Do you see white spots on your Otocinclus? Will Ich kill them or can you kill Ich first? In this article, we’ll talk about whether or not Otocinclus can get Ich and how to treat this problem.
Can Otocinclus Get Ich? The protozoan parasitic infection known commonly as Ich can affect Otocinclus once it makes its way into your tank. Medications and salt treatments must be delivered at half doses or less for these scaleless freshwater fish.
Raising the temperature will speed up the life cycle of Ich, but may cause too much stress for your Otocinclus. Proceed with patience and caution.
How Do I Cure Ich?
Ich is cured in three main ways:
- salt
- medicine
- raising the temperature
You may also consider the fact that your tank’s water is susceptible to parasitic infections and weakened slightly due to this infestation. A proper cycling of the tank that takes up to 8 weeks may be in order.
Salt
Freshwater fish cannot tolerate too much salt. A tablespoon per 5 gallons is a suggested dose, but should be done so as slow as possible. Your Otocinclus is scaleless and the salt could create more stress for an already weakened dwarf catfish.
Medicine
Ich killing medicine is widely available and doesn’t have to be specific to any fish in your tank. Make sure to remove the carbon from the filter to allow the medicine to work its way into the entire tank.
Follow the instructions on the bottle. Keep in mind that Otocinclus or other scaleless fish are more sensitive and may require a half dose instead.
Raising The Temperature
30-32°C or 86-89°F is going to kill Ich. Specifically, it speeds up their life cycle and makes sure they die off for good. The problem is that it speeds up the metabolism in your Otocinclus as well. This may cause them to eat less.
Make sure to offer plenty of enticing food options during this time because their metabolism requires more energy and nutrients.
How Long Will It Take To Cure My Otocinclus With Ich?
The entire process could be over in as little as 4 days or as much as 18 days. It depends on other factors regarding:
- your water quality
- nitrogen cycle
- temperature
- hardiness of Otocinclus
- nutrition
- medication
- salt
The length of time depends on the life cycle of these white spots. They will grow and eventually drop into the tank. During this time, your Otocinclus will be stressed and will try rubbing it off by scraping its body against the glass or rocks.
Will Ich Kill My Otocinclus?
If you recently brought your Otocinclus to your home, the chances of survival are much lower. We must teach these fish to eat the food we offer. They are not bred in captivity. Wild Otocinclus only know how to graze plant matter and algae.
They need to eat almost the entire day. If your Otocinclus is still getting used to life in your tank, the Ich parasites will surely cause an enormous amount of stress.
Without the nutrition to fight it off, your Otocinclus is in for a difficult ride. After 1-3 months, you will have a hardier Otocinclus that can survive common Ich outbreaks.
Why Did My Otocinclus Get Ich?
The following reasons may have caused your Otocinclus to get Ich:
- Stress
- Being alone
- Lack of nutrition
- Unable to rest or hide during the day
- An infected tank
- Poor water quality
Your Otocinclus likes to shoal in groups of hundreds or even thousands if it had the chance to in the wild. Without the company available, this Otocinclus is fearful or more stressed. The tank may not have enough algae available and it’s on us to get our Otocinclus used to vegetables like zucchini or algae wafers.
A tank without enough plants, doesn’t give your Otocinclus enough comfort to hide or rest during the day when the rest of its tankmates are active. This is not a strictly nocturnal animal, but the Otocinclus demonstrates comfort in grazing at night.
The water quality may have suffered during this time and the Ich parasites were able to thrive. A thorough tank cleaning by vacuuming the gravel, water changes or a fresh cycling of the tank might be necessary.
Should I Medicate My Otocinclus?
Medication in the tank is aimed at clearing Ich for everyone who resides there. The suggestion to dunk your Otocinclus in a medicated cup of water or quarantine tank is risky.
The lack of scales makes this freshwater fish susceptible to stress and shock from this type of medicating. Cut the dose in half and start there if you wish to use medication.
We suggest focusing on nutrition and water quality first. Next, we would raise the temperature very gradually. The final solution is medication. Make sure to remove the carbon from the filter or else it will suck in most of the medicine.
Why Is My Otocinclus White?
Your Otocinclus has most likely contracted white spot disease or Ich. It’s quite common under poor water conditions or the introduction of tankmates without quarantining them first.
You may notice white spots that expand and multiply. These spots appear on the body, fins and gills of your Otocinclus. The protozoans known as Ich need to go through a life cycle before they die out.
Conclusion
We hope your Otocinclus is strong enough to withstand the Ich infection. Make sure its diet is rich in nutrients. Consider coating vitamin based solutions or liquid garlic on vegetables that your Otocinclus enjoys eating.
Lower the dose of salt or medicine by half if you care to go down this path to kill Ich. Raise the temperature very slowly to speed up the life cycle of Ich. Perform water changes more frequently during this time. Good luck and let us know the results. We’re pulling for you and your Otocinclus.
Thanks for visiting HelpUsFish.com for another article on Otocinclus that we greatly enjoy in our community tanks. Check out more of our articles on the variety of marine life we research and keep. Bye for now!
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