Am I Treating Ich Right?

[NJ Devils Fan]

When one of my fish had ich awhile ago, I "dipped" it the same way I said in my other post, and after the second time I did it, all the cysts came off. After the first time I did it, about half came off. I also treated my tank with the Quick Cure, took out the carbon in the filter, cranked the temp up to about 82-83, and added salt. No other fish showed any signs of ich.

 

[OrionGirl]

Coincidence. The parasite does not even come in contact with the medication while in the cyst. The medications can't penetrate the shell. While there are many things that could penetrate the shell and kill the organism, such as bleach, the infected fish wouldn't survive the treatment.

Sorry. There just isn't a way to get around dealing with the parasite in the appropriate life stage--ie, free swimming tomites. Otherwise, shortening the lifecycle and preventing re-infection are your only options for effective treatment.

 

[Twilight]

Using "one" Teaspoon {and that's more than enough} of non iodized salt at the start of a new tank helps keep fish healthy and nitrates low. Any more than that would be irritating to fish. In 6 years that I have had tanks I have never had Ich. How many times have any of you had Ich in your tanks?

http://www.aquascienceresearch.com/apinfo/salt.htm

I have heard that Quick Cure is good for curing Ich.

 

[Faramir]

Using "one" Teaspoon {and that's more than enough}

Regardless of the tank size? 1 tsp in a 10 gallon, 1 tsp in a 120 gal?

of non iodized salt at the start of a new tank

Iodised or non-iodised, it's all the same to the fish. Iodine might protect against the rather unlikely possibility of goitre, but won't do any harm.

helps keep fish healthy and nitrates low.

How does salt lower nitrates? Does it precipitate them out in some form? Form a molecular dissolved compound?

 

[Twilight]

sites were posted.

 

[Faramir]

Indeed they were. And I quote from them:

3) If salt is indicated (such as for nitrite poisoning) one can use either iodized or non-iodized with equal safety.

Primarily, salt can be used for two different, but related problems. The first is the treatment of nitrite, NO2-, poisoning, ...

Nothing about nitrate, and nothing about reducing nitrate levels. Salt reduces nitrite toxicity. It does nothing concerning nitrate.

 

[RTR]

Agree w/Faramir again. Salt does nothing for the concentrations of nitrite or nitrate, it competes with nitrite for the binding sites in the blood where nitrite reduces oxygen-carrying capacity and thus avoids the toxicity.

BTW, I haven't had an Ich outbreak in any display in 20-something years, and I have no added salt in any but brackish tanks.

 

[Twilight]

Excuse me if i wasn't clear enough....but what i have been trying to get across is salt helps to take care of bad nitrates. Nitrate Toxins...whatever..... The point is that salt helps eliminate bad nitrate/nitrate stuff. Therefore salt DOES help keep fish healthier. I have had tanks for 6 years with fish several years old .....no nitrate problems...no ICH......no deseases......never ever used any chems except Stress Coat and salt. If a fish died it was due to injury or stress from the lfs. So what am I ? Just lucky? Or do I have a little bit in doing something right with my tanks? And I have been always talking of salt amounts..... on the iodine crap...that was never my main point except it's what I use. That's my opinion and I am allowed to have it as long as what I do with my tanks works and my fish are thriving and living happy and desease free. How many times have you had ICH? My fish have never had it in the 6 years I have had tanks. So what's your opinion now?

 

[Faramir]

The same. Nitrate and nitrite are not the same thing, and you have produced no evidence whatsoever that salt reduces nitrate levels.

This is because it doesn't.

It doesn't reduce nitrite levels either, although it does reduce nitrite toxicity. It does not "eliminate bad nitrite/nitrate stuff" - only a good filtration and water changing regimen does that. You are indeed entitled to your own opinions. You are not, however, entitled to your own facts. The fact is, that in an unplanted tank I might well recommend temporary salt addition to reduce nitrite toxicity. But not because of any bogus "nitrate reduction" stuff. And I wouldn't send anyone scurrying to find non-iodised salt when the huge box of table salt in their cupboard will do the job fine.

You haven't had ich for six years. Bully for you. Funny thing is, none of my unsalted tanks have had ick, either. Must be not using salt that prevents ick!

 

[NJ Devils Fan]

People, chill out. Relax