Ich again?!?!?!

[TianTian]

UUUGGHH!!!!!!!! *pounds keyboard with frustration*

Either I fail as a fish mommy or Tian-Tian's immune system really fails at life.

He's got ich AGAIN for the THIRD TIME since I first brought him home in March. I've tried my best in being vigilant to help him heal. I've been treating him aggressively for the ich. He seemed to be doing fine for a while, then he stopped eating, he got his appetite back and now he's got ich again.

Dagummit.

I just did a 100% water change three days ago and I'm in the middle of a 75% one.

I suspect that the ich bacteria is hiding on his silk plant. *sigh* I'm gonna take that thing out and see if that makes a difference.

I think this post is more of an "express my utter frustration"

At least this explains why he hadn't been making bubble nests...

[Chicklet]

Do you add Aquarium salt to your water?
if not you need to start

[TianTian]

I do use aquarium salt, Chicklet (even my signature says so). Dagum fish... I don't know what else to do for him.

He's back in his tank, now. He's just swimming around.. sometimes stopping, sometimes darting to the other end of the tank and back. That should've been my first clue... stupid me...

Anyway, I don't see the ich on him so maybe it decided to bugger off again....

[Chicklet]

Sorry guess I missed that.

If he's prone to troubles (perhaps a weaker immune system) maybe housing him in a bigger tank may be an option for you,
That is what I ended up having to do for "Popeye"
He has never had any troubles since,

[Nataku]

Do not stop medication even though you do not see the ich on him currently. Continue treating him and his tank for the next three days. The ich protozoa are still going through their life cycle in his tank since this keeps recurring, so you must continue the medication and water changes to ensure that you successfully manage to kill off all of the little buggers, not just the ones that have already anchored themselves to Tian-Tian.

....and I'd boil the plant were I you. Or you give it a good washing and then leave it out the bake in the sun for a few days.

[LaniBaby]

i tried dipping that same grass plant in boiling water and it melted the tips and made it all misshappen, and that was from 5 seconds in boiling water. it eventually straightened out but it doesn't look quite right... it's a little lopsided and funky.
At $2.50, if you think that's what it is, maybe you'd be best off just getting him a new one. Or replacing it with a new one for now and, after sanitizing it and leaving it out in the sun like Nataku suggested, putting it back in later.

[TianTian]

Okay, I left the green plant in and took the pink one out a few days ago. Using the Jungle Fungus clear, I treated his water very aggressively and was basically doing nonstop water changes, with aquarium salt, for three days straight.

The result: One happy, healthy Tian-Tian and a VERY CLEAN TANK. :D (I gave him a water change today already)

I might take out the gravel substrate when I get home next week. Seriously it's just a pain to work with to clean.
Also, still would like to use the pink plant again, but until I get a chance to boil it (no stoves in the dorm!), I'm just gonna leave it out. :)

Also, Tian-Tian's got his appetite back. Hooray!