My One Fish Possibly Has White Spot/ich

[MattM1124]

I recently got fish about 2 weeks ago 2 red sword tails, 6 danios, and 6 glow lamp tetras. I'm pretty sure my 1 red swordtail is getting ich. It's not a lot yet but it looks like tiny white spots on his fins. I know I should treat the whole tank but any step by step processes to cure this would help. Also, any good brand of medication to get?

I'm almost positive it's ich because of the tiny white spots but it's hard to get a picture that actually shows the spots. Say it wasn't white spot would adding the medication as a precaution be bad?

ALso what about adding salt? Should I give the meds a try first or do both at the asme time? Can the fish I have handle the salt?

I know the ich has 3 stages and you can only kill the parasite at it's 3rd stage but I should begin treatment asap right? Not just when I have seen the white spots fall off the fish.

Lastly what about water changes? Should I change some water before starting the meds and should I be doing water changes during the meds?

 

[WILDER]

Whitespot looks like a fish has been sprinkled in salt.
Or the spots with be the size of a grain of salt or sugar.
You will need to buy a med fast as whtiespot can soon kill a fish once if affects the gills.
Once you get the med raise temp to 30 and increase aeration as the med and high temp reduce 02 in the water.
Remove black carbon from the filter if you use it.

As for the salt and high temp method don't know much about it.
I would rather add a med.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Wilder,

I recommended that Matt post up and hope for an answer from you and the other disease-experienced folks. Are there one or two whitespot/ich medications that you or others have found to be among the most reliable?

What about the water change question. I know Matt has just finished fishless cycling and is concerned about establishing his water-change habits and this will be a big question for him.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[MattM1124]

Whitespot looks like a fish has been sprinkled in salt.
Or the spots with be the size of a grain of salt or sugar.
You will need to buy a med fast as whtiespot can soon kill a fish once if affects the gills.
Once you get the med raise temp to 30 and increase aeration as the med and high temp reduce 02 in the water.
Remove black carbon from the filter if you use it.

As for the salt and high temp method don't know much about it.
I would rather add a med.

Thanks for the info so far. As Waterdrop stated, I'm unsure about the water changes if any during the medication.

Also I read somewhere that it's recommended to not use the hood light at all while using the malachite green mediction. Is this true?

 

[WILDER]

Some meds can knock water stats.
If you do have to preform a water change you just add the correct amount of med back to the water that been removed.

Something to do with light and meds you have to put a cover over the tank to stop the light interferring with the med.

 

[WILDER]

Malachite Green is an ominous substance that’s highly effective against Ich and fungi. It can be purchased separately under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Maracide® by Mardel, Ich Cure® by Aquatrol, Super Ich Plus® by Aquatronics, and Fungus Plus® by Aquatronics. It is carcinogenic and dangerous to handle or breathe (especially for pregnant women). There are rumors circulating that it could be banned for aquarium use by the FDA in the future. It cannot be used on food fish and is toxic to eggs, fry, some varieties of tetras, catfish, elephant noses, loaches and small marine fish. It also may damage your biological filter and will likely stain aquarium decorations and silicone sealant. Malachite Green is light sensitive, and you will be advised to keep your aquarium lights off during treatment to prevent the chemical from oxidizing.

 

[OldMan47]

After all the positive things that Wilder has just said about malachite green, I would be looking for another solution. In my opinion, the salt and warm water treatment has always worked for me, is not a carcinogen, will not destroy your biofilter if done in moderation and is safe to use with most fish. If you have plants that are sensitive to salt it can harm them. Thre is a link in my signature to an ich information site that will give you lots of information on the actual biology involved and some treatment suggestions. I have used this in the past with good results.

 

[WILDER]

Could give the salt treatment ago as for it working don't know never tryed the method when my fish once got whitespot.
Only had whitespot once and I used interpet med but not available in the states.

 

[MattM1124]

Malachite Green is an ominous substance that’s highly effective against Ich and fungi. It can be purchased separately under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Maracide® by Mardel, Ich Cure® by Aquatrol, Super Ich Plus® by Aquatronics, and Fungus Plus® by Aquatronics. It is carcinogenic and dangerous to handle or breathe (especially for pregnant women). There are rumors circulating that it could be banned for aquarium use by the FDA in the future. It cannot be used on food fish and is toxic to eggs, fry, some varieties of tetras, catfish, elephant noses, loaches and small marine fish. It also may damage your biological filter and will likely stain aquarium decorations and silicone sealant. Malachite Green is light sensitive, and you will be advised to keep your aquarium lights off during treatment to prevent the chemical from oxidizing.

As I've read, this ich parasite usually lasts longer than a week but the medication label says only to use on the 1,3, and 5 day. Should I just do it for about 2 weeks to be safe? So after the 5th day then continue doing it every other day? Or should I do it like it says on the 1 3 and 5 day then do a water change and then do it again? Or just keep adding it without waterchanges if the water parameters stay good?

And thanks OM47. There's a lot of helpful info on that link you provided. i think I'll just stick with the medication for now though since I've already started it. After reading all the negative stuff about it I am worried but hope that's just the extreme cases and rarely happens.

 

[WILDER]

Some say treat another week after spots have gone.
So if you do a second round which you have to sometimes just follow the med instructions and dose on the days they tell you to.

 

[MattM1124]

Some say treat another week after spots have gone.
So if you do a second round which you have to sometimes just follow the med instructions and dose on the days they tell you to.

Should I be cleaning the gravel right before every medicine dose? The meds say no need to if the water is good but what is your suggestion? Some have said it's ideal to vacuum the gravel right before adding another dose of the meds.

 

[WILDER]

Yes do a gravel vac before the next round.
Good luck.

 

[MattM1124]

Yes do a gravel vac before the next round.
Good luck.

So just to be clear then, tomorrow when I clean the gravel and take some water out I would add in a little extra medication for what was teken out with the water change correct?

It says to add 10 ml per 10 gallons and my tank is 20 gallons. So would I add on about 25 ml or so to make up for the water I took out?

 

[WILDER]

If you are going to add another round of meds after the gravel vac just add the recommended dose.
If you have to preform a water change during a med course you just add the correct amount of med back to water removed.

 

[waterdrop]

way to go after it Matt! fingers crossed for you