white itch and light

boelo

boelo

AC Members
May 4, 2009
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Hi.
I have discovered tiny white dots on my fish, like salt crystals. Surfing the net I found out it must be white itch.
So I have raised the water temp to 30°C and will change part of the water today while I clean the gravel.
But the man in the aquarium shop told me to keep the light off: the bacteria doesn't like light and will burry itself deeper in the fish skin with the light on.
Looked on the net, but read nothing about this.
Any one heard of this?
And the salt that you can add: is that special salt or normal salt? And how much per litre?
Thanks
 
Ich is not bacteria but protozoans. That man is making it up again just like other misinformed hobbyists. Only reason we switch lights off in some cases is to relieve the fish from stress. Glaring lights can disturb and stress the fish too much and ich strikes their weak immune system which can fatally destroy the host.

As for salt, table salt is fine. Anything about iodides and other additives is purely bunk. You can dose a tablespoon per 5g. Please be sure to dissolve it thoroughly and add slowly. Get a cup of tank water and then put the salt there. Keep stirring the salt until thoroughly dissolved and pour it to the tank.
 
thank you for the quick reply.
is the salt save for all my fish (Cory cat, bristlenose, siameese algae eater, tetra's).
 
Yes. Those fish should be fine with salt so long as you add it slowly to your tank. If you add it too quickly the fish won't have time to acclimate and it can shock them. I only use salt to treat ich and I have had excellent success.
 
thanks, I'll start adding tomorrow and take time doing it (it's bedtime here).

eh... do all air-pumps make this terrible buzzing noise...? (bought one today, to keep the O2 level up while water temp is higher)
 
What size tank is it?,Lowering light or turning it off will not help primarily becoz the parasite's life cycle is more temperature based versus light based.Adding salt may be a good idea for brackish water tolerant species if adding more than 1 tablesppon per 5 gallons.Salt may not go well with tetras is tank is dosed to the brackish salt levels(personal experience - killed 15 tetras over night).
1)Try to isolate the affected fish to a hospital/quarrentine tank, if not an option then make sure you do a 25% water change using gravel vaccum, as this protozoan resides on one stage of its life time on the gravel/decor as well.
2) raise temperature to 80-82 degress(hastens the life cycle of the protozoan).
3) buy one of the commercially available medications for ich from lfs(Quickcure has been very effective in my case).Follow directions on package, usually will have to remove carbon media from filter during mediaction period
4) if Fish do not seem to be getting better, check for symtoms of velvet disease

Hope this helps
 
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Salt will be fine for his fish. You use table salt which is different from aquarium salt which is what's used for brackish and salt water tanks. I have treated my tanks with doses higher then 1 tablespoon per 5 gallon with no ill effect.

Isolating the fish won't be enough. I would guess the ich has already spread throughout the tank. Plus, ich can only be killed while it's in the free swimming stage so you will want to treat the tank for any that have fallen off the fish already.
Raising the temperature is a good idea because it does speed up the life cycle of ich allowing you to kill it faster.

I would avoid over the counter medication. Some people have had luck with some medication but I have had 100% success several times with salt treatments and I have treated a wide variety of fish, including tetras. Plus, some of the commercially bought meds contain copper which will kill any inverts you add to your tank later on.

Boelo, here is a link to more information about ich. It should help you better understand the disease. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88601
 
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Aquarium salt isn't used for marine or brackish water tanks. It doesn't have the right consistency for seawater; you need marine salt for that.

In fact, aquarium salt is not required for anything; it's a confidence trick based on the old con of putting a special use in front of the name of something completely ordinary to multiply the price by 10, a bunch of myths about iodine and anti-caking agents, and some attempts to confuse with fuzzy science using phrases like "essential physiological ions". Yup. Sodium and chloride, as found in - erm - table salt...
 
Hurley said:
Salt will be fine for his fish. You use table salt which is different from aquarium salt which is what's used for brackish and salt water tanks. I have treated my tanks with doses higher then 1 tablespoon per 5 gallon with no ill effect.

Isolating the fish won't be enough. I would guess the ich has already spread throughout the tank. Plus, ich can only be killed while it's in the free swimming stage so you will want to treat the tank for any that have fallen off the fish already.
Raising the temperature is a good idea because it does speed up the life cycle of ich allowing you to kill it faster.

I would avoid over the counter medication. Some people have had luck with some medication but I have had 100% success several times with salt treatments and I have treated a wide variety of fish, including tetras. Plus, some of the commercially bought meds contain copper which will kill any inverts you add to your tank later on.

Boelo, here is a link to more information about ich. It should help you better understand the disease. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88601
Click to expand...

:iagree:
You don't have to isolate sick fish for ick. Most likely, there are some floating in your water if you could already identify white spot from your fish.

You have to keep treating and maintaining high temperature even after white spots disappear from your fish at least 3 more days. (I personally maintain for one week more to make sure.)

boelo said:
thanks, I'll start adding tomorrow and take time doing it (it's bedtime here).

eh... do all air-pumps make this terrible buzzing noise...? (bought one today, to keep the O2 level up while water temp is higher)
Click to expand...

Most of air pumps make some noise. It depends on the brand, location, surface and your luck . Don't forget to put check valve between the tube.
 
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