Ick? My new swordtail has ick!

ILOVEBETTAS

ILOVEBETTAS

It's Cory Lover's cat!
Oct 8, 2006
952
0
0
Northern Illinois
www.thefishquestforums.com
I just bought a bunch of swordtails at my LFS today and one seems to have the very early stage of ick. I have never had a fish with ick before and I don't know how to handle it. I quarantined the fish and I have the water at about 81 degrees F. and I have salt in the water with Melafix. I know Melafix doesn't cure ick but it's all I have and I'm broke right now.

How can I cure this ick without getting medicine? It's the very early stages of it, there are only a few salt-looking dots...

How could I do this?

Thank you for all your help :)
 
having seen ick a few times i would recommend simply treating with rid ick or Quick Cure. Ick is usually gone within a day or so.

I have heard of using high temp and salt but i have never done that. I also know some people are against using chems but hey, it works.
 
Okay... so I'm on the right track. Yay me. I wanted to breed that one anyways... she's the most colorful out of all of my swordtails.
 
I think 88 or so for about a week.
 
Heat and salt work great. There's no need to treat the fish with meds. Slowly raise your temperature to 86-87 degrees. Anything under 85 will speed up the life cycle of the parasite, but will not kill it, so the temp needs to go above 85. Leave the temperature raised for 2 more weeks after you see the last ich spot and then slowly lower the temp back down to where it was. It will work as well or better than using meds.

:) Good luck!

lovemybarbs- nice to see you here. :cool:
 
Hello Severum! Yep. It's a slow night!
 
Use the high temp and salt, 1-2 teaspoon per gallon, shoot for 1/gal concentration at first, add slowly, pre-dissolved, over 2 hours. Wait 3-4 hrs, bring it up to2/gal. Maintain for 2 weeks, compensate as necessary for water changes.

If heat and salt didn't/don't work for you, you didn't do it correctly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom