# Ich help



## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I think I am starting to get ich in my heavily planted main tank that contains shrimp... Katalyst Can I use Parsite clear in that? the Jungle stuff? i think I see it on Perhex, I removed a platy with signs....

I have two bristlenose plecs in it too.

I removed the bristles, but I am not sure what to do with them... how can i treat? it's just starting, should I add salt? Can I add salt wit them?


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

I did a web search and found this. Hope it helps.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/articles/showentry.php?e=308

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18441/si1501927/cl0/kordonridich16oz


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I will see what I can do... My heater in my sub tank konked out it appears fraggin long weekend and I get hit with this slag.


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

You actually don't need to do anything except turn the temperature up. You can add salt too if you want to but even that isn't necessary.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I am knocking on wood, tank temp is up and salt is added to my main tank. So far I haven't seen any new sick fish. It was easier to check the fish while they were still dozing.

The sick platy now has several spots on him. I took him out when I noticed one small one. The betta had two. 

Thanks for your advice.

The only salt I have on hand is my marine salt. for the life of me, I cannot find the box of aquarium salt.

I will be doing a water change in an hour or so and refill with fresh slightly salted water.

Please give me healing thoughts.

I am just so unfamilliar with the illness. 

I believe the illness is present in my Aquarium but for the most part dormant. I isolated and treated the affected fish. I know that treatment won't work until such time as the noduals fall and break open.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

The reason raising the temperature works, is that Ichthyophthirius (which is a parasite) can't reproduce in temperatures at or above 86 (that's like 30 or 31 celcius I think). Even at 85, I believe ich will not infect any new fish ((http://www.desertfishes.org/proceed/1992/24abs46.html)). Raising the temperature does a few things :

1. Stops ich from reproducing
2. Stops ich from infecting new fish
3. Increases the metabolism of your fish (and in turn, ability to heal themselves)

It is the parasitic stage that is damaging to your fish, as they use the fish as a host until they can detach themselves. With a higher temperature, they will eventually go through their lifecycle and then die off.

I would keep your temperature at 85-86 for a week and do a partial water change every day if you can. It may also help to increase the oxygen levels in your tank, but having some surface agitation or using an airstone because higher temperatures produce less oxygen in the water (not to mention that fish with a higher metabolism actually use more oxygen).

Using salt isn't necessary really, but you can use a salt bath for infected fish which may help destroy any parasites currenty there.

I'd suggest your fish is already under duress though, and the best method is to not stress it out anymore than necessary. Higher temperatures should help the healing process and you can also leave your lights off to reduce stress. Moving them out of their tank, into new environments etc. will likely produce more stress and likely kill your fish while also spreading ich to other tanks.

Hope that helps.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Sorry Sunstar I missed this. Personally I wouldn't add salt if you're keeping scaleless fish in the tanks. I'm speed reading so I apologize if I missed it. Raising temperatures to 85-86 will speed up the different stages parasites go through as previously mentioned. However while this method is great for tropical fish, I don't think your bristlenoses pleco's would do so well at those temps. Personally with bn's & I wouldn't go higher then 80-82ish. The bristlenoses won't tolerate salt well either. If you want to go the salt route I'd start with a quarter of the reccomended dosage.


I have used parasite clear with shrimp as well as cory's that I bought at an auction lately that came with ich no extra charge.  I still swear by the stuff and believe me 2 years ago when I had a super bug that NOTHING would kill I tried every single medication on the market. Parasite clear is inexpensive and very effective as well as much more gentle then most parasite medications in my experience.

With Perihex I don't think it would be that stressful to move her for a few days and treat her tank at all. 

Hope your fish are on the mend soon!


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

the tank in which the ifsh are isolated is at around 86 - 88 

main tank is salted, but not heavily. I get uneasy about salting. Pleco seem fine
I will do another water change on Sunday.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

No new signs in the main tank, thus far. Infected fish in the hospital seem to be doing okay. I am going to do another waterchange and add fresh treatment. Clean clean clean!!!


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## breeze905 (Feb 1, 2009)

Hows treatment on this going?


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## zenkeri (Jan 17, 2009)

*treating Ich*

Hi Sunstar: the reason you would raise the temp is to get the parasite to go through the different life cycles faster, as they are hard to kill when attached to the fish as white spots, those are the cysts, when they hatch and are free swimming they can be killed by the meds this way treatment is quicker, as for salt, it helps the fish form slime mucous which helps healing but I would avoid using it in a heavily planted tank as it can kill your plants, but if you do need to use salt, a cheaper alternative to aquarium salt is kosher salt or coarse salt, same stuff, they don't have any other added ingredients. you can get at any grocery store, regular table salt is iodized which is harmful to fish and shrimps. good luck


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