Ichity Ich

[albirdy]

Thanks dmed,
Someone said that table salt (the salt you put on food?) is okay to add.
Is that true?
Or should I go and buy aquatic salt?

 

[dmed]

Thanks dmed,
Someone said that table salt (the salt you put on food?) is okay to add.
Is that true?
Or should I go and buy aquatic salt?

It's been debated for ages. I use aquarium salt when I need salt. I've never put table salt in my tank, so I can't speak from direct experience. In theory, table salt should be ok. Make sure it doesn't have any additives. The ingredient list should be only sodium and chloride. Aquarium salt is not at all expensive, but at 5AM you might prefer to use what you already have.

 

[dmed]

Also, adding 1 tsp. per 5 gallons of salt will not cause osmotic shock.

You should take out some tank water in a clean cup and let the salt dissolve in it for a few minutes. Undissolved salt can burn fish. When putting the salt into the tank, I prefer to add it right next to the filter intake so it will be mixed with the water in the filter and returned.

 

[Lupin]

I've been using table salt for ich cases. The additives, most especially iodine should not really be an issue contrary to most people's beliefs.

 

[pcfriedrich]

I've been using table salt for ich cases. The additives, most especially iodine should not really be an issue contrary to most people's beliefs.

true

 

[pcfriedrich]

Okay,
so I raised the temperature to 82 yesterday
85 today
then 86 towards the evening.

This morning i added a pinch of table salt
and a pinch in the evening

Now it is 11pm,
and I notice my fish in their sleep trance.
One (the one who seemed to be under the most stress during the day) was resting upside down. When I hit the glass, it just spins in circles.

I am never adding salt to my aquarium again.

it ain't the salt. especially not a pinch. I've added as much as 2 tablespoons per 5 gallons (6 times dmeds recomendation of 1tsp per 5 gallons) with no ill effects.

 

[albirdy]

it ain't the salt. especially not a pinch. I've added as much as 2 tablespoons per 5 gallons (6 times dmeds recomendation of 1tsp per 5 gallons) with no ill effects.

You guys are right.

Sorry about the dramatic/emotional response.

I have question about the temperature. After this ich treatment, how do I put the temperature back to normal conditions? Do I gradually go down (If so, how gradually?) Or do I just go straight back down to the normal temperature?

 

[albirdy]

By the way, the attempted temperature change being from 87-78

 

[dmed]

Temperature decrease should be gradual, 2-3 degrees F each day, although decreasing temperature is considerably less stressful than increasing temperature. Treatment should continue for at least 5 days after you add the salt, then you can start decreasing temperature. During those 5 days, you should replace any salt that is lost to water changes. Treatment will actually continue as long as the salt is in the tank. The temperature increase is just to force the ich into the free-swimming stage so they can be killed by the salt.

 

[dmed]

Also, it's not the iodine that is particularly worrysome, but other additives that are sometimes used to prevent caking. Especially yellow prussiate of soda, (sodium ferrocyanate, or YSP).