# Table salt ok for treating ich?



## Erotik

If you don't have aquarium salt, is it okay to use table salt to treat your tank for ich?

I've read multiple articles stating yes and no. What do you guys think?


----------



## Mikaila31

do not use iodized salt. Most table salt is iodized, unless it is kosher or something similar. Salt IMO is also not a treatment for ich. Go buy a copper based med like coppersafe or aquarisol.


----------



## emc7

I've read its, ok, but it really isn't that hard to go the grocery salt and buy some non-iodized. Salt is one ich treatment method, but it requires a high concentration and some ich is salt resistant. Of course, some ich is copper-resistant. Find a method and follow it, but be careful decreasing the salt conc. too fast. Personally, I use quick-cure for ich. What has ich? cichlids tolerate salt very well, but loaches and eels, not so good.


----------



## BV77

I also use Quick Cure for ich....never had any problems with it when used as directed.....ie/ half dose for tetras and scaless fish such as loaches.


----------



## Toshogu

Kosher salt = OK

Iodized Salt = NO!!!!


----------



## Peeps

I use rid ick + and have always been able to get rid of ick with that, even the really nasty cases.


----------



## <3JackDempsey<3

i would never use and type of Iodized salt... no table salt... but i've used Un-iodized salt to treaat small funguses :/


----------



## JimW/Oscar

Mikaila31 said:


> do not use iodized salt. Most table salt is iodized, unless it is kosher or something similar. Salt IMO is also not a treatment for ich. Go buy a copper based med like coppersafe or aquarisol.


I agree. I've only had 3 ich outbreaks, the last two (many years ago) taken care of quickly with Mardel's Coppersafe. The first outbreak I ever had I finally got rid of with blue/green water creating Ich Cure but it sure messed up my tank for awhile.


----------



## jones57742

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/fyi-your-info/17445-ich-fighting-west-texas-style.html

TR


----------



## Erotik

Thanks for all the feedback. My loach has 2 ich spots, so I decided to treat them with Mardel's CopperSafe. 1/2 Dose. 

Keeping my fingers crossed that this works!


----------



## Erotik

BV77 said:


> I also use Quick Cure for ich....never had any problems with it when used as directed.....ie/ half dose for tetras and scaless fish such as loaches.


Wrote that down, I've heard a lot of recommendations for Quick Cure. I'm going to pick that up for the future instead of using Mardel's CopperSafe. I've only had long, drawn out experiences with ich, due to the slow process CopperSafe has to take effect. Thanks!


----------



## emc7

You have to treat for the entire life-cycle of ich because its resistant to meds in one phase. So while quick-cure may say something like "spots gone in 3 days", you have to keep changing water and keep adding it for something like 2 weeks to be sure. It has a dye (green) that messes up your stuff and the formalin can be hard on some fish. So, like any other method, it has plusses (easy to measure, cheap) and minuses.


----------



## JimW/Oscar

Erotik said:


> Thanks for all the feedback. My loach has 2 ich spots, so I decided to treat them with Mardel's CopperSafe. 1/2 Dose.
> 
> Keeping my fingers crossed that this works!


Oh Geez I just noticed you list a mini crab among your aquarium denizens, I hope it's not in the treated tank as Coppersafe can kill inverts. Sorry wish I'd seen that previously though I think Coppersafe's instructions do warn of this. Then again many of the other ich medications can also kill off inverts.


----------



## Erotik

UPDATE:

Good news, all of the ich spots on my Clown Loach have cleared. However, he is sometimes "spazzing" out swimming very fast around the tank, mostly around feeding time.
His coloring of his stripes go to a light black/grey sometimes also. Why?


----------



## Peeps

He is stressed by something, maybe he just gets nervous and if shy durring feeding time.


----------



## Erotik

Peeps said:


> He is stressed by something, maybe he just gets nervous and if shy durring feeding time.



Hmm, makes sense. The Ich is most likely not gone either, so that could be an option also. 

Thanks.


----------



## sq33qs

Hey there, just to add to your list of possible cures for ich, I'm no expert but this has been working for me: 
I use Contra Spot for the ich and raise the temp of the water slightly to aid the treatment, raising the temp accelerates the metabolic rate of the ich parasites thus helping the treatment be more effective.
And yes, your fish does sound abit stressed, should pass in a day or so.


----------



## emc7

heat does speed the ich and reduce the treatment time. But it lowers oxygen in the water and stresses some fish. So if your fish look really stressed after you up the temp, you might back off a few degrees and treat longer. I've never heard of that med, but there are different brands in different areas. People in England can never get the same stuff as we use in the US. Best to look them up on the web and match active ingredients.


----------



## emc7

fading is stress or trying to fade into a light-colored background. Loach behavior is beyond me, I'd ask a loha.


----------



## Erotik

UPDATE: Everything is going perfect with the loaches. No spots, no fading. Very healthy little guys! Thanks for all of your help! =)


----------

