Ich treatment - when is it safe again?

ratrvt · Post by **ratrvt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:02 am

Hello,

I read several posts on the topic of ich treatments and shrimp and I'm glad I did because I didn't want to kill my Bamboo shrimp. I put him into another tank and am treating the community tank with QuICK Cure. When is it safe to put him back in? how long do I need to wait after putting the charcoal back in and how much (if any) water should I change?
This is my first non-ghost shrimp and I really like the little guy!
thanks in advance.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:30 am

This is a link to a closely related thread regarding Ick meds in a tank. Read the post by shrimpscampi .

viewtopic.php?t=2105

YuccaPatrol · Post by **YuccaPatrol** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:45 am

In the future, when you have an ick outbreak, don't use store-bought medications. An increase in temperature combined with the addition of salt is a far more effective and safer medication than anything else.

When I have had ich outbreaks, I have added 2-3 teaspoons salt per gallon (increase the concentration over a 2 day period). Cheapest salt is the non-iodized salt used for making ice cream (it has a small amount of sand in it, so don't be alarmed if some of it does not dissolve).

I also raise the temperature slowly to 84-86' F

By doing this, you'll save money, save your fish, and won't be adding toxic copper compounds to your aquarium.

I have not lost a single fish in 2 outbreaks when I have identified the ich early and immediatly started the salt/heat treatment.

crazie.eddie · Post by **crazie.eddie** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:02 pm

YuccaPatrol wrote:In the future, when you have an ick outbreak, don't use store-bought medications. An increase in temperature combined with the addition of salt is a far more effective and safer medication than anything else.

When I have had ich outbreaks, I have added 2-3 teaspoons salt per gallon (increase the concentration over a 2 day period). Cheapest salt is the non-iodized salt used for making ice cream (it has a small amount of sand in it, so don't be alarmed if some of it does not dissolve).

I also raise the temperature slowly to 84-86' F

By doing this, you'll save money, save your fish, and won't be adding toxic copper compounds to your aquarium.

I have not lost a single fish in 2 outbreaks when I have identified the ich early and immediatly started the salt/heat treatment.

I agree. Raising the temps, speeds up the life cycle of ich. Ich cannot deal with the rapid change in salinity levels in the water, while fish can. Combined with gravel cleaning and water changes would help with the infestation. Using ich meds, there is a bigger chance of stressing the fish. and also maybe killing the nitrifying bacteria in the tank.

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:13 pm

I agree with the heat method, it worked for me, 86 degrees for 2 weeks and it was gone for good. I didn't lose any fish or shrimp and didn't have to add chemicals to the tank and worry about whether they were compatible with all the livestock.

ratrvt · Post by **ratrvt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:56 pm

I like the idea of not using chemicals in the future. Thanks for the advice on the salt/temp trick. I plan to quarantine and treat all new fish separately in the future. (new fish were in the tank when I got home from a trip -a present from my sig-O)
Where is the copper toxicity coming from though? the bottle says malachite green and formalin - is there undisclosed copper? I'm not a chemist but I didn't see any reference to copper in the malachite green. Is copper the only threat?