One proven way to treat ich/ick

[AncientFishArk]

Unfortunately that's your problem. Without enough water flow and space, doesn't matter if they get along, they will be stressed. Filtration also adds air into the water and with a over crowded tank, they are having much more ammonia,co2, nitrate,etc. They are stressed in some way, even though they get along.

I would try to get them in a bigger tank. First, while treating them with the salt and heat. As long as you stay under 10 saltinity, pretty sure it's 1.008 gravity (will double check gravity number) they should be fine with little issues for short periods of time.

I have my tank at 1.004 all the time, almost brackish and my fish are great. I have some fish that will go brackish when they get older. I had a nice problem 4 weeks ago with extremely sensitive fish, all did great. Knife fish, rope fish, freshwater moray eel, etc.

My tank got it because of a new addition I put in the tank, looked health in store got home wasn't, and like a dumby should have brought it back but didn't. Best practices, have a separate tank for qaurntine.

 

[ianp85]

intresting

 

[Connor Mills]

Cool I didn’t know that!

 

[jcarson]

Thanks for this.... Tank is finally showing signs of cycling and now I get ich!
Since ammonia and nitrites are high in my tank right now should I do a water change 1st then begin salt treatment?

 

[jeaninel]

Thanks for this.... Tank is finally showing signs of cycling and now I get ich!
Since ammonia and nitrites are high in my tank right now should I do a water change 1st then begin salt treatment?

Yes, do a water change then start the salt treatment.

 

[jcarson]

Yes, do a water change then start the salt treatment.

Thank you.

 

[jcarson]

I am writing this because it is something that comes up so often.
Ich is a protozoal infection that afflicts fish and can rapidly kill them, most often by damaging gill tissue.
The organism goes through a life cycle of;
a small white spot feeding on your fish,
which drops off to the floor of your tank and encysts,
while encysted it divides into up to 2000 new mobile organisms,
the cyst ruptures, releasing the mobile organisms which seek out a host.
Only the mobile stage is vulnerable to treatment by anything that will not also kill your fish.

Here is an old fashioned but very effective method for treatment.
It can be used for most fish but morymids, corys, and some pims are sensitive to salt. Because the organism infest the tank, the whole tank should be treated.

Raise the temp of your tank to at least 85-86 degrees F.
Add aquarium salt (dissolved in water) at a ratio of 2 teaspoons of salt per gallon of water in your tank.
Now wait, while waiting it does not hurt to add a powerhead or airstone to increase the O2 level.
Over the first couple days your fish will look worse but then they will clear up. about the sixth day they will look clear but because some ecystments have not yet hatched keep the treatment up for the full 10 days.
If you are not able to raise the temperature you need to extend the treatment, at 85 the ich's life cycle is quick but at 72 it can take weeks, below 70F treat for 6 weeks.

There are medicines you can use but many fish are sensitive to them, you can also try just heat at 90-91 degrees F but some fish can't take that heat and some strains of ich can survive it.
The salt and heat method is one I have used several times with sucess.

So sorry and hope guppy is still around but do I leave the salt in?
Do I do water changes?
Only one salt addition?
Please help!

 

[AncientFishArk]

When you do the water change, add the salt to the new water you are adding. Throwing salt directly into the tank can harm your fish.

What type of fish you have in the tank?

 

[jcarson]

When you do the water change, add the salt to the new water you are adding. Throwing salt directly into the tank can harm your fish.

What type of fish you have in the tank?

I understand that part, but my question is once the salt has been added to I need to add anymore salt during treatment cycle?

Or perform another water change during treatment cycle?

Or do I just leave the salt in the tank for the next couple weeks?

Right current occupants are 4 mollies, 1 gold ram, 1 pictus catfish, 1 danio and 2 gouramis.

Temp is 85 and after all the salt the fish seem to be loving the water change and aeration I have added to the tank.

 

[AncientFishArk]

It will depend on a couple of things.

How much salt did you add. You shouldn't add all the salt to your tank at once. You want to add it gradually until you reach the salt content you want. Generally in my experience adding 1 tablespoons for every 5 gallons will yeld a 1.002 to 3. I perfer 1.004 when treating ick and for my tanks generally.

Next is the types of fish you have. I have a gold flaked Moray and others similar which do better in aquariums with a little salt. However some fish can't tolerate the salt for more then a couple days.

Generally with this process, you will not want to do any water changes for at least 2 to 3 days after you see no spots on your fish. To ensure that the parasite is killed. This can take 10 days depending on temp and size of your aquarium.

Example, took my 120 gallon 6 days to get over ick after being introduced by a eel that I didn't quarantine. My tank was set to 90 degrees with at salinity of 1.004.