White Spot/Ich

[DanDanUK]

I have noticed this morning that my fish have WHITE SPOT / ICH.

And i have used a formula called WS3 white spot terminator but i have run out and i was wondering is there a cheaper alternative to curing the disease ?

I think my Arowana is taking it bad he has become a little sluggish .

thanks

 

[repair]

Get aqaurium salt and add it at the rate of 1 cup per 30 gal.... and raise the temp to between 82-84.... takes care of ich every time if you add it at the first sign of the evil white mennace .

 

[DanDanUK]

Get aqaurium salt and add it at the rate of 1 cup per 30 gal.... and raise the temp to between 82-84.... takes care of ich every time if you add it at the first sign of the evil white mennace .

Is it a must do for turning up the heat because i'm gonna have a problem doing that as my heater blew up the other day and i can't afford another for a week or so.

Also how big a cup? All cups are different size's !

 

[repair]

Is it a must do for turning up the heat because i'm gonna have a problem doing that as my heater blew up the other day and i can't afford another for a week or so.

Also how big a cup? All cups are different size's !

A measuring cup like you use for cooking. Are you in the states? You have got to get a heater or they will not survive....... how big is the tank?

 

[snogard]

use those measuring cups from your kitchen, (not coffee mugs) . or you can use oz to measure one cup 8 ounce or 16 tablespoon or 1/2 pint if you dont have a cup. yah raising the temp just help speed up the ich cycle, with raising the temp also make sure you get enough aeration in your tank.

 

[repair]

go here and it will show you the conversion.... looks like 1 cup = 2.4dl or 2.8dl

Do you have a pay-pal account?

 

[DanDanUK]

I'm not in the states NO, I'm in England, Leeds. (Just like it says under my avatar to the left )

I know i do need a heater the temp is fine at the moment it's at 77-79 i'm going to get a heater soon i can not afford one now !

Also my TANK SIZE AND FISH are as stated below in my Signiture.

So it's 16 table spoons per 30Gal ?

 

[DanDanUK]

I don't know if it's the white spot or what but my arowana seems to be a little sluggish.

He's not as active as usual he is just sitting at the top of the water not moving he's also resting at the bottom too???? it's not his usual behavoiur.

I normaly feed my fish every other day but i thought i'd fee them today to see if there appetite had differed but it hasn't my arowana has eqaten 2 muscles and a nice peice of crab stick.

Anyone have any advice on what they think maybe the problem ?

 

[Waldo]

Ick is good stuff. It's actually the name for quite a few bacteria/fungal problems. Funnie this is that Ick is in healthy tanks too. An adult can be dormant in tap water for like many a year. Slowly multiplying with a hard cell wall to protect itself. Fish aren't vulnerable when they are happy but when stressed due to extreme water conditions; usually not enough water changes; (possibly your heater going out) they becaume more vulnerable. once the fish finds a host it multiplies in softer tissue organse and kewl damp crevices. Once it finds a food source it quickly multiplies takeing over other fish.

What medication is best??? unless your doing a hospital tank none of them. most use a mix of copper/ methblue/ furazal/ and green crystal. ALL of which will kill your bacteria in your filter causeing conditions to worsen as Ammonia raises.

Ick is easy and cheap to cure, as are most diseases. Look for what's causing the stress and fix it. Thats the main key... do tests on ALL of your parameters and see which one's out of wack. Next add salt. The adult Ick will still be indestructable but newborn Ick isn't and the salt will break down the osmoses prosess in the cell wall. The heat speeds up the ick's metabolism and reproduction but the salt is killing all ofspring. so you just wait for the ick to die.

THE END

 

[guppy]

Dan, the lower temps. stress the fish which makes them more susceptible to ich, it also slows the life cycle of the ich which is most easily killed in the free swimming stage.

If your fish can stand the temps which at 77 F is a bit low then you will need to keep the salt treatment going for 14-20 days instesd of 10.

I use 2 teaspoons of salt per gallon which means 60 teaspoons or 20 tablespoons of salt per gallon.
Table salt works, I followed Miles advice and tried it in a small community tank that caught ich from some new neons.