ick on cardinal tetras

[paulbell]

10 gallon tank
2 cardinal tetras
2 mollies
2 guppies
1 albino cory
1 small pleco

The tetras are the only fish i can see that have the ick specks. I have slowly added 20 teaspoons of Aquarium salt over the last 24 hours and all of the fish seem fine. The tetras have slightly faded but are active and seem fine. I have a heater that will keep the temp between 76 and 78 degrees. My question is how long until the specks fall off and how long do i have to treat the fish? I'm concerned the salt concentration (2tsp per gallon) is not enough to kill the ick but also am worried about the salt sensitivity of my cory and tetras. any advice would be appreciated.

[clawlan]

might want to also slowly raise the temp to about 82-84 to help speed along the ick life cycle and get them to fall off the fish sooner.

[paulbell]

My heater is internally set to keep temp between 76 and 80 degrees, can't adjust. I could purchase an adjustable heater if what i'm currently doing does not work. How long should i keep the salt dilution as it is after the ick falls off?

[Madcrawdad]

here's a link that someone posted in another thread that you might find useful. http://aquafacts.net/wiki/index.php/Ich

[Mgamer20o0]

My heater is internally set to keep temp between 76 and 80 degrees, can't adjust. I could purchase an adjustable heater if what i'm currently doing does not work. How long should i keep the salt dilution as it is after the ick falls off?

get a new heater. i wouldnt use one i couldnt change. follow what dave said in the link Madcrawdad posted.

[paulbell]

10 gallon tank
2 cardinal tetras
2 mollies
2 guppies
1 albino cory
1 small pleco

Today is the 4th day of salt treatment almost at 3 tsp/gal and the ich is actually worse. What is strange is the ich is only on my tetras. Could this be something other than ich? It looks like all the photos I've seen of ich.

[Daudzegier]

Here is an article written by fish_freak, one of the moderators on this site. It was linked to me previously by liv2padl, yet another mod on this site.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88601

[acocacolagirl]

How long have you had your tetras? I am only curious because I just bought some cardnal tetras a couple of weeks ago....and guess what I just found on them today - ick.

[paulbell]

About three weeks.

[paulbell]

The salt treatment works. Just make sure you don't stress your fish while treating them.

[Toirtis]

If you do go with a combination of salt and heat (the only treament I will use any more), remember that as the water temp rises, the dissolved oxygen content of the water drops, so add an aerator when bringing the temp up over 81ºF.

[acocacolagirl]

What kind of aerators are avalable?

I also have had success with salt/heat in the past. So that is what I have started today. Needless to say, I wish I didn't have to do it. Already lost one of my new tetras.

[acocacolagirl]

About three weeks.

Hmmmm so we got our cardnals around the same time and both got ich, makes me wonder if somewhere down the line they came from the same supplier....