Treating Ich in QT tank questions

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SourAngelfish

SourAngelfish

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Jan 22, 2021
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Have you tested your water?
Yes
If yes, what is your ammonia?
0
If yes, what is your nitrite?
0
If yes, what is your nitrate?
10-30
If I did not test my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
Do you do water changes?
Yes
What percentage of water do you change?
51-60%
How frequently do you change your water?
Every two weeks
If I do not change my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
Hi there,

not one to usually post a thread asking for advice, but I recently acquired a very large Ctenopoma being kept in a tank that had fish carrying ich. The fish was so large and very cheap so I felt like I had to grab it.

I’ve placed it in a 30gal QT with plans to move it into my 180gal when the time comes. Normally I would risk it and wouldn’t quarantine but since I have some pretty pricey fish in that tank, I’d prefer to play it safe.

My question is, how long do I need to treat the fish with formalin in order for the fish to be completely clear of ich? I hear so many mixed answers and I’m sure many of these answers refer to those treating the display tank so I was curious whether the answer would be different when planning to move the fish out of the tank. Any help is much appreciated!


IMG_8436.jpeg
 
It’s hard to tell much with the fish out of water, but if it’s indeed much, formalin isn’t really necessary. It’s cheapest, easiest, and safest to just use salt:

One proven way to treat ich/ick

I am writing this because it is something that comes up so often. Ich is a protozoal infection that afflicts fish and can rapidly kill them, most often by damaging gill tissue. The organism goes through a life cycle of; a small white spot feeding on your fish, which drops off to the floor of...
www.monsterfishkeepers.com www.monsterfishkeepers.com
Qt tank rules should be the same as in the display. At least when using salt, it should be run for 10 days after the last spot disappears.
 
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Deadeye said:
It’s hard to tell much with the fish out of water, but if it’s indeed much, formalin isn’t really necessary. It’s cheapest, easiest, and safest to just use salt:

One proven way to treat ich/ick

I am writing this because it is something that comes up so often. Ich is a protozoal infection that afflicts fish and can rapidly kill them, most often by damaging gill tissue. The organism goes through a life cycle of; a small white spot feeding on your fish, which drops off to the floor of...
www.monsterfishkeepers.com www.monsterfishkeepers.com
Qt tank rules should be the same as in the display. At least when using salt, it should be run for 10 days after the last spot disappears.
Click to expand...
Hmmm since there aren’t really any apparent spots when the fish is in water, 10 days from here? Maybe 14+ to be safe. I’ll keep an eye and play it by ear. I have gallons of ich X and straight formalin on standby so I figure I’d just use that for simplicities sake. Also QT it outside so hopefully the warm temps will help.

normally if I get it in the display tank I do 88F+salt for two weeks
 
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If there aren’t any spots, then no need to treat just monitor a quarantine. If ich starts show up then treat for 7 to 10 days up until the last spot has disappeared.
 
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