Ick!

[oblekis007]

I have a 72 gallon tank with a red bellied pacu about a foot long and one tiger barb (I used to have 3...but pacu had a snack...)

Anyways, My little barb got ick and the pacu doesnt look like he has it, but he has "popeye" a white covering on his left eyeball and his tail fin is just a little ragged. I am medicating the water with what the lfs reccomended.

Well, here is my question. I have been feeding fish and they have been eating. But last night my Pacu ate the tiger barb. The tiger barb had a lot of white specks on him, but the pacu does not. So, since the pacu ate the sick barb, will the pacu need extra meds or something?? I am now a little more worried about him, since he ate a sick fish and he isnt well himself.

Thanks for any responses.

[crazyred]

What are you using to medicate him with? Sometimes the LFS means well, but have no idea on these things. What were you using on the barb for the ick? Hopefully, the ick would not survive the stomach contents of the pacu, but I don't know.

[Buddha_Red]

You should use pure garlic juice no added oils or flavors. Soak the food in it, this will give a powerful antibotic into the fishes system. This may help pop eye and ick by slamming them with a mega dose of an antibotic that is pure and healthy for all freshwater fish i know of.. What chemical are you using? Its either maacite green or copper based im betting. Depending on what you are using, you ,ay be risking your cycle. I am not trying to scare you, we just need some info to help you out.

What temp is your heater set at? Look into spawning actions, the pacu maybe craving live food because of this or other reasons.

[oscarbartoni]

What are your water conditions? When did you do a water change and how much do yo do at a time? What is the conditions of the tap water? Usually when I see Pop eye it indicated that the water conditions are off. The pacu should not get ick from eating a fish that has ick on it because the acids will kill the ick. But there is ick in the tank so I would raise the temp up to about 82 to 85 for a couple of weeks. The higher temp will shorten the life cycle of the ick and kill them also. I would also start to make 25% water changes either each day or at least every other day for a while to bring the water conditions up for the tank.