fresh water aquariums parasites

Question
hi there,im wondering how to get rid of i believe its ich in and on my fish.they are getting white spots and rubbing on the rocks .is it even curable.when i clean my tank i boil evrything ,so how come the infestation? i would really love to hear your response as they are my buddies and spend a great deal of time gazing into the tank. Thank you very much. darren.

Answer
Hi Darren;

If they are specks that look like salt on the fish is it indeed ich and it is cureable. Raise the tank temperature to 82 to 85 degrees for 2 weeks and add aquarium salt. They need 1/2 teaspoon per gallon the first day and add the same the next day to get a concentration of 1 teaspoon per gallon. (You don't want to put the whole one teaspoon per gallon in on one day or it can hurt the fish and make them more sick. Ich hates heat and salt.) You don't need medicine to treat them if you use the heat/salt method. Medicine can be just as stressful as the disease so it is best not to use medicine if you don't have to. If they are the kind of fish that are salt sensitive like loaches, eels or cory cats, only dose 1/2 teaspoon per gallon on the first day and add no more.

There is no reason to boil your aquarium equipment when you clean. It is actually harmful because it kills the beneficial bacteria that keeps your system healthy. The bacteria consumes toxins from fish waste that can make the fish sick or even die. If the spots look more like blotches or patches and the fish are scraping against things it might mean toxins.

Let me know what kind of fish you have, how long your tank has been set up, how many fish you have, etc., if you have a followup question for me. It will help me answer more completely.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins