Ich not going away

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

CarpCharacin

Probation Member
Probation Member
Sep 20, 2014
1,521
582
150
Salt Lake City
I have minnows, feeder guppies and mosquitofish in my 20 gallon. I was treating with kordon rid ich plus and then i ran out. Then i was using this petco preferred herbal ich treatment. I ran out of that also so i got some Kordon ich attack. I have been battling this ich for months and it still has not gone away. It says on the bottle that the kordon ich attack treats 960 gallons and i have already used over half of the bottle on the 20 gallon tank. I am probably going to get some more rid ich plus because that has worked the best for me in the past. It does not appear to be getting worse, but it does not appear to be getting better either. The ich attack should be working. What should i do?
 
Salt and raise up the temperature to speed up the ich life cycle.
Some ich will built up its immune system and not all ich parasite are same.
Also, fish flashing for numerous reasons not just ich so be sure you're treating right disease.
(Search this forum you will see alot of good method and information about ich).
 
I recommend you get something with the good old formalin and malachite green combo. Kordons Rid ich plus, quICK cure by Mardel, and Hikari Ich-X are three formalin and MG ich meds that I wouldn't hesitate to use. Either that or you can just hit 'em with the old salt and heat method. I would have definitely rather have used salt and heat than that herbal stuff...
 
I will get some rid ich plus. That is what the vet recommended to me when my ranchus had velvet. The herbal stuff didn't work.
 
I recommend you get something with the good old formalin and malachite green combo. Kordons Rid ich plus, quICK cure by Mardel, and Hikari Ich-X are three formalin and MG ich meds that I wouldn't hesitate to use. Either that or you can just hit 'em with the old salt and heat method. I would have definitely rather have used salt and heat than that herbal stuff...

sound advice. These are the only active ingredients known to really cure ich other then salt and heat. How warm is your tank? This will have the biggest factor in how long it takes to clear the ich.
 
The reason it is recommended to raise the temp for Ick, is to speed up the protozoans life cycle. Because your tank is cold, the Ick can take months to cycle (dormant cysts staying dormant longer etc etc). And when cysts are dormant, they are immune to treatment (they have an impermeable shell). And whenever you let up on certain treatments, it allows the protozoans and the progeny that survive to build up immunity. Let up on them before its done, and you create super Ick. Salt creates an osmotic environment they cannot survive in, but you need at least 3ppt (parts per thousand) salinity concentration to work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Charney
I recommend you get something with the good old formalin and malachite green combo. Kordons Rid ich plus, quICK cure by Mardel, and Hikari Ich-X are three formalin and MG ich meds that I wouldn't hesitate to use. Either that or you can just hit 'em with the old salt and heat method. I would have definitely rather have used salt and heat than that herbal stuff...

this.

Although the heat and salt method is strongly advocated in other circles, I like to try and get the ich gone asap; especially if I fish that aren't sensitive to the malachite etc
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com