How to Get Rid of Ick

Ick, or white spot disease, affects aquarium fish. Ick (also known as ich) is caused by a white parasite that is very small. Stress is the main reason fish suffer from the condition. Stress can be caused by everything from moving fish or adding fish to a new aquarium, fish being bullied by other fish or a dirty aquarium with high ammonia and nitrate contents. Once treated, your fish should soon be back to normal health.

Things You'll Need

  • Fresh water
  • Aquarium salt
  • Copper
  • Malachite Green
  • Maracide
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Instructions

    • 1

      Diagnose that you are truly dealing with an ick problem. Fish with ick have tiny, white spots covering their body and clamped fins. They look lethargic and do not have an appetite.

    • 2

      Raise the temperature slowly to as high as 85 degrees Fahrenheit to speed up the life cycle of the parasite to get it to stage three quickly. Do this as soon as you notice the problem. There are three stages of development. Only when the parasite is in stage three (free swimming) will any types of treatment kill it. Keep the temperature raised during the entire treatment process. When the parasite is in stages one and two, medications will not kill it. You must wait until the parasite is in stage three for the medications to have any effect. The fish will still have the white spots throughout all three stages.

    • 3

      Remove about 25 percent of the water in the aquarium every day during the treatment process, keeping the aquarium water heated at all times. Add clean water that is room temperature to the tank after the existing water has been removed and then add new medication.

    • 4

      Add aquarium salt to the water at a rate of one tablespoon for every five gallons of water. Do not use iodized salt or you will kill the fish. The salt helps medications work quicker by helping the fish build up a resistance to the ick by developing a "slime coat" to their bodies.

    • 5

      Add medications to the aquarium that contain copper or malachite green, per the instructions on the package. Continue the medication for at least 14 days to completely rid the tank of ick. Continue adding the medications to the tank even after the white spots disappear on the fish. The fish will be healthy because the white spots are gone, and the parasite has left their body. For precautionary purposes, continue adding medications to be sure the parasite is killed, as it might still be swimming freely within the tank and infest the fish again. This will not harm the fish.

    • 6

      Use an antibiotic such as Maracide in addition to the ick medication. Add the antibiotic to the aquarium at the rate specified for your particular-size aquarium. This gives the fish extra added protection and helps them recover quicker.

    • 7

      Wash all the accessories in the aquarium to clean the ick off them. Change the charcoal in your filter several times during the process of treating the ick. Keep the aquarium clean on a regular basis to cut down on the chance of getting ick.