All my Cory's had long healthy barbels when I got them, but lost them about 1-2 weeks after coming to my tank. I have round gravel and I keep it clean, so it's not a bacterial infection.

A few of them have whitish mouths, but they've been that way for 2 months now and it hasn't developed beyond that. They all eat and hang out together and seem happy.

For the last week, I've noticed one of the smaller ones would hang out by a rock and not move much, but then he'd go and hide again.

Yesterday during the water change, I saw the little one flashing and rubbing on things, but was hoping he was just irritated from the water change.

Tonight, the very tips of both side fins have 1 white spec each on them and he's still itching. THAT'S IT! He's OUT of the tank - as soon as we can catch him..... not easy catching a cory in a heavily planted and wooded tank! He's going in a half gallon betta container with Rid Ick Plus! The container doesn't have a heater or filter, but corys can breathe air, so I hope he'll be ok. I'm leaving him ontop of the main tank so the heat from that can heat his water.

So far he's the only one in the tank showing signs.... we've looked closely. So, we're really hoping to NOT have to treat the tank - I've got a ton of pest snails that I'm farming for my Assassin Snails, and I just put 2 Mystery snails in there, that I can't find at the moment, so I REALLY don't want to medicate the tank! Fingers crossed!

The main tank is at 78-79, so I'm going to try turning the heat up to kill the parasite. Can't dose salt because of the Corys and snails. Hope the heat works.

Sooooo maaaaad! No one new in the tank since the Angels, and the Angels don't have Ick! What gives?!

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That sucks! :( I just beat out our second plague of ick and I hate it! Seriously most annoying crap ever!

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"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

Just remember scaless fish cannot take heavy doses of meds, or more correctly full doses. Usually the routine is to dose a half dose for twice the period.

Had to be something with the barbels. I have them in two tanks, all eco-complete. None of them have lost them. May not be related though, but if it is the result of stress, the cause of most fish diseases, then maybe it is related.

I don't get it though. WHY would they loose their barbels? The tank is really clean and the substrate is like yours...... no one's picking on them...... I'm not understanding why they would loose them then. I vac' the gravel to make sure they don't get bacterial infections. Ammonia is 0ppm, Nitrites are 0ppm and Nitrates are 25-30ppm (which for my water, is great - considering out of the tap it's 80ppm.)

Everyone else in the tank is fine and not stressed. Why just the Corys? They were all brought home a few at a time, so it's not like there were too many too fast....

For now the plan is to up the main tank heater to the highest it will go - between 84-86 degrees - and leave it there for 5 days as a precaution. If NO fish are showing signs of Ick after 5 days, I'll turn the heat back down. If they are showing signs, then I'll have to leave the heat up longer and maybe think about medicating.

The guy in the container is going to be treated for 3-4 days at half strength since he's scaleless, and I'll see if he's still got spots. If he does, he'll get a second round of half treatment. If it goes away, I'll continue medicating for 4 days and then put him back in the tank. (If he survives no heater and no filter for that long...)

I haven't dosed salt yet, since I haven't found a dose that is safe for scaleless fish, snails and plants.... anyone?

This has totally ruined my night! :'(

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sorry to hear that :( i finally got rid of ich in my tank a week or so ago. fish had it for about a week and a half before it showed signs of clearing. Finally gone now...i hope so lol. Hope it gets gone soon for you

Another thing to think about.....prolonged periods of high temp can kill many of your plants. The leaves will start coming off of them in the beginning stages. Ask me how I know this.....although I probably have a few more sensitive plants than you do. How does that do for your OCD?

sorry to hear that holly

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What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

Way to go Ben! Now my OCD is going into overdrive! Lol. I've got a few that shouldn't be in high temps', but I'm hoping 10 days will be ok...... *eye twitch....

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