Pineapple House
12-03-2002, 12:57 AM
Ich; one of the most common diseases in the aquarium. Saltwater ich is caused by the protist parasite Cryptocaryon irritans. This parasite usually multiplies and spreads throughout the tank when one of your fish is stressed; Poor Water conditions, too small of a tank, over stocked tank, etc. Ich will look like the fish has small white bumps all over its bodies, you might think these are 'Pimples.' You will usually see Itching (the fish will be rubing against rocks and substrate) as well as heavy breathing, and/or getting pale in color.
For ich treatment, I would personally use the Copper Method, although can be expensive compared to the freshwater dip. I would set up a 10 gallon quaratine tank, and use the copper treatments for it.
Transfer the infected fish to a quarantine tank and leave the main tank free from any fish for at least 48 hours, better still for a week. You do not cycle a quarantine tank, basically you only need to put a fresh and sterile seawater. You need to attach a filter to the quarantine tank, do not use any biological filteration, only mechanical filtration and if you could provide ozonation or UV irradiation, so much the better.
Feed your fish only once every three days for the rest of treatment. To treat find any specialty medicaments for salwater ich, it should contain a copper compound (malachite green). If you could not get these treatments, then just find malachite green and a general anti-bacterial and anti-fungal medicine (not antibiotics). The quarantine tank should be dosed with malachite green to form a bath, dosing rate should be equivalent to 3 mg/ liter.
The following can be used to form a bath in the tank, Nifuripinol at 0.25 mg/ liter, Parachlorophenoxyethanol at 20 mg/ liter, and Phenoxyethanol at 100 mg/ liter (refrain from using anti-biotics). Replace the quarantine tank's water every 24 hours and dose out for a new bath (or every three days if you want ot be economical). Continue treatment until symptoms are gone for a week. When symptoms are gone the water need only to be replaced every three days.
These are just some ideas and ways to get rid of the disease ich in your aquarium. Please note that there are many more ways to get rid of ich, so find one that works for you and your fish.
PH =)
For ich treatment, I would personally use the Copper Method, although can be expensive compared to the freshwater dip. I would set up a 10 gallon quaratine tank, and use the copper treatments for it.
Transfer the infected fish to a quarantine tank and leave the main tank free from any fish for at least 48 hours, better still for a week. You do not cycle a quarantine tank, basically you only need to put a fresh and sterile seawater. You need to attach a filter to the quarantine tank, do not use any biological filteration, only mechanical filtration and if you could provide ozonation or UV irradiation, so much the better.
Feed your fish only once every three days for the rest of treatment. To treat find any specialty medicaments for salwater ich, it should contain a copper compound (malachite green). If you could not get these treatments, then just find malachite green and a general anti-bacterial and anti-fungal medicine (not antibiotics). The quarantine tank should be dosed with malachite green to form a bath, dosing rate should be equivalent to 3 mg/ liter.
The following can be used to form a bath in the tank, Nifuripinol at 0.25 mg/ liter, Parachlorophenoxyethanol at 20 mg/ liter, and Phenoxyethanol at 100 mg/ liter (refrain from using anti-biotics). Replace the quarantine tank's water every 24 hours and dose out for a new bath (or every three days if you want ot be economical). Continue treatment until symptoms are gone for a week. When symptoms are gone the water need only to be replaced every three days.
These are just some ideas and ways to get rid of the disease ich in your aquarium. Please note that there are many more ways to get rid of ich, so find one that works for you and your fish.
PH =)