This isn't ich...

**justme9984** · 02-12-2013, 08:37 PM

I posted something about the goings-on in my female guppy tank but the thread seems to have died. The fish are still sick. They have white salt-like deposits on their fins, tails and a couple have it on their bodies. Their fins and tails are also rotting. Ich treatments from salt to maracide to quick cure are having absolutely no effect on it at all. Could this be something else that is NOT ich that needs a different treatment? Thanks.

**mizzoutank** · 02-12-2013, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by justme9984

Their fins and tails are also rotting. Ich treatments from salt to maracide to quick cure are having absolutely no effect on it at all. .

The first thing is called fin rot.

the second thing means you have a combo of ich/fin rot/fungal/other issues.

but more importantly disease comes from 2 things:

stressed tank
or
new fish.

so if you never fix the issue at hand-stressed tank, then the issues will never go away.

also, water quality plays important factors here, if you don't have that established (cycled tank and proper pwc) the issue will never go away.

so diseases are more than just "treat and hope for the best"
you have to account for the other factors and currently we don't know those other factors.

**Cermet** · 02-12-2013, 09:11 PM

If you followed the standard ick treatment (required salt, high temperature and waited the time two weeks period ... ok, just checked; you asked this last week so no way you followed the proper treatment; so it most likely IS ick. So, please, follow proper treatments and don't expect a cure if you don't. That said, relative to Fin Rot most sources say it is solely caused by poor water quality (so what are your water parametes? and how often do you do Water changes and how large?) and if you used an over the counter cure (for ick meds, many don't work), then maybe it is not the correct one for that disease. Lost on what it could be, otherwise.

**Tiari** · 02-12-2013, 11:03 PM

The heat and salt cure, which I have used successfully, usually takes a month in total. If you are using salt, heat and maracide, that is going to stress your fish out to high heavens.

Ich can break out in a tank that has fluctuating parameters, and fin rot the same as well as fluctuating temperatures. If the tank is not stable, it is unlikely to be cured, so without knowing the parameters of water testing, temperature and your water change schedule, I couldn't guess at the cause, nor the solution.

**fishmommie** · 02-12-2013, 11:09 PM

Know you are frustrated and concerned about your fish and we want to help them. but the above posters are correct.
At this point, to help, we need the following:
water perimiters: what is your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings.
How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
What have you tried so far for the ich?

Please be short and concise but specific so we know what's going on

**Trillianne** · 02-12-2013, 11:10 PM

The thing to keep in mind with ich is you can only kill the parasites when you don't see them on the fish.

The ich parasite has a life cycle where they spend part of the time feeding on the fish, then they drop off, and reproduce in the substrate.

It is not uncommon to have someone treating while the ich is still on the fish, and then stop seeing them on the fish so they stop treating. Since they stop treating at the vulnerable point.. the ich survives to swim up and reattach to the fish.

**justme9984** · 02-13-2013, 12:45 PM

Thank you for the replies. I will get you current water params but I try to keep it as close to zero as possible (usually 0 for ammonia and nitrites). I do have a problem with high nitrAtes coming directly out of the tap (up to 80!). I just got a nitrate remover filter and am in the process of changing old water and filling with the low-nitrate water. Do you think the severely high nitrates could be a cause of this? Also, as mentioned in my other thread, I made the STUPID decision to add un-quarantined danios to the tank (I ordered some plants and got 2 "free fish" and had nowhere else to put them. I am positive that all of this started from one of the danios.

**justme9984** · 02-13-2013, 12:48 PM

Wanted to add, this problem has been going on for a while. I tried maracide, them quick cure and most recently salt treatment... I didn't know it could take so long, I guess I was hoping to see a little improvement because this problem is so severe.

Eta: I do water changes weekly of about 40%. Honestly every "real life" person is telling me I am changing it too much, but all of my online research supports frequent water changes.

**Tiari** · 02-13-2013, 01:15 PM

If your nitrates are that high out of the tap, yes, that could be causing serious issues with your fish. It won't happen right away, but long term nitrate exposure that high will cause severe stress to your fish. You might consider finding another water source for water changes, irritating and work load related that will be. Nitrate removers may work, you will have to monitor parameters to be sure its actually working and be diligent to keep the media fresh and in top working order. I am no expert on removing nitrates, I am sure others will chime in with help.

I thought this would help you as well, it is a video I found a while back that is VERY comprehensive on treating Ich with salt and heat. It explains how to do it in a really easy to understand way, and I often find videos, even if they aren't action packed, make it much easier to understand. I have used this treatment with great success.

Hopefully this will help you!