2 weeks - still have ich - what's up?

[mm12463]

On 12/6 I added Coppersafe to treat the ich that was showing up on my dorsigera. On 12/8 I did a water change of 4 gallons and added 5ml of Coppersafe back in the tank, which is correct amount for 4 gallons.

Since then the spots have disappeared and reappeared every few days. Basically seems to follow the info on the life span of ich.

Anyway the fish are eating, swimming and do not show any signs of stress.

Is this common? Does it take time? I thought once ich was in the substrate it was vulnerable and medication would kill it.

Unfortunately I only have one tank, planted. I am tempted to go pickup a second tank today and treat them in there but I'm afraid it might make things worse with the additional stress.

Here are some photos. Last night I noticed one of my 4 LDs had a white mark above his eye. Today that is gone. So would seem to be ich since they are coming and going.

Anyway took some photos.

Any advice would be great. Thanks.

 

[fishgeek]

Basically
check dosage is correct
check no carbon/other activated filter material that is reducing meds to quick too work
ensure nothing else affecting fish , water/concurrent disease

In general ich shouldn't be a problem alone
Most fish will have a very good immune response to ich and it has been postulated that vaccines may be produceable this response is so good
Fish that have had ich and cured should then be resistant to reinfection, i have no knowledge of whether a carrier state is possible

The severity in the photo's doesn't look bad , are the fish acting well

Andrew

 

[farm41]

I have treated ich successfully without any meds, by simply raising the temp to 84°F for 7 days and adding 1tsp per gallon salt. It is best accomplished in a QT, with daily 50% water changes.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

I agree with farm41 if you rase the temp to 30c for week it should do the trick. If you have a spare air pump i would put that in as well.

 

[tjudy]

I try not to use meds with ich either, and follow the same methods of heat and salt described already. That being said, I have had a BAD case recently in my 110, and i had to resort to using a malachite green medication (I like nox ich). Copper usually works, but sometimes it does not. When that happens I try to change the meds.

Dorsigerous is a subtropical species, and prefer cooler temperatures. The heat may actually stress them a bit. I think that it is more important to keep the temperatures from fluxuating on them very much.

 

[mm12463]

Well flew home on the 23rd and figured I would just let the tank go since I would not be home for 4 days. I did a 50% water change in the morning and just got back today, Saturday.

So far I cannot see any ich on my dorsigeras! Which is great. If I did come back and things where not so good I would have moved them to a QT and raised the temps and see what happens. So hopefully all is good now.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I made some notes from the posts and if it happens again I will have some nice alternatives.