How to Treat Ich in a Planted Aquarium

Ich is one of the most common of all fish diseases in the home aquarium. At one time or another, just about every hobbyist has experienced this problem, which is generally seen as small white spots on the bodies and fins of affected fish. Ich can spread quickly throughout the tank if it is not caught early, so it is important to start treatment at the first sign of trouble.

Things You'll Need

  • Formalin
  • Maracide
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove any carbon cartridges from the filters in your tank. The carbon will filter out the medication you add to the water.

    • 2

      Add formalin to the water at a concentration between one-third and one-half of the recommended dosage on the box. High concentrations of Formalin could harm your plants, but lower concentrations are safe while still providing effective ich treatment for your fish.

    • 3

      Use maracide at one-third to one-half the concentration listed on the package. This should prevent the medication from harming the plants, while still effectively treating your fish.

    • 4

      Watch your fish daily for signs of improvement. You should begin to see the ich spots fade within a few days of starting treatment. If the fish do not improve, you may need to relocate them to a hospital tank and treat with higher concentrations of ich medications.

    • 5

      Change 20 percent of the water when you begin to see improvement in your fish. This lowers the concentration of the medication in the water and reduces the chances that the medicine will harm your plants. Continue to do weekly 20 percent water changes as long as your fish show improvement.

    • 6

      Place the carbon cartridges back in the filters when the ich problem has resolved itself. This will remove the remaining medication from the water over time.