Need Ick Advice?

Chiapet29

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My two Clown loach's have Ick, I've tried Malachite Green but don't see much improvement, I wanna try raiseing the temp & adding marine salt to the tank, my question is how much salt should I add? Tank is 75gls any input will help,,,
 

kno4te

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Bump the temp up to 89degrees. A degree per hour. Then salt is usually 1tsp per gallon. I know some members have done it with cl's and no issues. The other option is to do 1 tsp per 10g and is less tolerant. If the cls act funny that do a water change asap.
 
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Chiapet29

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Mar 19, 2015
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long island, ny
Bump the temp up to 89degrees. A degree per hour. Then salt is usually 1tsp per gallon. I know some members have done it with cl's and no issues. The other option is to do 1 tsp per 10g and is less tolerant. If the cls act funny that do a water change asap.
Thx, I will try 1 tsp per gallon, I just did a 40% water change, gonna add the salt when the debri settles,,,
 
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duanes

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Ick is killed at a salinity of 3ppt (parts per thousand) below that concentration number (even slightly) and enough ick individuals can survive to reinfect the tank.
A 75 gallon tank will need 2.5 lbs of salt to reach 3ppt.
As Coryloach said, add gradually.
How long did you wait to see improvement? Ick is not killed overnight, or in 2 or 3 days. The (each) protozoa needs to complete its entire life cycle to be eradicated (more than 1 stage), this can sometimes take over a week, sometimes more.
 
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robham777

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I recently had an ick outbreak in a 125. I did a massive wc then began the salt treatment, bringing it up to 3ppt over a 48 hr period by dissolving the salt first in a bucket then adding to the tank. I also brought the temp up to 87F while adding the salt. I then left it alone for 10 days before doing a wc and all was well, no losses. If you do any wc during treatment you will need to replace the salt to maintain the 3ppt level. I used a cheap hydrometer to determine salinity rather than measuring it out.
 

Chiapet29

Plecostomus
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Mar 19, 2015
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long island, ny
Ick is killed at a salinity of 3ppt (parts per thousand) below that concentration number (even slightly) and enough ick individuals can survive to reinfect the tank.
A 75 gallon tank will need 2.5 lbs of salt to reach 3ppt.
As Coryloach said, add gradually.
How long did you wait to see improvement? Ick is not killed overnight, or in 2 or 3 days. The (each) protozoa needs to complete its entire life cycle to be eradicated (more than 1 stage), this can sometimes take over a week, sometimes more.
The bag of salt I got is 2.8lbs I dissolved almost 1third of the bag & added it yesterday, just added a touch more now, I have a good amount left, I will add the rest over the next few days, do you think I should preform water changes as I add the rest of the salt or just let it be?
 

duanes

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Vacuuming the substrate helps to remove ick cysts that rest in it.
But if you do water changes, the new replacement water should be brought up to the 3ppt salinity.
The salt only effects ick in certain life stages, while there are spots on the fish, the fishes slime coat covers the ick, protecting the protozoa, and ick is immune to treatment. It is when that ick spot erupts with new ick, that the high salinity takes effect, lysing the young ick as they emerge.
Raising the temp of the tank speeds that life cycle.
 
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