Ich Treating with Cories in Tank

[DrgRcr]

Well it seems that a couple of my bleeding hearts have a few dots of ich on them. I've read about the heat and salt method, but I've also read that the cories are sensitive to the salt. Is this true, what are my other options, medication such as rid-ich or similar?

[jpappy789]

It's a myth that the salt/heat method will hurt scaleless fish such as corys. Many people have done it before without harming the fish. Just make sure the salt is diluted before you add it to the tank.

[Sploke]

I have treated cories with salt several times without issue. The low doses needed don't bother them.

[DrgRcr]

Thank you. What dosage would you recommend? My tank is 72g and is currently at 77 degrees. I can just use aquarium salt correct?

[Sploke]

I use table salt, as its cheaper, but aquarium salt will work fine as well. I dose 2 tsp/gal - fill a bucket with tank water, dissolve half the salt in the bucket, then siphon the mix into the tank with airline tubing. Wait a few hours, then do the other half.

[inkyjenn]

i did a half strength treatment on a couple of plecos with ich and it worked really well with temp around 85°F. i think if the plecos could hang, so could the cories

[DrgRcr]

Wow, 2 tsp/ gal? Is a half dose OK to start? I'm afraid to over do it, as this is all new to me. I've started to raise the temp slightly. Will 80 be OK, even though it will take longer? I don't want to speed up the life-cycle too much until I get a treatment started. These fish were all introduced recently(fishless cycle) and I don't want to stress them too much.

[DrgRcr]

OK, here's where I'm at. I did a 25-30% WC and vac first and added a dose of Stress Coat. I added roughly 2 tsp/gallon of standard table salt. I based it on roughly 60 gallons even though my tank is 72, based on what the substrate and decos take up. I felt this would allow me to err on the side of caution. I dissolved the salt in half between two 4 gallon buckets and added it a little at a time. One bucket gradually last night and one gradually this morning. I've slowly brought the temp up to 80. I don't know if I want to chance going higher than that. Maybe 1 or 2 degrees more. So far, all the fish seem and ate well, including the cories. The 2 rainbows even seem brighter!

[Sploke]

Sounds good - it can take a few days before you start seeing noticeable improvements, and you'll want to continue treatment for a full week after all signs have disappeared.

[inkyjenn]

souds like you are doing the right thing. i think its always safer with salt to underdose, especially since you have the cories. i would bump up the temp slowly to 85.

keep us updated on progress

[DrgRcr]

I have tweaked the temp up a bit more, getting close to 82. I'm just a little skittish on going higher because I know the pandas can be sensitive. I also opened up the air valve a bit more on my bubble bar to give some more aeration. I had it toned down a bit during normal ops because the fish seemed to like it better. Now that the salt is in, do i just leave it alone for a week to ten days?

[bitbot]

When I had ich in my 40 gallon, I went to 86 and 1 1/2 teaspoon a gallon - gradually over a few days, with no problem and no losses. You're wise to be cautious, but if the fish are looking healthy, don't worry, they will probably be fine. As you have seen with your rainbows, some fish seem to thrive on it. I think going a bit gradually may be the best way to avoid stressing the fish.

[reptileguy2727]

The fact that the whole salt and meds myth with scaleLESS fish also applies to fish that are heavily scaled like cories and plecos shows how unfounded it is.

I personally have found that as long as the water quality is high and the original stressor is removed, in many cases ick will go away without any special treatment.

Two things have to happen for a fish to get sick. One is that the pathogen is present (in this case: Ichthyophthirius multifiliis). The second is that there is some sort of a stressor. There are very few pathogens that do not need the fish to be stressed to still infect them. If you remove that stressor the fish's immune system will return to normal and if the infection is not too advanced the fish can then fight off the pathogen on its own.

Almost any treatment used to kill a pathogen can stress fish as well. So keep a good eye on all the fish in the tank to ensure none of them are reacting poorly to the treatment, whether it is a high temp, salt, or a chemical medication.

Garlic has been shown to actively kill parasites as well, internal and external. Since it is a food and not a medication is it safe to use in high amounts as well as to use all the time.

[june2000]

I also believe temp should be over 82.
You may raise 2 per day not to stress your fish too much.

[june2000]

Just in case, you may lower water level down and put more air stone / maximize air pump to increase aeration.

[REDKAHUNA]

I would continue with the salt avoid meds if possible with the cories in the tank. Most cory deaths are due to meds.

[WeeGlo@nite]

The problem isn't with salt it's with brine. Brine can be harmful to all fish however because it is heavy and sinks to the bottom corries tend to be the only ones effected.

To fix this problem make sure the salt is prediluted in hot water. Then when you poor it in make sure to mix it well in the tank.

[DrgRcr]

Update: Well I did have the temp close to 86 with the salt, and have brought it back to about 84. I took 3 days to get it to 86, VERY slowly. I thought the spots were gone, but I saw 1(yes 1 lousy spot) on one of my rainbows, so I am continuing treatment. Will be doing another WC/vac today. So far all of the inhabitants have endured well, eating voraciously still. One gone, I am going to bring the temp back down slowly again.

[ChrisK]

I have used salt with cories in the tank with no problem