Natural Cures for Fish Ick

Ick, also known as ich or white spot, is a highly contagious fish disease caused by a protozoan parasite. Ick initially appears on the fins and tail as tiny white spots, resembling grains of salt, before spreading to the fish's body. The parasite infects fish rapidly and is usually fatal if left untreated. It is easily cured with commercial chemical treatments, but natural remedies are also effective and you can use them in addition to chemical treatments.

  1. Temperature

    • Isolate your sick fish if it isn't already in a tank of its own, and increase the water temperature slowly over an hour or two. Most tropical fish are happy at between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit so turn up the heater one increment at a time until the thermometer finally reads around 82 to 84 degrees. Heat speeds up the lifecycle of the ick parasite, so a gradual increase in temperature should help your pet fight off the parasite. Do not expose a sick fish to temperatures above 84 degrees, because too much heat causes stress, making your fish less likely to recover.

    Salt

    • Aquarium salt enhances the effectiveness of many commercial fish medicines but is also a useful treatment on its own. Calculate the volume of your aquarium before starting a salt treatment. Fill a bucket with dechlorinated water and stir in 3 tsp. of aquarium salt for every gallon of water in your fish tank, ensuring the salt crystals disperse completely. Pour the prepared saline mix into your aquarium. Combine salt therapy and a rise in tank temperature for the best results.

    Water Changes

    • Regular partial water changes should be part of your routine maintenance, but increasing the frequency of water changes during an ick outbreak is beneficial to your tank's overall health. Change about 30 percent of the water, twice a week, to get rid of as many ick spores as possible and siphon the gravel during every session. You may not see a difference in the number of white spots on your fish for up to three weeks -- continue to change the water regularly until a week after the ick spots disappear completely to be sure your fish is cured.

    Maintain a Healthy Aquarium

    • Fish get sick when they are stressed, exposed to poor water or living in overcrowded conditions. Over-populate your tank with too many fish and you will quickly find every dormant parasite in the tank infecting your vulnerable fish. You can prevent ick by observing appropriate fish stocking levels, carrying out weekly tank maintenance and feeding the correct amount of food. Gravel harbors colonies of bacteria when uneaten food and fish waste starts to decay, so keep your substrate free from organic debris.