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ICH Help

851 views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  Byron 
#1 ·
I currently have a 10 gallon freshwater with 2 skirt tetras. I'm not entirely sure their exact name as I received them as a gift and have gotten conflicting info on the internet. But they look like white skirt tetras only 1 is blue on the top and white the rest and the other is pink on the top and white the rest.

Anyways, I received 6 fish as a gift (against my will as I was in the process of a fishless cycle) but I had to put them in. I lost 4 of them because the person giving them to me got them at a terrible store that I would never buy fish from so they were sick from the start I believe. Nevertheless, my 2 tetras have survived. One of the already dead fish had ich though and it infected my tank. I initially added salt and raised the heat and it seemed to work as my tetras were doing fine. But since I took all of the salt out through water changes I have noticed 1 spot on the top fin of my pink tetra. So I want to start the salt treatment again but I want to make sure I do it right this time. I have read conflicting information on the salt tolerance of the tetras I have (if anyone can enlighten me on how tolerant they are that would be great) but I have decided that they aren't very tolerant. So how much salt should I put in to effectively treat this ich? The box says 2 tablespoons per 10 gallons (aka 6 teaspoons) but I have read as much as 2-3 teaspoons a gallon? I'm guessing I should probably do a half dose for my tetras so my question is how much??

Sorry such a long post but I wanted to try and bring everyone up to speed on what is going on in my tank. Thanks!
 
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#3 ·
I generally stay out of the disease section as I have limited experience, but checking in now I see no one has yet responded on this, and it is a relatively straight-forward issue. Though I recall the other thread on this tank, and the cycling issues, but I won't repeat all that here, just stay with the ich explanation.

Normally I do not recommend salt for soft water fish as there are better remedies and salt is in my view highly problematic. But this species is a bit hardier. From the other thread one has died, and as I think I mentioned there the second may too.

Raising the temp will speed up the ich cycle; I usually go to 85F for a week. If the fish can tolerate it, 90F will by itself cure the ich, without medication. But not all fish can manage that high a temp over a week. And I wouldn't go above 85F with this tetra species.

Ich only occurs when fish are stressed. Many of us believe it is always present, but it takes stress on the fish to weaken its resistance and then we see the spots. Ich first attacks the gills where we can't see it, and this is how it manages to remain in the tank.

At this stage, I would just raise the temp to 85F and wait it out.

Byron.
 
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