I have an ick problem?

Question

What are some of trhe things that cause a fish to get ick. Cuz my mom sez its from stikin my hand inside the tank putting in new plants and decorations, plz i need to know also how i can get rid of it with or without medicine

Answer 1

No offense but your mother is foolish and I won't let her close to my tanks. Ick is like fish chicken pox I always tell people. Virtually all fish will have it once but then don't get it again. It is a parasite that can not infect you or anything that is not a fish. It always lives in your gravel, any new fish you bring home will get it. They need to be slightly stressed for it to take hold. Could be a move, temperature flux, to much of a water change at once, algae bloom, bad water... anything at all stressful.

Its EASY to treat; aquarium salt, methylene blue, quick cure, ick cure, clout... just to name a few things. DO NOT use table salt. If you use anything other than salt or m - blue turn off your lights and take the carbon out of your filter.

And please, do not use any Wardley products in your tank, this is like the dollar store of the aquarium hobby. Stick to reliable brands like Riga, Hagan, Tetra, Aquarium Pharmaceticuls, SeaChem, Sera.

Can't get rid of it without medication. Fish MIGHT fight it off but will most likely die.

Answer 2

ick is a parasite its not caused by you. Fish have natural defenses against it but if you water quality gets bad Amonia, nitrite, nitrates rise to undesired levels it will make you fish stressed and the defense against it will not be as good. This will lower their defense against it and they will have get it somtimes. also adding things to the tank can stress them out. I would check the levels of everything fix what needs to be fixed and make a couple partial water changes and see how it goes. If that doesn't work just go buy so ick medicine its usually pretty easy to cure. If its a saltwater aquarium try not to put it in ur tank use a hospital tank but freshwater should be ok to add it to. After they are ick free make a water change and that should line u out.

Answer 3

Definitly not from putting your hand in the tank, though you should only do that with clean hands...no lotion, soap, dirt, etc. on them.. Ick is a parasitic infection caused my temperature fluctuations, poor water quality, stress, or other variables. Ick is highly contagious, but is easily treated with any petstore Ick medication. You do have to be careful, because if you have any scaleless fish, such as loaches, they cannot be treated with copper based medication, as it will overdose and kill them. So just read the label of the medication you choose, and dose accordingly.

Answer 4

Several factors. How long have you had the fish? MANY pet stores have ick outbraks. It can spred to other fish. Stress, in the water, can also cause it.

As far as meds- they are REALLY cheap. $2 for about a 100 gallons worth of treatment. It's made by Wardley / hartz. It's called Ick away.

Answer 5

If the temp in the tank moves around to much it can cause it as well as water perimeters fluctuating.

Get your water tested.
Check your heater.
Add meds or aquarium salt.
Sometimes higher heat can kill off ick.

Answer 6

koi i think of thats how u spell it usualy get ick desese and its happend to us in the previous i hate to declare this yet u could desire a sparkling tank. thats y me and my dad made a fish pond yet while u do make a fish pond positioned a internet over it so u dont have fish being eaten through birds and make confident u put in the final chemical compounds.

Answer 7

your not ganna get rid of it withut medicine, try ick guard medication. if you don't wash your hands before puting them in the tank that could get ick into the water

Answer 8

Well stress can cause it. Why dont you wanna use meds?

Answer 9

do what they say, and check teh water