How to Cure Ick With Salt

White Spot disease, or ich (ick), is caused by the common protozoa "Ichthyophthirius multifilis." The small, granular white spots that characterize this condition are actually produced by parasitic cysts, or "trophonts," a single stage in the complex life cycle of this parasite. These cysts fall from the fish, producing hundreds of free-swimming "tomites," which are not visible to the naked eye. Only at this stage is the parasite susceptible to treatment. Salt, a natural alternative to commercial ich medications, disrupts the fluid balance of the tomite and kills the parasite. While many freshwater aquarium fish can tolerate these salt treatments, others, including many catfish species, cannot.

Things You'll Need

  • Water dechlorinator
  • Aquarium salt, rock salt or pickling salt
  • Measuring spoons
  • Aquarium siphon or gravel vacuum
  • Aquarium heater (optional--see Tips)
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Instructions

    • 1
      Some plants are easily removed.

      Remove live plants from an aquarium and relocate them to a suitable container for the duration of the salt treatment. Plants may harbor ich parasites, so disinfect plants with potassium permanginate before returning plants to the aquarium.

    • 2

      Do a partial water change, removing at least 25 percent of the aquarium water to help remove free-swimming parasites and cysts. Replace with fresh, dechlorinated water.

    • 3

      Add 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water three times, each at 12-hour intervals. The therapeutic 0.3 percent salt concentration (3 teaspoons per gallon) will be reached after the third addition of salt. Do not add salt directly to an aquarium--predissolve salt in tank water and return this water to the tank slowly, near the aquarium filter's water return stream.

    • 4

      Vacuum gravel and perform partial water changes daily after the third salt addition to reduce cysts and free-swimming parasites. Replace all water removed with dechlorinated water at the 0.3 percent salt concentration. Maintain this level for seven days after all white spots or cysts disappear from affected fish.

    • 5

      Remove salt gradually at the end of the treatment period with a series of daily 25 percent water changes, replacing with fresh, dechlorinated water. Salt is not removed through evaporation or charcoal filtration but will be gradually diluted to lower concentrations through water changes.