Rigel and Reena Bettas are still sick - Help!

[Iggy]

OK, need some ideas here...

Rigel (male betta) got ICK about 6 days ago. I treated him with salt (1 tbsp/gal) Jungle ICK and a little Melafix.

His ICK was gone after 3 days, but he got very lethargic.

Reena, who shares his divided tank, never showed any signs of ICK, but she got closed fins after I treated the tank for Rigel.

Now, the Ick looks gone, but yesterday they both have the initial signs of body fungus, Reena has some around her mouth.

I treated the tank with Jungle Anti-Fungus (yellow crystals) that cured Finchy from his fungus.

Its now 6 days after the first Ick treatment and 1 day after the Fungus treatment.

Both fish still have fungus and look terrible. They both can swim if necessary, but hang around the top of the tank resting.

I have been doing regular water changes (25%) every day.

Poor guys just seem so weak. I am very concerned about adding medications because it may just weaken them more.

Is there anything else I can do, or do I have to wait it out?

Help!

[Iggy]

Anybody?

I think ICK can take a few weeks because of the cycle, so I will not let-up on the water changes and ICK treatment.

I really, really do not want to loose these fish.

[Iggy]

Thanks Sash, I guess no one else wants to feild this?

Its day 8 now. Rigel still has Ick, and Reena still has body fungus. Both are still swimming, both are still eating, but no significant improvement. I have no faith that Aquarisol works, or maybe my bottle was old or something, because it seems to be doing nothing at all. I am using 1/2 dosages of the Jungle Ick product (blue) for Rigel, and will do another treatment of Jungle Fungus tomorrow for Reena.

These were my primary mating pair, the ones I hoped to mate in about a month. Besides that, they are my little pets, and I hope they pull through.

In addition, doing 1/3 to 1/2 water changes and 1tbsp salt per gallon.

[FroggyFox]

water changes every day? I might do them every other day or every 3 days. Doing them too often can stress them out. Are you keeping the light off on their tank? (if it has one)

When you're adding salt you're only adding the amt for the water that you're adding right? Salt doesnt evaporate...and sometimes its good to not add some for awhile just so the salinity doesn't go up too high.

At least they're still eating, keep the faith All you can do is the best you can do.

[Iggy]

The water changes seem to perk them up. Othewise, after a day, they just lay on the tank bottom.

I am adding salt for the volume of water removed, but not the full amount. (2/3 per new gallon)

I turn the light on if the temperature goes below 82F and during the evening.

Ick seems to take a while to get rid of, however Reena's fungus is worring me a lot.

[FroggyFox]

hmm...does the medication have directions about water changes?

[Iggy]

Yes, meds for Ick suggest 25% water changes daily, and fungus meds is 25% every 4 days. Med bottles also say it is safe to mix them (same brand) together in same tank.

Regardless, I am still doing only 1/2 dosage because they appear a little weak. It might prolong the treatment, but my instincs tell me they can survive as long as they don't have a spike in their stress level.

Also, I have researched Ick a bit more, frequent water changes helps to reduct the total amount of free-swimming parasites in the water and increases the effectiveness of the medication.

One of the temptations with treating Ick is to stop treating them after the spots disappear - bad idea, because they are not vulnerable until after the detach, then spore and reproduce and the baby parasites rise-up to find the host. Only the new (baby) parasites are vulnerable to medication. The ones on the fish are already underneath the skin and medication will not reach them.

I am in for a long haul, but luckily I am working from home for a while so I can keep an eye on them.

[poorboy@a fish1]

HEY ,
THE ONLY AD VICE I CAN GIVE U IS TO CHANGE THE WATER BUT DON'T USE TH SALT THE BEST WAY TO RID OF ICK IS A PRODUCT PUT OUT BY AQUARI-SOL THIS CAN BE FOUN@ ANEY WALLMART SHOPING CENTER OR @ YOUR LOC FISH STORE...
YOUR FISHEY FRIEND
TRAVIS COLL

[Iggy]

I used Aquarisol from day 1 with that tank - but the water conditioner I used neutralized it (doh!) Coppersafe is better because the conditioner will not neutralize it .

Both seem better today (8th day), Rigel is a little more active, no Ick on body but still on fins.

Reena has less fungus on her body, but is still fairly stressed.

Both still eating and more active. Looking good. I will keepup treatment for while until he is completely clear, and even a week or so past if they are not being adversely affected.

[catfishmike]

take the fish and put them in a bare bottom tank and treat them with malachite green,which i perfer over copper based meds.use a bare tank because ick is a naturaly resistant parasite based on the life cycle of ick.ick also loves to stick in gravel and be a long term pest so remove the gravel and that should help you in your problem