Betta got ich need HELP FAST

[gyroflare]

thanks everyone. i thought 7tablespoons was too much for 1.5gallons. cause i keep oscars and i know about the 2 to 3 tb per 5 gallon rule for ocsars with ich, so i told her to add 1tablespoon, and she added about 3/4 of a tablespoon cause she says a tb seems too much. yeah i think i'll tell her to do the hot gravel wash tomorrow. i don't like the short dip idea.

 

[Mystix212]

1 Tablespoon treats 5 gallons. You do the math.

 

[Dr Joe]

Glad to see you have common sense gyroflare, that was way to much salt. Even Mystix212 was a little high, but at least his formula wouldn't have killed her fish.

I hope you don't mind but it appears a refresher course on Betta ich is needed.

Considering that this is not a Betta forum, confusion is understandable... let's go to the source shall we... http://www.healthybetta.com/articles/Illness Diagonsis/ick.html

and for those who won't take the time to click... this was liberated from Healthybetta.com

IchComposed by: Crystal, Healthy Betta. Modified by: Rachel, Healthy Betta (2004).​

Ich is not a bacterial or a fungal infection - it is a small, white parasite.​

CAUSES:​

The Ich parasite naturally exists in your betta's tank and when their stress coat or immunity is weakened, they may be susceptible to the illness.​

PREVENTION:​

Proper water changes are always a good preventative measure. Keeping your tank at the appropriate temperature, 76-82 degrees, will also help to fend off Ich. Large fluctuations in temperature are very stressful for bettas and may lead to developing ick or other illnesses. Another way to prevent your betta from getting ick is to add aquarium salt to your tank on a regular basis. The preventative dosage for aquarium salt is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water.​

DIAGNOSIS:​

A betta with Ich will have tiny, raised white dots all over their body. It will look like they have a white case of chicken pox or have been sprinkled with salt. Other symptoms may be loss of appetite, clamped fins, rapidly darting around the tank, scratching or rubbing against tank decorations, or may be less active. Beyond the white dots, your betta may or may not show any additional signs of having an illness.​

Ich is extremely contagious! An entire tank should be treated for the illness. Always use separate nets for different tanks and wash your hands before and after handling fish or tank materials.​

TREATMENT: ​

It is important to start treatment immediately. Once your betta has the illness, it may be hard to rid yourself of.​

The Ich parasite has a long life cycle of consisting three stages:​

1. Trophozite stage - The time that you can physically see the white spots on the fish. The parasite is actually burrowed beneath the skin and medication is not effective at this point.​

2. Trophont stage - The parasite falls off of the fish at the bottom of the tank and rapidly multiplies. Medication still is not effective.​

3. Tomite Stage - The free-swimming stage when the parasite is looking for a new host. It is only in this stage that medication will successfully kill off the parasite. This stage usually lasts about 3 days.​

Two important factors for the treatment of Ich: 1. Raising the tank temperature gradually up to as high as 85 degrees is beneficial to try to speed up the life cycle of the parasite into the third stage. 2. Frequent water changes are especially useful during the treatment of this illness to rid yourself of the parasite.​

Medication(s):​

For this parasitic illness, medications containing copper or Malachite Green are often successful.​

Common medications that are often used are Coppersafe, Aquarisol, Maracide, or Jungle Ick Guard (each used separately).​

Click HERE to view our Medications Made Easy page that provides medication dosage on a 1-gallon tank basis.​

Even if your betta does not appear to have white spots anymore, the ick may not be completely halted. It is recommended to treat for up to 14 days.​

The use of aquarium salt:​

Adding aquarium salt (or a bit extra if you already use it as a preventative) to a betta's tank when they have ick may also speed up the healing process. The usual dosage for preventative measures is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water; and up to 1 teaspoon per gallon for ill fish. Some people recommend using aquarium salt as the only treatment method for ick rather than medication - the dosage for this is 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Salt baths are also beneficial to kill off the ick parasite. Instructions for a salt bath can be found here at The Betta Obsession: http://groups.msn.com/TheBettaObsession/thesaltbath.msnw.​

Additional procedures:​

Added aeration may be beneficial for your betta while treating with medication to provide them with more oxygen.​

Dr Joe

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[muckieman]

very good web site(as usall)

 

[florian]

my girlfriend called a couple of minutes ago and said she noticed white dots on her betta and on some of the neon tetras. after learning more info about the fish's reaction, i'm pretty sure it's ich. her tank temp is approx 68degrees. she does not have a heater in it(cause it's too small to use a heaank closer to the radiater to rise the temp. and i'm pretty sure i should add salt, but i'm not sure if bettas are tolerant to salt, and how much i should add.
is there anything else i should do? separate the tetras and the betta, take the gravel out and wash it and let it dry to kill the cyst.
she really loves her betta, so i really don't want it to die.
thanks guys. oh and her tank is about 1.5 gallons with a betta and three neon tetras.(it was my christmas present for her) she does water changes every two to three days.

Your local pet or fish supply store should sell a treatment for ich. To see some examples go here: http://tinyurl.com/2ga88n

On a side note, your girlfriend's tank is overstocked. Meaning, she has too many fish for such a small setup. The general rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. A 1.5 gallon is too small for a Betta, let alone a Betta and 3 tetras. The ammonia levels will rise rapidly in such a small tank/bowl, which is toxic to the fish. Also, frequent water changes (although necessary in this case) are stressful to fish. Stress weakens the immune system and exposes fish to diseases such as Ich.

Tetras are schooling fish, and thrive in schools of 6 or more. So if your girlfriend wants to keep a Betta with Neon Tetras I would go with a 10 gallon. That way she could have 6 tetras along with her Betta. She would need a filter, a heater, a thermometer, some live or silk plants, and accessories such as a siphon if she chooses to add gravel. She would also have to cycle the tank before adding the fish (which takes 4-8 weeks). If she wants something smaller than a 10 gallon, than she might consider a 5 gallon (which would also need a filter, a heater, a thermometer, some live or silk plants and to be cycled before adding fish). However, with a 5 gallon she would not be able to add any more fish (assuming they survive).

Here's some info on cycling:

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm

http://www.fishlesscycling.com/articles/how_to_do_a_fishless_cycle.html