# Salt for ich?



## etgregoire (Aug 23, 2009)

I know a lot of people have been posting for ich lately - but I have 2 specific questions I didn't really see come up...

Well I've noticed just a few spots on a few of the fish, but it has spread in the past 2-3 days, so I know it's time to do something. I was worried about treating the tank with chemicals because I have a baby platy that's hanging out in there and I'd like to have him pull through this too. With that in mind I've decided to go the heating/salt route so my questions are :

1. How might this affect the little guy. Are salt and the ich treatments deadly for a fry? He's not even a week old yet. 

2. People on the forum were talking about aquarium salt, but I found a few people link to the article on the Skeptical Aquarist which gives a formula by using common table salt. So which is it? And in either case, how much would I add (I didn't see anyone giving too much mention of how much they dosed their tank with aquarium salt here on the forum).

In the tank are some danios, platies and an angelfish if that helps you with anything else. The tank is also currently set at 86 F.

Thanks all for any insight.
Eric


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## JIM (May 27, 2009)

*dont use common table salt, use only aquarium salt, or i have used pickling salt, which is also pure with no additives*


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## Oldman (May 25, 2009)

Actually just about any salt will work for treating ich. There is a good article here that tells all about the life cycle of the ich parasite and suggests specific methods to treat it including the salt and elevated temperature method.
As far as the fry is concerned, an ich parasite on a fry is the same size as one on a 6 inch fish. The biggest difference is that it is a minor irritation on the 6 inch fish but is life threatening on a small platy fry. Don't hold back on the treatment to protect fry, it will have just the opposite effect of letting some succumb to the parasite.


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## etgregoire (Aug 23, 2009)

Okay so I treated the salt with tank, it's sitting at 86 degrees F, there are air stones bubbling away... now what?

More water changes? More salt? Both? How much? I haven't been able to find anything online besides "just add some salt..." and that's where the trail ends. 

It looks like one of the fish with spots is now clear. I do have another fish I think may be on the way out, she's hiding down in the bottom of the tank and doesn't come out of the plants too often in the past 2 days 

Thanks


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Patience...the treatment takes 14 days at the least. That is the lifecycle of the ich parasite. So while I do not add salt, even those who do need to wait the 14 days to allow it to work. I use the elevated temperature method which you are already using too. In combination too it should really work. But no matter which method you use it is going to take you the 14 days so just wait the time and then do a large water change and gravel maintenance and fill the tank with clean dechlorinated water and slowly lower the temperature to the normal temperature. Then continue to watch the fish for any reinfestation and retreat if necessary.

Rose


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

The problem with table salt for some tanks is that it has iodine. "Iodinzed salt" I believe is bad for loaches and inverts (shrimps/snails).

BTW temperature alone should kill the ich. Salt helps with metabolism/breathing at the higher temp.


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