# ich problem



## coopers (Jul 7, 2007)

I wasn't sure where to post this but my Angelfish has ich. I know I need to treat the whole tank, but I am wondering what treatment will be safe for my plants and snails. I can not remove my snails since there are probably over 100 of them. Is there a way to treat the tank with the fish still in there? Any suggestions are welcome.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Rid-Ich has worked for me in the past without harming my snails or catfish. (Malachite green and formaldehyde are the main ingredients.)


----------



## coopers (Jul 7, 2007)

Thanks for the quick reply davemonkey.

Should I do water changes during the treatment? Also, how long should a treatment last? My tank is a 55g and any experience would help a lot. 

How about using aquarium salt? I saw a few people mention this on other threads but I can't imagine the plants appreciate it for days at a time. Has anyone used this method? Also, just to be sure, are they using the kind of salt used for saltwater tanks or just plain aquarium salt. Note that I will not quarantine since I will treat the entire display tank.


----------



## simpsota (Mar 11, 2006)

I've used Super Ich Cure from API in the past with good results fast. Its malachite green and nitrofurazone. Just follow the directions on the box and make sure you remove the carbon from the filter during treatment with whatever you use, otherwise the carbon will adsorb the chemicals.


----------



## Kaieisis (May 17, 2008)

coopers said:


> Thanks for the quick reply davemonkey.
> 
> Should I do water changes during the treatment? Also, how long should a treatment last? My tank is a 55g and any experience would help a lot.
> 
> How about using aquarium salt? I saw a few people mention this on other threads but I can't imagine the plants appreciate it for days at a time. Has anyone used this method? Also, just to be sure, are they using the kind of salt used for saltwater tanks or just plain aquarium salt. Note that I will not quarantine since I will treat the entire display tank.


I used the aquarium salt to treat ick and it worked for me.
I dont remember what the gravity of the water was, but it did kill the ick.
That tank i had NO plants in it so i dont know what effects it has on plants.

Took about 4 days with the salt treatment.


----------



## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

First, elevate the temperature. If the water is not above 78 degrees, it will be tough to get rid of the ich no matter what. Most of my plants can handle 82 to 84 degrees and I usually use that range for about a month for treating ich.

Pretty much any *NON-IODIZED* salt will do. Aquarium salt, non-iodized table salt, rock salt, I've heard of people using lots of kinds. I, too, have never used salt in a planted tank, so I don't know how much to use (that the plants can withstand). In a non-planted tank I think the specific gravity should be about 1.002, where sea salt runs from 1.016 to 1.027 if I recall correctly. In other words, nowhere near sea salt level.


----------

