The ICH strikes back

[tylersalzman]

so I started doing hypo in my tank about a week ago on sunday. By wednesday all signs of ich were gone and my fish seemed happy again. I went out of town this weekend, but when I came back the ich was back as well. 3-4 times as bad on my gramma as it was before. My specific gravity shows to be 1.009, so I don't know if my ich has adapted or what. Are there any options, or do I need to resort to some copper action?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by tylersalzman
so I started doing hypo in my tank about a week ago on sunday. By wednesday all signs of ich were gone and my fish seemed happy again. I went out of town this weekend, but when I came back the ich was back as well. 3-4 times as bad on my gramma as it was before. My specific gravity shows to be 1.009, so I don't know if my ich has adapted or what. Are there any options, or do I need to resort to some copper action?
If you were out of town for three days, how did you keep your SG at a steady 1.009? What are you using to measue the SG?

 

[tylersalzman]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
If you were out of town for three days, how did you keep your SG at a steady 1.009? What are you using to measue the SG?
That's a good point, I suppose it may have gone up slightly from evaporation. Is it too late or do you think if I can drop it back down a bit I can still save my poor fish? Unfortunately I use a glass floating salinity meter right now, I'm going to get a refractometer as I have a chance.

 

[milomlo]

The only way you can assure that your salinity is correct is with a refractometer. Your salinity definately went up if you were out of town.
I myself have done the hypo treatment and you have to stay on top of it for sure. I also did water changes every couple of days just to make sure that the ammonia, trates and trites stayed at 0. That way the fish didn't get stressed anymore. If your fish got ich again you have to start the process all over again.
Good luck and stick with it.

 

[tylersalzman]

Originally Posted by milomlo
The only way you can assure that your salinity is correct is with a refractometer. Your salinity definately went up if you were out of town.
I myself have done the hypo treatment and you have to stay on top of it for sure. I also did water changes every couple of days just to make sure that the ammonia, trates and trites stayed at 0. That way the fish didn't get stressed anymore. If your fish got ich again you have to start the process all over again.
Good luck and stick with it.

Thats some good advice, thanks! I'm gonna pick up a refractometer this weekend for sure. Gonna go do a water change now.