# Having trouble getting rid of ich, please Help!



## cichlidluvr82 (Oct 7, 2017)

I've got a 45g community tank and recently one of my platies got ich and she gave it to some of my other platies. I raised the temp for a few days and it went away. Then it came back on her, a couple other platies, my dwarf gourami, female betta and my keyhole cichlid. I have had the temp raised for days and using seachem metroplex and my betta, gourami and keyhole cichlid still have it. What should I do? It's driving me crazy. I hardly ever get ich in my tank. My keyhole cichlid is a baby and I worry about its immune system. My dwarf gourami isn't doing so well and he's the worst. Should I just wait it out with the higher temp and metroplex or is there something else I can try?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

I would run the temp up to the high 80's for at least 2 weeks. At little salt can be used too, as long as you don't have any scaleless fish like loaches or catfish.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The lifecycle of ich is 3 weeks...so I agree...raise temp and add salt for three weeks and then see.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

The life cycle of ich is actually only 3 days at temps above 80F and cannot reproduce at temps above 86F. While it is possible to cure ich in a week, I suggest treating for two weeks. Also, most strains of ich these days are resistant to heat and salt so I prefer treating with a product like Super Ick Cure.


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## BlueSunshine (Jul 13, 2014)

We use salt (3 table spoons per ten gallons of tank water) and heat in the range of 89 degrees to 92 degrees for at least two weeks. Our syno's and clown loaches go through this as does every fish we buy. This has always eliminated the problem for us. Time is where most fail with this process.


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## cichlidluvr82 (Oct 7, 2017)

I have corydoras and I don't have another tank to put them in so I don't ever use salt. The temp is currently at 83 degrees. The higher temp makes me nervous. One of my corydoras is dying and he was perfectly healthy. I wonder if it's because of the two increase. I think my dwarf gourami does but I have yet to find his body. My baby keyhole is the worst and I sure hope that lil guy or girl makes it. I am now feeding a medicated food and will continue to do large water changes. I will keep the temp raised. I hope this goes away soon. I just recently got over a bad case of parasites and lost 6 platies in less than 2 weeks.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

At high temps I would add a few air stones or drop the water level so the filter can churn the water more.


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## cichlidluvr82 (Oct 7, 2017)

I do have an airstone that's pretty strong. I have two filters one on each side of the tank. I turned one up more and I have had the water level lower.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If you can't raise the temp high enough and won't use salt...then switch to a medication. But use it long enough to eliminate the ich completely...not just visible spots.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

When I've used meds, I use rid-ich with good results. Vacuuming the substrate can also help remove the ich that has came off of the fish.


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## cichlidluvr82 (Oct 7, 2017)

I actually have a bottle of rid-ich. I've never used it before. Is it safe for corydoras? Also does it stain the silicone and tank decor blue? It looks as if my fish are getting better. I still haven't found my dwarf gouramis body.... the snails probably got to him. But my betta doesn't have any white spots and my baby keyhole cichlid doesn't have as many white spots on him. I'm going to do a large water change today, gravel vac, etc.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

I believe rid-ich says its safe for scaleless fish somewhere on the bottle.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I had a bad case of ich about 3 years ago. I cranked the temperature up to 86 for 2 weeks and it didn't seem to help. Some of my rummynose tetras were completely covered with ich, even at the high temperatures. Rid-Ich didn't help either. I finally cured it by ordering Esha Exit on eBay from the UK. Lost a lot of fish because I didn't quarantine long enough.


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## cichlidluvr82 (Oct 7, 2017)

The ich has been gone since last week but just to be safe I'm still at the higher temperature and dosing with seachem paraguard.


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