experiencing white spot in the fish

Question
hi
I am seeing white spot in the dolphin cichlids that i have kept in my 30 gallons water tank. i could not find any reason why this is happening. please suggest remedies as fast as possible so that i can save them.
thanks
-Ayan

Answer
Hi Ayan,
White spot or "ich" as it is commonly called is a parasite infection which attacks fish that are stressed or when a fish already infected is introduced to the tank. Stress could come from poor water quality (which is the number one reason fish become stressed), fighting tankmates, fluctuating temperatures or transportation.

Affected fish will appear as if they have been sprinkled with salt all over. The number of white spots varies depending upon the severity of the infestation. On some fish it may be a few dozen. On others it may be hundreds of spots!

Treatment should begin right away!

Get an ick or white spot treatment medication like 'Quick Cure' or similar medications. If you cannot find meds or do not have access to them you can also treat ich with salt and high temperatures.

Please read this helpful article on heat and salt treatment for white spot here -
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_ich2.php

Remember you cannot use table salt or the normal salt we use in cooking. It must be aquarium salt or 'rock' salt which does not contain additives that can be harmful to fish like table salt.

Try to start treatment as soon as possible. Remember daily water changes are extremely helpful in cases where fish are very sick like this. Daily 50% changes really help their immune system. But please make sure the new water added is the same temperature as the tank's temp and it is conditioned with water conditioner to remove any chlorine or chloramine.

I really hope this helps and best of luck!
Susan~