Topic: Worst Case of Ich I've ever seen

[Meeper]

v.v I just thought the guy was paling. but when I looked at him really closely it the light I realized that it wasn't his fins turning white. It was because those ich spots had become so numerous that I couldn't see the color of them anymore!

I've started treatment with Rid-Ick plus and some aquarium salt, but....;_; I feel horrible for not noticing this sooner...I'm a bad mommy...

My question is how long will it take for that horrible ich to be gone. ;_; I feel terrible for not catching this, and I want him to endure the least amount of treatment as possible.

[BettAtrick]

i haven't had success with ich.  i lost two betta to ich.  best of luck!

[Meeper]

i haven't had success with ich.  i lost two betta to ich.  best of luck!

;_;!!!!!!

[PhoenixFire]

Yeah my Betta just recently died of ich too.    Stupid infection!  

[Meeper]

Yeah my Betta just recently died of ich too.    Stupid infection!  

This isn't helping my panic you guys!! ;_;

[BettAtrick]

it takes a long time...maybe a couple days at least.  the thing with ich is that the spots you see are the parasites? and you have to wait until they reproduce and fall off into the water for the ich stuff to take effect and kill them.  you have to increase the temperature to speed up the lifecycle so the ich parasites fall off faster...

[RinsMom]

Ich parasites burrow just under the skin of fish, causing the characteristic "white spot" or trophont stage. At maturity, the adult parasite, called a tomont, detaches from the fish and swims freely for about six hours. The trophozite eventually settles to the bottom of the aquarium. The parasite then secretes a protective membrane. The "cyst" now undergoes many divisions, producing 1,000 or more offspring, called theronts. When the cyst breaks open, up to 1000 theronts emerge in search of a fish host. Theronts invade their fish host by burrowing into the skin with their cilia and digestive enzymes. The tomites feed on fish cells and tissue fluids until mature, starting the cycle over again. Tomites especially devastating to delicate gill tissue. The gills are destroyed by the destructive feeding action of the parasites, causing the fish to suffocate.

Considering that each trophozite releases about 1000 infective theronts, it is easy to see how fish can quickly succumb to an Ich outbreak. Water temperature controls the speed of the Ich life cycle. At 21? -24? C (70? -75? F) it takes about three days for a complete cycle.

Treatment

Ich parasites can only be killed when they are in the free-swimming theront stage. Medications do not kill the parasites attached to the fish (white spot) or when the parasites are encysted in the gravel.

I found this information on a website.  There is some good information on it.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/meds/ick.html

Good luck with your ick treatment!

Mom