Need help, I think it's ich

[CTU2fan]

Fish are itching around the gills (a couple fish), and I've seen the odd spot on a pictus cat or 2. Oddly enough this is new to me, in 25 years of fishkeeping I've never had an ich outbreak.

I have some scaleless fish (knife, pictus) and also a bichir. Is aquarium salt the way to go? I'm already upping my temps...

 

[chesterthehero]

figure out what it is then start treating...

 

[BlackShark11k]

up the temps add salt and water changes!!!

 

[CTU2fan]

That's what I figured. I tsp/gallon OK?

 

[mshill90]

You REALLY need to figure out what it is FIRST.

It could be gill flukes which salt won't help. Salt would actually make the issue worse, as it just irritates the parasite.

Can you get a pic of the spot on the pictus?

 

[CTU2fan]

It's definitely ich on the pictus, I took another look and that's definitely what it is. The only thing that makes me wonder is the spots are on the body only, nothing on the fins.

I'm seeing slight fin clamping in some of the fish, not drastic but the fins aren't quite as open as usual. Also everybody's appetite seems a bit off. That's really the only symptom the bigger fish are showing.

 

[pattycr125]

i always add 1 tablespoon per 5g of water and increase temp to 82-85. i think the meds are crap but the salt/heat havn't failed me yet. my pictus has decent ick and he lived

 

[Lupin]

Dissolve salt first before you add. There are plenty of instructions in administering salt in a sticky thread entitled Freshwater Disease Guide. See ich section for that.