Ich?

[TheGrza]

Apparently I'm not qualified to take care of fish. I think a few of my fish may have ich. Little white spots have started showing up on my acei and 2 of my peacocks. No signs yet on the rest of the bunch. I've been researching different treatment methods but notice differences in opinion. Medication or no? Increase temperature. How much and how slowly? Salt. Seachem cichlid lake salt ok? How much should I add? They're all eating and seem ok otherwise. PH: 8 ammonia: 0 nitrite: 0 nitrate: 5ppm

 

[LyndaB]

If you're lucky enough to catch it at the onset, do immediate water change of at least 50%.

Raise temp slowly to 86-88 F

Add an airstone to increase oxygenation

Do gravel vacs every 2-3 days to remove ich spore from substrate

Maintain this schedule for 2 weeks

Ich meds are not really necessary, but you can use salt. I never heard of cichlid salt, so someone else can answer that one. Regular aquarium salt will do.

 

[TheGrza]

Thanks. I have two 5 gallon buckets sitting out to dechlorinate as we speak. Unfortunately I only have those 2 buckets so it will have to be 20% tomorrow and 20 the day after and so forth.

 

[Megacichlid]

Fresh water salt works nice,1 tablespoon to 5 gallons of water its cheap and wont hurt your fish,use the heat as well,its a 3 day cycle and any parisite not attached to a host will die as will the ones currently infecting your fish

 

[LyndaB]

You might want to look into getting a python or other water changer. Eventually, the time will come where you really need to do a minimum of 50%. Ultimately, that's what you would do right now, for the ich.

Do you have dechlorinator?

 

[Cornstar]

Cichlids salt is used to buffer the water and increase the pH, it is not the same as aquarium salt.

 

[Megacichlid]

So fresh water salt would be better if you dont want to change the ph?

 

[TheGrza]

I use clorAm-x to dechlorinate but also let the water sit out uncovered for 24 hrs just for peace of mind. I've began increasing the temperature. I'll try to improve my water change methods.

 

[TheGrza]

As far as the salt goes I have a different salt and buffer. Both are products of the seachem company. The salt apparently "is a chemically sound blend of salts designed to replicate the natural environment of cichlids." it contains magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium and trace elements. Use something different?

 

[joel618]

Get some prime water conditioner. Chlorimine, which is what most treatment facilities use now, wont evaporate out like regular chlorine. I may be wrong though.

 

[TheGrza]

That chloram-x stuff I've been using is supposed to work on chloramine as well. I'm tempted to just use RO water until things get straightened out though

 

[pitdogg2]

you can go to the grocery store and buy rock salt or Kosher salt just make sure it doesn't have iodine in it. I would crank heat up as high as the heater will go 88-90. you do not need to measure the salt just dump some in. I put 3-4 cups in my 75 if i ever had an ich outbreak. The heat speeds up the ich life cycle so fast and the salt is very hostel to freshwater parasites.

Seachem makes great products BUT cichlid salt like another poster said is a completely different salt than sodium chloride you want sodium chloride.

 

[TheGrza]

Thanks. I can't get the heat up above 82 in the tank despite a fairly powerful heater. I've been adding salt and doing water changes and it seems to be going away. If it still persists in a few days I'll get a second heater.

 

[Megacichlid]

Do you have a lid on? If not it will help to raise temp