How do I go about getting rid of Ich that one of my fish has??

Question

I have a 10 gallon aquarium with 2 guppies and a swordtail in. One of the guppies has Ich. At least I think it is ich (white spots like salt crystals all over the body). I was told at the store to put some aquarium salt in the tank to kill the ich. It doesn't seem to be working

Answer 1

Get QuICK Cure.....one of my bettas had Ick and that medicine took care of it within 3 days. You can buy it at wal mart, about $3

Answer 2

If you have a heater in the tank, raise the temp to 85 degrees for 3-4 days then back to 76 when the ich is cured. The heat will kill the little parasites and not harm the guppies or the swordtail for that short period.

If you have no heater, get one. Cold temps are one of the things that cause the little ich parasites to flourish. Medication may help in the short term, but long term, it will come back if the tank is not warm enough.

The heat kills the adults AND the eggs that they lay. The medication usually only kills the adults. Then the next time the temp drops, they get sick again as the eggs hatch.

Answer 3

There are a variety of treatments as many have suggested (meds, salt, heat).

I'd just add that would ever method you go with, ensure the duration of treatment lasts 10-14 days due to the nature of this organism's life cycle. Ending treatment any earlier than that permits the possibility of a reemergence of ich.

After treating the tank for only a few days the fish may appear "cured" but that isn't the case.

Ich exists in three primary forms: on the fish (as trophonts; these are what you physically see on the fish), which later drop off and fall among the substrate (as tomonts). The ich organisms rapidly reproduce within these cysts and pop, with each one releasing hundreds of free swimming microscopic thermonts. These will seek out fish and attach to them, transforming into trophonts and repeating the cycle.

The first two forms are impervious to nearly any treatment you can use. Only the free swimming thermonts can be killed by treatment methods. 10-14 days of treatment will ensure you kill them all.

Answer 4

Salt will help, but it's often not enough. You need to get an anti-ich med, and raise the temp.

1)Double the recommend amount. Guppies, and swordtail like all of the livebearer can live in brackish water (even salt water for guppy, and molly) if the change is gradual. As long as the change is gradual.

2)Get an anti-ich med.

3)Raise the heat to 85-86 degrees. I'd likely not do this until you get the anti-ich med, and add more salt. As this will speed up it's life cycle. Salt, and meds are only effective when it's in it's free swimming stage.

Answer 5

go to any pet store or wal mart and buy ich medicine. It contains a dye called methylene blue, and it kills the bacteria causing the infection. If you do not treat it, it will kill your fish. You need to treat the entire tank, as if one fish has it the others will develop it very quickly. Follow the instructions. Make sure you remove the activated carbon form your filter, and do exactly what the bottle says to do. Do not quarantine the fish, TREAT THE ENTIRE TANK!!! After the treatment is through, do a 25% water change, and siphon the gravel. Your fish will be OK! Salt will not work!

Answer 6

Buy some ick medication, sold at any pet store, change 50% of the water and treat according to the instructions. Make sure your filter is not filtering during treatment. Wait 24 hours, change 50% more water and retreat.

Answer 7

get and ick med
take out activated carbon
still filter though
raise temp to 25 to 27 d Celsius
turn light on leave it on for at least three days
treat water with ick med after seven days change 30% of water and treat again
leave the sick fish with the others to prevent it in them
it wont hurt them
after another seven days change 30% again
and asses the ick

if cold water fish leaving the light on but don't raise temp to high 20 to 21 will be sufficient

Answer 8

there is specific meds to buy for ick at the pet store it a blue med . cost bout $4 but its best to separate the sick one from the others as soon as possible to avoid contaminating the whole tank. Hope this helps

Answer 9

You can raise the tempup a bit with adding the salt too. Do a 10% water change as well

Answer 10

If your fish is having the itch as you say then you should clean your fish tank and then do the medication .those white things you see are mite or parasites feeding on your fish .You do get medicine for this type of situation visit and ask the aquarium shop guy to help you out as he is an professional wishing you the best for your pet fish with itch