ick problem

Onna Shinigami

Onna Shinigami

AC Members
Oct 3, 2002
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Tennessee
I was wondering if it's possible for goldfish and koi to get ick. I've never really heard of it happening but I was wondering if its possible or not. Picked up 2 koi out of the same tank from the lfs, but a few days later one started to not use its front right fin. The fin looks thicker and has a redish tinge to it and he refuses to use it at all, also his color went from a vibrant black to a dull black and had a few white looking things hanging off the right side and around his gills (kinda looked like a small worm but not quite.) Started adding melafix to it about a week and a half ago and still no change. A few days ago I picked up a couple of goldfish and put them in with the koi, now the goldfish have ick on them from no signs from before. Is it possible for them to get ick or is it ick and I need to switch what kind of treatment I'm doing? :confused:

Onna
 
Onna Shinigami said:
I was wondering if it's possible for goldfish and koi to get ick. I've never really heard of it happening but I was wondering if its possible or not. Picked up 2 koi out of the same tank from the lfs, but a few days later one started to not use its front right fin. The fin looks thicker and has a redish tinge to it and he refuses to use it at all, also his color went from a vibrant black to a dull black and had a few white looking things hanging off the right side and around his gills (kinda looked like a small worm but not quite.) Started adding melafix to it about a week and a half ago and still no change. A few days ago I picked up a couple of goldfish and put them in with the koi, now the goldfish have ick on them from no signs from before. Is it possible for them to get ick or is it ick and I need to switch what kind of treatment I'm doing? :confused:

Onna
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Yes goldfish can and DO get ich :) Sounds more like you have a parasite to me.. Sounds like gills flukes ... Never seen or experienced them myself but that is what i hear of them...

I was once told if I were to drop a feeder from our local Petco. into a glass of salt i would be able to watch them scatter from the fish :(
 
stop using Melafix .. it's completely useless for what you describe. follow this course of action:

use salt at 2 teaspoons per actual gallon of water. this will give you a good solid level with a 1 tsp. per gallon buffer zone in both directions.

to add salt, mix it with some of your tank water in small volumes and add to your tank. never dump salt in directly as a solid. add ¼ tsp. per gallon once an hour for four hours. this will bring your tank to a level of 1 tsp. per gallon in four hours. then increase it to 2 tsp. per gallon in ¼ teaspoon increments every 3-4 hours. always watch the fish closely for reaction. when you reach a level above 1 tsp. per gallon, watch for signs of increased stress and if noted, slow things down and allow the fish more time to adjust.

carbon will not remove salt from the water so if you are using it you do not need to remove it as you do with meds. table salt, pickling or canning salt, kosher salt are all fine to use. the levels of iodide or flow agents are too minute to be a factor.

during this treatment, increase the tank temperature to at least 82°F. note that 86°F is usually fatal to ICH, and if your fish will tolerate this temperature this alone can kill the parasite. important note ... warmer water does not carry oxygen as well as cool water. increase oxygen concentrations in your tank during treatment by (a) lowering the tank water level to increase splash, (b) raising the spray bars above the water line, or (c) add an air pump to your system with a good bubbler.

maintain this treatment for two weeks minimum.

it's important to continue a water change regimen during treatment and i'd recommend twice a week ... but remember to replace what you remove. just add whatever your target level is to the change water. for example, if you have 2 tsp. of salt per gallon in the tank, and you change 10 gallons of water then add 20 teaspoons to the change water as it goes back in. the total level of salt in the tank will remain the same.
 
I thought you weren't supposed to use any kind of table salt in fish tanks? Would the same work with other kinds of fish or just goldfish and koi?

Onna
 
Onna Shinigami said:
I thought you weren't supposed to use any kind of table salt in fish tanks? Would the same work with other kinds of fish or just goldfish and koi?

Onna
Click to expand...


You should not use table salt (Iodized) any amount of iodine can be harmfull. There are safer and inexpensive ways to use salt. Aquarium salt can be used, and is cheap. Better safe than sorry. :)
 
Ok, I think I get it now...but which is going to be cheaper or easier to use table or aquarium salt? If I'm understanding right you can use table salt the same way as aquarium salt??

Onna
 
Yes, I've just used regular table salt.
Much cheaper; also easier to get at any store rather than making a trip to a fish/pet store.
33 oz box aquarium salt (Big Al's price) - Canadian $4.99
1 kg box (= 35.27 oz) Windsor table salt - Canadian $1.49
 
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