Loaches Online Forum

ok. so i just picked up 10 histronicas for a great price. these are probably my favorite botia loach and are almost never locally available. the tank i had to put them in was probably close to full but its definately overstocked now. the home was only going to be temperary while i prep the new tank. this weekend im meeting with my buddy to plan the stand design and give them their own private 60 gallon "4 ft x 2ft x 1ft high" tank. ill seed the tank with filter media but it will probably take at least 6 weeks before i feel cofurtable to transfer them......BUT

after i got home and examined the fish the next day in full light i noticed a few spots. figured it could have been sand so i took note of it and contined to watch for it to spred. the fish have been eating well and putting on weight. i've been feeding the tank 3-4 times a day now and everyone looks great. i added 2 airstones and have been changing 10 gallons every other day until i move the fish to their own tank. today im sure its ich . i've never lost a fish to ich but because the tank is crowded i realize this situation has the potential for disaster. today i've been slowly raising the temperature for the tank. i think ill stop at 84 despite the advice to go to 86. i worry about the temp that high. ive read the ich sticky to refresh my memory.

reading the advice on the ich med it says its safe for scaleless fish. use one drop per gallon and this is a sevety five gallon tank. the tank probably really holds like 68 and with decorations like 58 gallon? im going to do a 40 percent water change today and then start with the meds. even though it says safe for loaches on the meds i was thinking dosing it at 75 percent strength and only counting 58 gallons? good or bad idea?

i plan to water change then dose and repeat for 2 weeks? any advice or pointer would be appreciated.

ppl's advice on ich vary greatly.
what are the meds called.
Are you getting a new filter for the new tank?
If so get it going now in the overstocked tank.
I have "rented" tanks from bigbox stores in time of need and returned them later
what are the other fish?

i plan on using "rid ich +" by Kordon. i have an extra fluval 204 which is a bit underpowered for the 60 but its only going house 10 histies so it should do the job until i can get another filter or they grow out a bit.

the 75 gallon has kubs, yoyos and sids along with the histironicas. its a loach only, moderately planted tank with a fluval 404. if i add the 204 now i worry about removing the filter when i transfer the fish because it may be a shock to the 75 to loose it . just a matter of preference i like to seed the filter with mature media and add a few nonloach fish to age the tank before i put loaches in. even if i take a fully cycled filter sometimes the tank itself isnt completely mature even with no amonia or nitrites. other fish might not mind but i try to go the extra mile for loaches since they are sensitive....

I just beat back ich in my clown loach tank by raising the temp to 92 and running a UV for backup.

It was all gone in 7 days, no deaths.

I dont like using meds in any of my tanks.

92?

85F is fine. Make sure to aerate the water because warm water doesn't retain oxygen as well.

i added one airstone when i first added the fish. now that i'm going to medicate i added a air pump to one of my powerheads also.

i did a 20 gallon water change with a thurough gravel vac. i finished raising the temperature to 84 degrees and dosed the tank for 45 gallons. i figured there is 60 gallons of water so i lessened the doseage to check for adverse reactions. the label and web site say its fine for scaleless fish ike loaches but better safe than sorry. ill do a full dose tommorrow after my water change.

thanks for the advice.

Air bubblers 'add oxygen' by increasing the surface turbulence. (The bubbles themselves are not the place where the gas exchange happens)The the air-water gas exchange has a larger area when the surface area is increased.. I think you will get more benefit from it by separating the bubbler it from the PH, and running it in an area where the water might be calmer, to increase the water movement there.

if your worried agout being over stocked get the other filter going now!
worry about the after shock after.
some ich meds affect the bact. in your filter.
IMO kubs and histies are a good mix.
o ya if your worried about under filtering add a river tank plumbing set up to your tank for additional filteration. It is cheap to do and get for the loaches and keeps your tank cleaner.

Even if you don't have the powerhead and sponge yet put the plumbing into your new tank and buy end caps for each piping opening. End caps are cheap and easy to remove when you have the powerhead and sponge to put on.

everyone seems fine this morning. actually everyone is swimming around really happy i assume from the large water change. there is one histie that has clamped fins. he appears to be eating but he had more ich dots on him than the others. maybe only 6 that i can see but maybe some are in his gills or he's weakened from the stress. ill do another 20 gallon water change tonight and dose the tank.

ill move the air stone to the far corner where there is less water flow and put it near the bottom . thanks for the advice everyone.

did my water change yesterday and dosed the tank. i dont see the ich spreading but there are still visible white spots. all the fish have been going crazy from the extra air and huge frequent water changes. i walked into the room this morning and it was a huge loach dance extravaganza.