I have ich

Question
I have a 30 gallon tank that has been set up for about 2 months. All of my levels are fine and i change 20% of the water roughly every week, 2 at the most. I have 3 dojo loaches, 6 guppies, and 5 zebra danios. 7 days ago i bought a clown loach a few days later it a white spots on it the day after it had more and just today it died. I have started treating with a copper sulfate medication (b/c it is easier on the loaches). Is there anything else i can do, and will the fish who currently have some white spots on them live, the spots on them haven't gotten any worse since i started treating.

Thanks for you time.

Answer
Hi Kelsey;

Clown Loaches are well-known for being ich "carriers". The spots that are still on the fish will fade away as soon as they develop to the next stage and burst out into the water where they will be killed by the copper. They are protected while still in the fishes' skin and can't be killed there. You can also raise the temperature in the tank to 82f to get the parasites through the life cycle faster. It weakens them. Just turn up the heater and be sure it's at a time you will be home to monitor it for several hours. Adding aquarium salt helps too. Ich hates heat and salt. A dose of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon is not harmful to even so-called 'salt sensitive' fish. Just add it once.

Good luck and I hope the rest of your fish are okay...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins