saltwater dip for synodontis (ich)

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bigbenb

Exodon
MFK Member
May 21, 2012
33
0
21
florida
Hello, Im new here. I recently purchased a large synodontis and a tiger shovel-nose catfish from my lfs. I have been looking for both for months now, and i was very thankful to find a 7" synodontis because normally they are sold pretty small. Anyway, after bringing them home and them being fine for a few days, they started to show signs of ich. I raised my temp to 87F and added the recommended amount of salt to the tank (I already read the sticky).

It has been two days since i started treatment and i know that it usually gets worse before it gets better, but my beloved synodontis is completely covered and swimming sporadically. I am wondering if i may be able to remove some of the ich a little faster with a saltwater dip. If so, how much salt per gallon should i use? How long should the fish be dipped? I would prefer to wait and see if the treatment works, but i have a feeling that he is not going to make it :(

BTW, i now know to quarantine new fish after purchasing them. Luckily none of the other fish are infected yet. I have a RTC, clown knife, and musk turtle in the tank. It is a 110 grow out for my pond.
 
First ich and not velvet?

secondly salt dip probably won't help that much. while the parasite is on the fish body medicine doesn't do much good; everything you can put in the tank mainly kills the parasite while they are free swimming.

Since you have naked catfish; as long as you don't have invertebrates like snails crabs etc, or plants, I suggest coppersafe. Dose it and it is active for a long time, you don;t need to re-dose unless you change water, and then only does to replace for the volume of water.
 
I agree that the salt dip wouldn't help much. While in the white cyst those darn things are nearly indestructible. The medicines and even the raising of heat all affects them when they spread from the cyst and become free swimming.

If you can stand it, try to wait out the heat/salt treatment. You can up the temp to 90 as long as you've got significant water movement at the surface for oxygenation. Coppersafe works too.
 
Thank you for the advice. They are still alive and seem to be a little better today. I picked up some rid-ich from the lfs because i heard that it is safe for catfish so i added that into my treatment. Hopefully everyone will be healed soon
 
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