[arndogg]

I have read that ich treatment is harmful to plants. So, I was thinking of removing the plants in my tank, and leaving them in a 15 gallon tub outdoors, while I blast the fish tank with meds. My question is, how long can rooted plants go w/o substrate?

I have plants attached to driftwood, which I am not too worried about, and the following:

crinum thaianum
Echinodorus uruguayensis
Crypt Balansae
corkscrew vals

Thanks.

 

[Mr. Clean]

I raised temps to 85~86 and hit my tank with Rid-Ich+ and everything did just fine except the anachris, but that was only there as a nutrient sponge anyway. Bio filter didn't get hit either as I had no ammonia or nitrite spikes.

 

[arndogg]

I will be using Rid Ich. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Adrian]

Try going lights-out for a day (or so) too.

 

[Galactic Doug]

Temp also important!

I will be using Rid Ich. Thanks for the tip.

Hi

You probably allready know this stuff but just in case.

You do not mention that you will be raising the temp also so I thought I'd mentnion here that the temperature as mentioned by Mr. Clean is very important as it speeds up the life cycle of Ich so that the cure you are using will work while the protazoans are in the free swimming stage.

When they are on the host they cannot be killied by anything except pressure (or a lack thereof) since they are encapsulated in a cyst. If they do not find a host within 3 days they will die naturally so the temp just makes that span of getting to the free swimming stage quicker.

 

[wood]

very easy and safe method:

Raise temperature to 85F

add 2tbsp of salt per 10 gallons each day for 3 days. Change 50% water after 3 days and repeat process if ick has not disappeared. Works for me and is much safer as well as efficient than those chemicals.

-Ryan

 

[Mori]

6 tablespoon per gallon? That seems like a lot. I used a total of 1 tbsp per gallon for ich and that worked fine.

I do think the salt treatment is good, but not sure it's safe for plants. Is it?

Six??

 

[KDahlin]

I have used just heat and it works. You speed up the life span of the organism and they can't reproduce. See this article:
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_ich2.php

 

[wood]

6 tablespoon per gallon? That seems like a lot. I used a total of 1 tbsp per gallon for ich and that worked fine.

I do think the salt treatment is good, but not sure it's safe for plants. Is it?

Six??

I have used it that method with many demanding plants without a problem. It is not 6 all at once. It is 2 a day, then a 50% water change. It is much safer than putting chemicals in your tank. Salt is not harmful to plants nor fish in the short run if you just use it to combat ick.

-Ryan

 

[Mori]

2 a day for 3 days THEN water change. Ain't that 6?

I do agree salt and heat are preferred to other chemicals. I've just never seen such a high dose of salt recommended before!

 

[wood]

2 a day for 3 days THEN water change. Ain't that 6?

I do agree salt and heat are preferred to other chemicals. I've just never seen such a high dose of salt recommended before!

I apologize but I had to edit my above post. I meant 1tbsp per (10) TEN gallons per day, not per gallon. I apologize and hope that I fixed this in time. :icon_conf


There is a difference between spreading out dosing over a period of days than dosing all at once. Yes, over a period of 3 days a total of 6tbsp is dosed, but it is not the same as doing 6tbsp on one day. You are confusing the concept. Upping the salinity over 3 days will not affect the plants and fish as much as dosing all 6 tbsp at once. They are able to slowly adapt to the increase in salinity, and after the 3rd day you change half of the water. It is meant to shock the ich and not the fish or plants, hence why it is spread out.

Dosing ferts is the same concept. Spreading it out over a set amount of days makes it easier for inhabitants to handle the ferts, as the ferts are not being dumped in one minute, but rather over a period of days. Acclimation is the key.

This method will not kill your fish, nor your plants.

 

[klintman]

salt and temp worked for me in a non planted tank. some smooth skinned spicies will be devastated by this much salt. if you can remove the most visually afflicted fish to another tank(quarinetine) this will dramatically help. use a gravel vac daily to reduce the dropped cysts(then run hottest tap water available through and around for a while to disinfect the vac). watch out for secondary infections in the fish and remove these individuals.

do not use any ich medication when doing the heat/salt treatment. with the high heat o2 concentration will decrease. adding ich meds will decrease the o2 even further creating a lose/lose situation.

 

[mistergreen]

plants do ok in salt.. they'll adjust.. Just make sure to do frequent water change after the ich is gone.

 

[pittiepride]

Loaches may not like that much salt....most of your average species are fine though.

kara

 

[Mori]

3 tbsp per 10 gallons is certainly different. If I was "confusing things", it ain't my fault! I actually have used more--10 tbsp per 10 gallons, but those fish were a fairly hardy species. My Java ferns--the only plants left in--didn't do very well, but they were weak to start.

I add gradually as well, aiming for about 1/3 of the total every 12 hoursish.

I believe many of the catfishes like pleco-type fish may not be tolerant to salt and if one has any, one should probably get more information before salting.

 

[ringram]

Raising temperature ONLY is what I have always done successfully. It is also what I recommended that people try FIRST when I worked at a LFS --- I was actually honest. I had ich more than once with my cichlid tank and had it when I added a BN pleco in my planted tank. Every time it has cleared up within 4 days - 1 week. All I did was increase temp to about ~84 and did 50% wc's every other day or so, until ich was no more. I also think that having the UV Sterilizer helps. It may be able to kill them in their free-swimming stage. Not certain about that though.