I bought saltwater Ich-X. Can I use it in my freshwater tank?

If your fish are salt tolerant, use one teaspoon of plain aquarium salt per gallon of water to treat Ich. Dissolve it in a cup of tank water then pour it slowly into the tank. Increase water temperature to about 85-86 F and hold for 10 days. Vacuum the substrate once your fish lose the "dots".

If left untreated, ich will eventually kill. It can weaken the fish after which infection will set in and finish it off. It is also possible the fish were killed if a water change was done as part of the cleaning. Aged or conditioned water should always be used to avoid exposing fish to harmful chemicals, mainly chloramines, many municipalities use in treatment. Water that is not temperature matched can cause shock which will also kill fish. If can be treated by gradually raising the water temperature over 24 hours to about 85 F. Ich is temperature sensitive, this the warm water will speed up the life cycle. Once the "dots" fall off your fish, vacuum the substrate and then use a commercial ich treatment. Leave the temp at 85 F for 2-3 weeks to clear the tank. Afterwards, gradually decrease temperature to the proper temperature for your species of fish.

Ich can only be killed in its free swimming stage. After it feeds off the fish, it drops into the substrate where it forms cysts and multiplies. Then the new ich parasites swim out of the gravel and find new fish hosts and start the cycle all over again. That is why it is important after all white spots have disappeared to continue treatment, you should continue treating for an additional 2 weeks after all symptoms are gone. After the spots disappear off the fish, I would vacuum the gravel to suck up any cysts. If you increase the temperature the life cycle of the ich becomes faster. Snails will be likely killed by the salt so it is best to remove them before treating. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

The safest treatment would be a temporary increase in water temperature and some plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt). Ich is very sensitive to temperature. Gradually increase water temperature, by no more than 1 degree F per hour, up to 86 F. Hold it at that temperature for at least 2weeks. This will speed up the life cycle and prevent reproduction. You can perform partial water changes (30%) and vacuum the substrate during treatment. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. An airstone should be used to increase oxygenation since warm water does not hold as much oxygen as cooler water. This could affect some the fish. Aquarium salt can be dissolved into the tank at 1-2 teaspoons per gallon of water. Dissolve it in a cup of tank water then pour it gently into the tank. When performing water changes, treat only the amount of water being replaced with salt, not the entire tank volume. After 2 weeks, gradually decrease water temperature back down to species appropriate levels.

When there is an ich infection, it is necessary to treat the entire tank, even the fish that are not symptomatic. Ich has 3 distinct stages in the life cycle. Tomites, the free swimming stage, are most vulnerable to treatment. Once on the fish or encapsulated in the substrate, ich is very difficult to treat. A combination of increased water temp, aquarium salt and commercial medication can be used to treat ich. The increased water temp, 86F, will significantly speed up the lifecycle. It can take 1-2 weeks to treat minor infections and longer for more severe infections.

Ich (Cryptocaryon) is an obligate parasite. This means it needs fish to survive. If your tank has no fish, continue to run the filter and tank empty for at least 6 weeks. You can increase temp to about 86 F to speed up the life cycle of the parasite. If your tank is not a reef tank and has no inverts, you can treat the tank with copper. Once treatment is complete, decrease temps to normal ranges. Continue to monitor salinity/chemistry. Quarantine any new fish for at least 10 days in a bare bottomed, established tank to prevent re-introduction of parasites into the main tank.

Ideally, the tank should be kept at about 86 F for two weeks to resolve Ich infection. The gravel or substrate should be vacuumed and tank furniture sanitized. If you are setting up the tank anew, you will have to allow time for it to properly cycle prior to adding fish.