My ick situation

[sciencegeek]

I just got back from the store and I got quickcure(added it to the tank already) and melafix just incase they get a secondary infection. Should I put melafix in now or wait and see if my fish get an infection?

[jnr102030]

I think you should put it in the now just to prevent a secondary infection.

[Roan Art]

I think you should read this article on treating ich with salt + heat instead of medications.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39759

It's a far superior method, IME.

Roan

[liv2padl]

in my opinion, it's never a good idea to treat a tank of fish for a disease they don't have and may never get. in other words, "preventive" medication serves no purpose and is actually counterproductive ... i.e, it can foster medication resistant organisms. moreover, many medications are harsh in themselves and doubling up on them is that much more stressful on the fish.

[rainstorm]

Which Ich treatment did you get? What is the active ingredient? My freshwatre tank is just getting over a bad case of Ich. I lost 3 fish and had 3 more half dead...due to the treatment. I backed off the medication and went the high temp + salt route instead, and doing much better within a few days. What type of fish do you have?

[Roan Art]

Most of those ich medications contain malachite green -- either as malachite green or any of six other names: victoria green and aniline green being two of the most common. Malachite green can be deadly to several types of fish that aren't even bottom feeders. Worst thing is that they don't even warn you about it on the bottle or carton.

This is probably why rainstorm wants to know what kind of fish you have.

IMHO take the meds out and do the salt treatment. It's much safer for everything in your tank.

Roan

[rrkss]

Quickcure is a pretty harsh malachite green + formalin based medication. Both chemicals are highly toxic and are not needed to treat ich. Read up on how to cure ich with salt. Cheaper and safer to use. The only time I would ever use formalin in a fish medication situation is when I am dealing with Costia since this parasite has developed salt resistance and will not die even at 9 teaspoons per gallon concentration.

[rrkss]

However if you continue the Quick Cure route, do a 40-50% waterchange everyday prior to dosing the medication. Continue treatment this way for 3 days after the last spot dissapears. I know the medication says to treat for 3 days and thats it but that will not completely cure ich. It will just eliminate the symptoms and eventually allow ich to come back. Curing ich takes about 7 days of medicating at 80*F

[jruth27]

Melafix is excellent when treating any kind of disease that damages the body and/or fins. My Texas cichlids had fin rot and Melafix and aquarium salt cleared it in 3 days. As far as ick is concerned, you are doing what you need to do right now and the only additive other than that should be salt. I almost always use aquarium salt with any treatment.