ich and salt and angels

[Engel]

Well it has been a while, but I noticed white spots on one of my angels today (the last little guy in the pecking order). No question that it is ich, so I decided to go with high temp and salt treatment. They are NOT happy with the salt. I added it with a PWC, and the minute it hit the tank they huddled in the corner, and are still pretty mopey now, thirty minutes later. I followed dosing directions of 1 heaping TBSP per 5g. Should I do a PWC, and go with meds tomorrow since they responded so poorly to the salt?

 

[Luanne]

I wonder if that's too much salt? I'm thinking the high temp will help, as will frequent PWC. Luanne

 

[meegosh]

I personally never used salt when treating for ich. I would just wait it out with the heat method. Slowly raise your temps to 86*F and keep it there for two weeks after you see the last spot disappear. Then back the temp down to whatever you normally keep it at.

 

[discusdude]

ive heard 1tsp per 10 gallons. heat helps speed up the ich's life cycle. you should also try doing at least a 10% wc a day (vac the substrate), fresh water always helps.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

You're adding too much all at once, IMHO. Regardless of how much you're wanting to end up in the tank, I would never add that much in one go.

I use 1 TEAspoon per gallon, that roughly equates to a 1.005 salinity and about 1 TABLEspoon for every 2 gallons (much more salt than you have). The different is probably how I add it...

I add bit by bit. If I know I am going to need a certain amount I split that amount by 4-8 (depending on the sensitivity of the fish) and add it split up. Giving them a much smaller change with each dose. I add at about 9pm, then 10am, then 9pm, then 10am, until everything each tank needs is in there.

1.005 is supposed to be twice what is needed to cause the Ich parasite to suffer from the osmotic pressure. Working from home though I monitor my fish constantly so want to be sure and dose them this high, watching them for any bad signs of suffering with the salt. If you are not there for your fish all the time then I would only dose 1 FLAT TEAspoon per 2 gallons, but add it up to that total over a number of days.

Neither the fish or the plants suffer that way. I haven't lost freshwater plants in these conditions, either.