sick cichlids

[zach_1_6]

i have 6 small yellow tail acei, which apear to have ick. they have a few white spots on there body, one with alot, and one with a large spot on it. the other 4 with only a couple small spots. how should i treat this? i do not have a quarantine tank, and i am new to sick fish. thanks

 

[tyspot1000]

Some best home remedy's is to do a 25-50% water change with a gravel vaac everyday (once the spores on the body fall off, you will suck them up with the vaac. Giving the chances of the spores to stick back on the fish very low) to help it go away.

If worse comes to worse, I would advise using meds. The one I recommend is Tetra Ick guard. It has helped me twice with ick curing. But I would advise (not on the instructions) to do a 25-50% water change every-time before you add it.

 

[mudraker]

That's too bad, but it can be cured.

Ich is a parasite and must be killed in order to rid your tank of infection. While water changes are important during the infestation, PWC alone will not cure your fish.

Heat and salt are the most natural ways to kill the nasty little things, which are only vulnerable in what is the free floating stage of their life cycle.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/if-you-think-your-fish-have-ich-38796.html

Slowly heat the tank to 86 degrees. Any lower, and you will only increase its reproductive cycle. It is recommended to raise the temperature by one degree every 12 hours.

Use only nonidodized salt to further treat the tank. The salt will help kill the parasite and help ease the infection in the fish and help ward off secondary infections common with the infestation.

There are many different recommendations on the amount of salt to use. I've had the best resutls (total cure, no deaths) using one tablespoon per 10 gallons of water.

Keep up the salt and heat treatment for at least four days AFTER the last white spots disappear from the fish.

If you wish to use a commercial medication instead, try Kordon. Avoid ich cures that contain formadahyde, malachite and copper. They are more toxic to your fish and not only can kill off inverts, can make the tank forever toxic to snails and shrimp.

 

[zach_1_6]

All right thanks, I am going to the store this weekend and I will probably pick up some meds, in the mean time I'm slowly raising the temp, should that be fine for the time being?

 

[zach_1_6]

Ok so I decided to go the salt and heat way, 86 degrees seams a little high are you sure the fish will be all right? I picked up some salt from a lfs that says it can be used for helping cure deceases, will it work fine? Sorry again I haven't had any sick fish in the passed.

 

[PzIkHo]

your fish will be just fine, provided you raise it slowly (one degree every 12 hours). It absolutely has to be 86 degrees. 85.9 will not kill ich, will only speed up the lifecycle of the parasite. Make sure it's at least 86 degrees, and everything should be alright.

Also, remember that heat and salt is more natural, and thus takes longer. Look forward to at least ten days, if not more. But all in all, I believe heat and salt is a better way to go, at least for the fish.

 

[zach_1_6]

Thanks, I thought it would be a better way to go, I just noticed it a few days ago when I added a light and I couldn't believe it, well i started to raise the temp slowly, right now it is at 81 degrees, I added a little salt and will keep raising it hopefully it gets rid of it, as for pwc, every day? Do I add more salt after each one?