Ich treatments
I have a 10 gallon planted tank in my office that has Endler’s livebearers and an algae eater. They’ve been doing fine for several years. I recently found a good deal on baby clown loaches and bought 4 of them, intending to take them home to my 80 gallon tank when they’ve outgrown the 10 gallon one. Unfortunately, they came down with ich, and I began a treatment of elevated temperature combined with 1 tbsp of salt per gallon on Monday. All the clown loaches have since died. My other fish still seem to be doing well, but I had planned to continue the treatment for its full course just to make sure the ich is completely gone and the other fish don’t come down with it.
However, the salt is taking its toll on my plants. I’m not greatly concerned, because my plants haven’t been doing so hot lately since I replaced the tank a while back when the old one started leaking, but I would like to keep some of them if possible. I’m curious as to how much success others have had with just the elevated temperature, and not salt, as an effective treatment? If the combined salt and higher temperature (approx. 86 degrees is as high as my heater seems to go) are the best solution to keep the fish healthy, I’d rather sacrifice the plants for the fish. (And I’m not interested in using any chemicals or medications beyond salt.)
Thanks, Trevor
Category: UniQuaria
