View Full Version : Ich, Please Help
Captain Hook
12-18-2003, 2:07 PM
My girlfriend's tank has gotten ich somehow, there hasn't been a new fish added in a couple weeks at least. Already one dwarf flame gourami has died and the neon blue has it too.
I've told her to raise the temp from 77 to 80. Should I not fool around and just get medication? I've heard of adding salt, is this just regular table salt? Not sure how much to add of that either.
OrionGirl
12-18-2003, 2:21 PM
Use the search feature. There are at least 2 threads covering this topic within the last 2-3 days.
Captain Hook
12-18-2003, 2:22 PM
Thanks OG, sorry never thought of it. Guess I kind of panicked.
Leopardess
12-18-2003, 2:25 PM
I personally would just use a medication. Obviously the medications are not good for them, but then again salt and high temps, a slower recovery rate, and stress are not good for them either. I've had wonderful success using Coppersafe on my lalias. Cleared up an aweful case of ich. I would try to locate the cause of the infection however....
PS. Its okay to panic. Everyone says to everyone else "use the search feature, research, etc blah blah blah" But when it happens to you, and your fishies are at stake, I think most of us go into "need immediate help" mode. :)
OrionGirl
12-18-2003, 3:29 PM
Sorry--didn't intend to sound snippy--just too lazy to write my response out again! :)
No medication will speed the life cycle of the parasite, nor will any med penetrate the encysted parasite, nor those under the fish'd slime layer and skin. Salt and heat is no more "stress" and likely less than toxic metals and dyes, and eradicates the parasites - when commercial meds very frequently fail to do
Captain Hook
12-18-2003, 7:05 PM
Well I went to the lfs today and the person recommended Aquari Sol because it is a light treatment that won't hurt the cardinal tetras in the tank. It is considered more of a preventative treatment but the guy said it should work.
The neon blue has one white spot on its head but that's it for the whole tank.
Mrsoftey2
12-18-2003, 7:16 PM
I used to have a terrible case of ich on my Zebra danios. I went to a LPS and got a medication called mardel. In just 2 or 3 days almost all the ich had gone. It has never come back and hope it will not. The medice did not hurt my other fish
Leopardess
12-18-2003, 7:21 PM
that mardel is probably mardel's coppersafe
I know meds won't speed the life cycle...I know they don't attach the 'cyst'...I simply meant that they are often stronger than the salt method and are more effective at killing the free floating ones.
Ill appologize in advance for any snippy posts I myself post tonight...there is a something on another forum thats got me all worked up;) :argh