Freshwater Fish Experts: Treating Ich in Clown Loaches

[DaveC426913]

Despite my quarantine, my new Clown Loaches have got Ich. It's not bad, I can't actually see any white dots, but they're frantically scraping themselves on every available surface.

I've been trying 'Super Ich Cure' in capsule form (Benzaldehyde Green, Nitrofurzone), which may be keeping the Ich at bay. However, the bottle form of 'Quick Cure' (Formalin, Malachite Green) is the best I've heard, and was quite effective last time.

I've been warned away from using Quick Cure on Loaches, I was told it would surely kill them (and likely my shrimps too), so I'm a bit stuck.

I've got some salt in the tank and I've got the temp. up to 26C.

I am tempted to give them a swab with peroxide, does anyone know how dilute the peroxide should be? I used 1.5% on my Betta and she did OK, but loaches are scaleless.

(Worse yet - I've had to stop regular water changes for a few days since my water heater's on the fritz.)

Advice?

 

[Bystander]

1-2% isn't a problem for fish, they've got the "slime" protecting them. I've always just cut drugstore peroxide (3%) to a third (2 water plus one peroxide).

 

[Physics is Phun]

I don't think the ich cure stuff should harm them. but don't take my word for it, I'm just thinking outloud. I'd get a new heater, you don't want temps going nuts, especially when they got ich, are you even sure it is ich? if they don't have spots yet, it may be something else. I don't remember, but when curing ich, ur either supposed to turn the heat up, or turn it down, i just can't remember which, but find out.
Lastly, make sure you take the carbon out of ur filter once you treat the water, or the ich cure will get absorbed.

 

[Moonbear]

You cure ich with formalin? And that doesn't just kill and preserve your fish?

 

[DocToxyn]

I agree with your hesitation to use the Quick-Cure. Formalin and Malachite Green are pretty toxic to loaches. If you have a quarantine tank, do you also have a "hospital tank". If you can, get the loaches out (tough, I know) and get them into a tank you can treat with CopperSafe or else remove any inverts you don't want to kill. Treat with the Coppersafe and keep up with the elevated temp and water changes. The salt may also bother the loaches if it's on the high side. Good luck.

 

[DocToxyn]

You cure ich with formalin? And that doesn't just kill and preserve your fish?

Yes, but then you don't have to worry about any more diseases.

The formalin concentrations used to treat fish with those preparations are quite low, ~1 tsp of 37% formalin/gallon (some use even less). Obviously much less than you would use for tissue preservation purposes.