# Coppersafe for Ich? Help!!



## Babydelux3 (Jun 28, 2010)

I purchased a few CA Cichlids from Petco to come to find after I added them all to my tank with a brand new baby oscar (healthy as can be) they all have ich. I returned them to Petco but now I have an Oscar covered in ich.

I use CopperSafe, which I have used before on my african Cichlids and it worked but took about 2-3 weeks to completely clear up.
My oscar only looks like he is getting worse.

Anyone ever use CopperSafe? Any ideas to help him get rid of this and faster? 

He's now on day 4 with the ich.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

What other fish are in the tank? (makes a difference in treatment recommendations).


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## Babydelux3 (Jun 28, 2010)

kmuda said:


> What other fish are in the tank? (makes a difference in treatment recommendations).


I moved the Oscar to a empty 10 gallon tank. He is only 1" long. So he's in there being treated by himself.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

That makes it pretty simple. I assume you have a cycled filter on the 10 gallon?

Ich is very simple to treat and 99% of Ich cases can be cured using nothing more than salt, heat, and water changes.

Step 1: Increase the temp to above 86 degrees. It has to be above 86. At temps of 86 or below, all you do is increase the ich life cycle. At temps above 86 degrees, you actually disrupt the Ich parasite from multiplying and may kill some free swimming ich.

Step 2: Done at the same time as step 1.... dose with Aquarium salt at 3 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons (THIS PART IS IMPORTANT, READ CAREFULLY >), adding 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons each 12 hours until the full dosage is achieved. This means you dose 1 tablespoon (per 5 gallons) now, wait 12 hours, dose with another tablespoon (per 5 gallons), wait 12 hours, and dose with the final tablespoon (per 5 gallons). At this dosage, salt will actually kill free swimming ich while also causing the fish to generate excess slime coat, which will help fight off the ich.

Step 3: Water changes (including gravel vacs). If you change 1/2 of the water you will remove 1/2 of the free swimming ich before they can attack your fish. If you have a substrate, be sure to gravel vac the substrate as this will remove Ich cysts before they can multiply into hundreds more. This can be tricky because you are also dosing with salt, so you have to know what your current salt dosage is and compensate for the replacement water and the amount of salt removed. This means if you are at the 1 tablespoon per 5 gallon level of dosing, and change out 1/2 of the water (5 gallons) you add 1 tablespoon back. If you are at the 2 tablespoons per 5 gallons level and you remove 1/2 of the water, you add 2 tablespoons back (got it).

The above described treatment process is 100% safe and is every bit as effective as Ich medications but, unlike Ich medications, does not use toxic and cancer causing chemicals to achieve a cure.

Note: Salt should be dissolved prior to adding to the water. I use Canning Salt (purchased at any grocery store).


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## Babydelux3 (Jun 28, 2010)

Thanks so much for the help! I'll purchase the salt tomorrow.

Will all of this be okay mixing with the CopperSafe? Because it's already in the tank.

And how long should it take to see results?


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

It should not result in any harm using this treatment in conjunction with the coppersafe, however, review "Step 3". I would perform a large water change before starting treatment.

Also, I would not wait until tomorrow. I would start tonight. Even if you don't have canning salt, I'm sure you have regular ole' tablesalt. Use it for the first two tablespoons (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons) while starting the heat increase. Then tomorrow, pick up the Canning salt for the next dosage.

Ich is easily treated, but if allowed to become too advanced the fish literally drowns in it's own body fluids while being poisoned by toxins it is not able to release. So quick response is necessary.

It will take several days to start seeing results, but you continue the treatment for 1 week (at least) after the last ich parasite is seen, although you can reduce the salt levels to 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons after you see no more Ich spots.


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