and since they can be hard for some to determine which they have a copper treatment to me covers it best.

[Hunter0906]

FRESH WATER DIP OR BATH

 

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/hyposalinity/ht/ht_fwbath.htm

[Matt LeBaron]

I'll be picking up Cupramine after work today. Freshwater dip seems needlessly stressful to an already sick fish to me.

[monkiboy]

Freshwater dip seems needlessly stressful to an already sick fish to me.

and it's not near as effective if effective at all. while freshwater baths/dips function against a whole host of parasites, using a freshwater dip/bath for ich, for anything other than temporary relief for the fish, is not recommended.

 

there have been several studies that show ich in trophont stage staying attached to fish after much longer than one should freshwater baths. i'd be more apt to use quinine-based meds and malachite green before using freshwater baths/dips.

Edited February 25, 2013 by monkiboy

[Coral Hind]

How is the little guy doing? Any update on treatment?

[Matt LeBaron]

Unfortunately he didn't make it, I think that Kent crap just stressed him out to much. The other Cardinal in the tank with him has not shown any signs of ich though and the 14 day treatment for the cupramine is just about up. Will do a water change and add copper absorbing media this weekend and then it's just a wait and see game for a couple more weeks to make sure he stays healthy.

 

*Again if you are reading this thread, this is why you should QT. I cannot even imagine how bad this would have been in my display tank.*

Edited March 9, 2013 by Matt LeBaron

[Coral Hind]

Sorry to hear that but as you said, at least you stopped it in the QT!

[Decadence]

I personally just feed like crazy and keep perfect water conditions in a low-stress environment. I have never lost a fish to ich and have actually bought fish with ich from the store and dropped them straight into my display.

[Matt LeBaron]

Yeah the Kent RX-P stuff likely had more to do with with his demise than the ich did. Terrible stuff, after doing some research on it I should never have bought it, honestly the stuff shouldn't even be on the market.