Advice sought-- Ich problem in tank with loaches

[Fishy]

I have a feeling this is going to be a long message, sorry in advance.

The last time I had an ich problem with loaches in my tank, I somehow managed to wipe out almost my whole population when I added drugs. This time, I am seeking more advice.

I have a well cycled planted 29 US gallon tank with 3 kuhlis, 4 small/medium yoyos, 2 zebra danios, 2 rainbows, 1 old bolivian ram, 3 sterbai cories and a bristlenose. All of those inhabitants have been in the tank at least six months (generally, over a year). Tank is just under 7.0 pH, no signs of ammonia, no nitrites.

A week ago, I succumbed to temptation and bought a tiny pleco called a mustard spot pleco (black with yellow polka dots). I did not quarantine and now he appears to be covered with ich (salted pretzel looking?). No one else shows any signs/symptoms.

I've been steadily raising the temperature. Now I need to decide whether to go out and buy a small tank to treat him or to treat the whole tank. He's not a particularly hardy fish and I think an uncycled tank might kill him. I have two drugs here-- Formalin and Cupramine (copper?). Please advise. Thanks!

Michelle

[Diana]

Do not bother to get another tank if you are basing your thought on "only the one fish has Ich"
At this point your whole TANK has Ich, even if most of the fish do not currently show it.

Treatments:

1) Plenty of water changes that emphasize gravel vacs. Ich falls to the bottom of the tank to breed, and you can remove a lot of them with daily or every other day vacuuming. I have even heard of completely stopping Ich this way, but it was in a bare bottom tank.

2) Something that kills the little swimmers that are looking for a host. Something that will not kill the fish, or cause lasting problems for the tank.

a) Salt. It is not well thought of for some fish, but it will kill Ich. Add 1 teaspoon per day per 5 gallons of tank water, for 3 days. Total dose is 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons. Be very careful when you do water changes to add back the amount of salt you have removed. Add the salt slowly, over the course of the day by dissolving it in a little water, and pouring in the water a little at a time every couple of hours.

b) Rid Ich is the Ich medicine suggested most often at this site. In combination with the water changes it can do a good job. Re-dose as needed to maintain the levels. It may be better to dose 50% of the day's dose in the AM and 50% in the PM.

c) Copper. NO. It lingers in the tank and continues killing things for a long time. It is a heavy metal, toxin.


Variation on the quarantine tank: Put into this tank the fish that cannot handle the chemical treatments, bare bottom, and do the 'water change only' treatment. Give this tank the cycled filter, put a new filter on the established tank. This way you are moving some of the bacteria population when you move some of the fish.