Does hyposalinity really work for ich?

daniella3d · #1 10-19-2010, 04:48 AM

Hi, I have a hippo tang in quarantine with a little clownfish and it has ich. I have been lowering the salinity from 1.025 to 1.09 over the course of one week. yesterday was at 1.012 and today it is finaly at 1.09. The first day I got the fish it started to have a few white spots, but only 2 on one side and 1 on the other side. Today there was a lot more popping out on both side so it is much worse. I would think that with the lower salinity it would go away?

The clown fish seem to be free of the infection, only the hippo (ich magnet) is covered in white dots. Does the hyposalinity really work? I use a well calibrated refractometer ATC, with temperature compensation control.

After I saw all these white spots I put half dose of Seachem Paragard as well. Fish has a great ogre appetite and eat fish roe, nori soaked in garlic, frozen cyclop etc.. Both have huge appetite but I am still worried that they white spots have come back stronger

It's not velvet because the dots are quite large, not powdery looking.

Myka · #2 10-19-2010, 05:16 AM

Ya, this should work for you. Personally, I wouldn't do hyposalinity and medication since that is quite stressful imo. Hyposalinity is a more natural treatment, so medicating on top makes the hypo a moot point. You should notice a difference in the next couple days. Also, be aware that your tank needs to remain fallow (fishless) for 8 weeks for the Ich to die-off otherwise the fish will just become infected again upon reintroduction. Ich will live up to 6 weeks without a fish host.

Slick Fork · #3 10-19-2010, 05:25 AM

Also keep in mind that the ich is protected as long as it is attached to the fish. It's the free swimming stage that gets annihlated in the hyposaline water. So you sort of gotta ride out the infection knowing that this is the last of it!

tlo · #4 10-19-2010, 05:29 AM

I have used hyposalinity successfully. It is my preferred method for treating ich.
here is an excellent article on it

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...t-process.html

daniella3d · #5 10-19-2010, 05:33 AM

My main tank never had any ich in it because I always quarantine. that fish showed ich right at the begining and it was in the QT from day one, never in my display tank. Since that QT was empty and it was started with water from a frag tank that had no fish in it for 5 months, it is obvious that the fish had ich when I bought it.

This is a good exemple where quarantine can save a lot of hassle.

I am aware that the main tank must remain fishless for at least 6 weeks when you get ich in it, but so far so good, I have never seen it in my main tank and I will try to keep it that way. I am not putting that tang in my display tank until I am 100% sure it does not have ich any longer.

I know that the ich attached to the fish is protected, but I am worried that it got worse. Probably it is because the salinity was not all the way to 1.09 until today?

As for Paragard, it is supposed to be ok to use in lower salinity. I did half dose just to see if the fish would be stressed but no sign of stress and they are still eating good. I just want to make sure this don't fail.

Just wondering, why not use KH buffer? because that's what I used as a buffer as my ph seem stable for the past week. Also I use a skimmer 24/7 and although it does not skimm much, it does aerate the water well and keep the PH higher. So why can't I use Kent KH buffer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

Ya, this should work for you. Personally, I wouldn't do hyposalinity and medication since that is quite stressful imo. Hyposalinity is a more natural treatment, so medicating on top makes the hypo a moot point. You should notice a difference in the next couple days. Also, be aware that your tank needs to remain fallow (fishless) for 8 weeks for the Ich to die-off otherwise the fish will just become infected again upon reintroduction. Ich will live up to 6 weeks without a fish host.

Myka · #6 10-19-2010, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daniella3d

I know that the ich attached to the fish is protected, but I am worried that it got worse. Probably it is because the salinity was not all the way to 1.09 until today?

Probably. you gotta ride it out with Hypo. It will get worse before it gets better. As long as the fish keeps eating he will be fine.

howdy20012002 · #7 10-19-2010, 05:55 AM

btw, from what I understand, you can drop salinity almost immediately without any side effects. from what I have read, you can basically drop the fish in as long as the water is same temperature.
it is the increase that you have have to do over a couple of day period.
Neal

Chin_Lee · #8 10-19-2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdy20012002

btw, from what I understand, you can drop salinity almost immediately without any side effects. from what I have read, you can basically drop the fish in as long as the water is same temperature.
it is the increase that you have have to do over a couple of day period.
Neal

same ph and temp are the two most important factors to maintain. Increasing the temperature during the treatment time will speed up the ick life cycle as well.
IMO you may as well deworm your fish with praziquantel at the same time while they are going through isolation.

Lance · #9 10-19-2010, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdy20012002

btw, from what I understand, you can drop salinity almost immediately without any side effects. from what I have read, you can basically drop the fish in as long as the water is same temperature.
it is the increase that you have have to do over a couple of day period.
Neal

+1

Lance · #10 10-19-2010, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

Personally, I wouldn't do hyposalinity and medication since that is quite stressful imo. Hyposalinity is a more natural treatment, so medicating on top makes the hypo a moot point.

I've used hyposalinity with medications before with success. I was hesitant until I read this article:

www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/6/fish#h1