# Should I use Tap Water to get rid of Ich for next Water Change?



## Spud

I read online that Tap Water helps in getting rid of Ich, as it has chlorine in it. I set up my 55 gallon tank 2.5 weeks ago with tap water which I dechlorinated. I then did a 20 % water change 1 week later and added dechlorinator. 

Since I found out yesterday that my Goldfish have Ich, I did as the local Aquarium store said and did a small water chance but I still added the dechlorinator. 

Well today I read online that straight tap water would be better to combat Ich and I should remove as much of the old water as possible leaving just enough for the fish to get by. So I plan on doing that tomorrow morning. 

Now will filling up most of my 55 gallon tank with straight tap water be risky for my Goldfish?

I have also added salt I bought from the Aquarium store and a medication to combat Ich.

I already lost 2 fish in the past few days so feel I need to try strong approaches.

So what say ye on removing most of the current water and refilling with straight tap water?

I used to just use tap water for my 10 gallon goldfish tank in the past (didn't know that chlorine was an issue) and never had an Ich problem.


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## mk4gti

It has been found that Ich does not infect new fish at 29.4°C/85°F (Johnson, 1976), stops reproducing at 30°C/86°F (Dr. Nick St. Erne, DVM, pers. comm.), and dies at 32°C/89.5°F (Meyer, 1984)

I dont know if goldfish can take temperatures that high but i did that and totally vanquished an ich outbreak from my friends 70 gallon.


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## NursePlaty

*One bad thing about tap water is, it also kills your beneficial bacteria. You would have to recycle your tank all over again. If your tank has not been cycled or just started cycling, I'm all for the untreated tap water. If your tank is cycled, you will end up recycling a tank which can take up to a month or longer. 

You can try a heat and salt treatment. mk4 is right about the temperatures. 86 stops reproducing and 87-90F kills ich. The added salt also further aids in the killing and must be added because if your thermometer is inaccurate, the real temp might only be 83 when it reads 88. And all you're doing is helping the ich multiply. 

Chlorine kills fish. If the fish is planning to touch the water, it must be dechorinated. Unless you move the goldfish to a hospital tank while the main is being treated.*


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## Spud

For a long time I only used straight tap water and the Goldfish were tolerating it fine.

If I do use tap water, can I still add Quick Cure and Salt also?


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## mk4gti

Also consider how good your tap water is, if you live in NYC like i do then you have awsome tap water, i put it right in my tanks on a regular basis.


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## dave in Iliamna

You have to consider the source of the tap water.
I probably wouldn't use straight tap water if you have clorinated water.
I would use the salt or the quick cure and check your water parameters.


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## Spud

I live in S.E. Wisconsin,in a suburban town on the outskirts of Milwaukee. 

I went ahead and used tap water but I used my kitchen faucet which causes a lot of turbulence and when I put the water in the tank, I made sure to pour it from high so there would be more turbulence. Since Chlorine is volatile, the aeration caused by the turbulence should dissipate the chlorine a bit. I still wanted some Chlorine in the water, to kill the Ick.

I also added aquarium salt and Quick Cure.

I washed the tank thoroughly and threw out all the old filter media. So tank is cycling new. Didn't feed the Goldfish for a day and a half now. Don't want to create too much waste.


*My Goldfish have red streaks but my Ammonia levels are fine, as per test strips. So it must be bacterial infection??*


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## NursePlaty

*Dechorinator's dont cost alot. Maybe 3$ for a small bottle. Or what you can do is let tap water sit for 24 hrs before adding. Chlorine is very toxic to fish, even more toxic than ammonia and nitrite I believe. Fish can tolerate ammonia and nitrite up to 0.50-1ppm but even 0.05ppm of chlorine is deadly to fish. Also, adding chlorine will nuke your tank. You have a relatively low amount of beneficial bacteria right now because you just started cycling, you need them in the tank as much as possible. Therefore adding chlorine will kill all of these posing a greater risk for ammonia poisoning for your fish. Not to mention goldfish produce ammonia faster then tropical fish due to their high bio loads. Another thing to point out, your goldfish is currently sick. He will need top quality water at all times to help with his immune system. 

The red streak might be injuries or "Red Pest". I have read about "Red Pest" somewhere before, and I believe it turns into Fin Rot. The injury or "Red Pest" might have lowered the fish's immune system allowing it to be attacked by ich. Ich usually attacks stressed fish or sick fish, which is why a healthy, well maintained tank rarely has ich outbreaks. 

Sorry for the rambling. It makes sense in my head, but not sure if it makes sense typed out. xD
*


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## Justine

It also depends whether your water is treated with chloramines as well as chlorine. This wouldn't be dissipated by turbulence & needs to be treated as it is toxic.


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## Spud

I have plenty of dechlorinator. The reason I didn't want to use it is because when I used straight tap water in the past, the Goldfish didn't get Ich, but this one time when I decide to Dechlorinate the tap water for my 55gallon, they get sick.

My water just has Chlorine, no Chloramine. I asked at City hall.


Has anyone here tried out the portable handlheld battery operated gravel vacs?I have the usual hose type that attach to a faucet but it is cumbersome and unwieldy. 

Like this one, the Eheim Quick Vac Pro









Aquarium Gravel Cleaner


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## NursePlaty

*It was probably just a coincidence. It dechlorinated water caused ich, majority of us would have it.*


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## Spud

*Regarding higher water Temps;
*

I just took the heater from my main 55 gallon tank and put it in the small 10 gallon tank I put my Goldfish in since they got infected in the 55 gallon.

I have been told and read online that it is better to treat Ick if the water is warm as higher temps speed up Ick life cycle allowing the Quick Cure medication and the salt added to the water to act on the Ick sooner than later.

So how high should I go, the guy at the Aquarium store is he has had his Goldfish at 82 F. My 10 gallon tank is between 78-80 F now. How much higher can I go before it becomes stressful for the Goldfish?


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