Guppie/ fry shrimp tank ich

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Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 13, 2023
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Have you tested your water?
Yes
If yes, what is your ammonia?
0
If yes, what is your nitrite?
0
If yes, what is your nitrate?
5 ppm
If I did not test my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
Do you do water changes?
Yes
What percentage of water do you change?
21-30%
How frequently do you change your water?
Every week
If I do not change my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
I have a 30 gallon tank with 10 guppies, 10 guppie fry and 15 cherry shrimp. I noticed today that one of my guppies has Ich. Two large salt like spots on his head and one on his lower lip.

I have a spare 10 gallon I could potentially move the shrimp to temporarily. But I'd rather not if possible. Iv treated ich before in my other tank with rummy nose tetras with salt and heat. Iv never done it with shrimp and fry.

Has anyone done this with success before? How did you do it? Any advice would be appreciated.
 
I have not yet seen visible ich on any other fish but have noticed them flashing on the sand a fair bit.
 
Salt and heat is definitely the best way to go - most meds and treatments are going to be harmful to shrimp.

I would move the shrimp out and keep them isolated for 60 days (going off the marine ich life cycle) to starve out the parasite, as it has a dormant phase that can rest on rock or inverts.
 
Ok thanks. I didn't want to go that route but if I have to.
 
I'm going to keep this updated for progress. I spoke to a very trusted person at my LFS today. He said leave the shrimp in the tank. Contrary to what most people are saying on the internet he said go ahead and add a table spoon of salt per 10 gallons of water. He said it won't hurt the shrimp. I have a 32.5 gallon tank. With substrate and hardware probably 25 gallons of water so I add two and a half table spoons. He told me not to raise the temperature because the shrimp won't handle it. He has a invert safe herbal remedy (I forget the name will post later) He told me to come in and get some. He told me this treatment is a longer process but easier on the fish in the long run. Keeping in mind my whole stock isn't affected yet. I caught it early stages and it's just one fish with visible Ich. I'll keep posting along the way and up date how the treatment affects the fish, shrimp, fry and plants.
 
The shrimp can take the heat. Raise the temp. I don't know what "herbal remedy" he's trying to get you to use but I am not exactly sure it'll work fast enough to catch ich's 1-2 week life cycle. Salt and heat is all you need. No need to go super high, just around 83F is fine in my experience.
 
I thought it was Ich, Iv been told its epistylis. Iv also been told its fungal
 
You’re gonna get tons of different opinions based on that blurry pic. You need to provide better pics if you want a better diagnosis. Ich looks like white salt granules, Epistylis can vary and can even look like fungus or ich. These things have a lifecycle and don’t go away overnight.

If you already added salt for ich and are worried about Epistylis, then add some Kanaplex as well.

If you’re very worried, do a nice size water change to dilute some of the salt, add Seachem Kanaplex and EITHER Hikari IchX or Kordon RidIch Plus (don’t use other formulations of malachite green). Both your fish and shrimp should be able to handle these formulations and this cocktail should handle all of the above diseases.

However, if you can make a clearer diagnosis of exactly what disease you have, then it would be better to target that only. Good luck
 
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