# What are the best ways to treat a BGK for ICH?



## trentstephens (Feb 1, 2007)

Please help, this is my favorite fish


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Welcome.:wave:

Malachite green will do the job but be careful not to overdose as BGKs are scaleless and most medications can harm them. Increase the temperature and treat with either salt/medicine. Dissolve salt first before adding it to your main tank. Do the treatment in the main tank, not in isolation as almost all fish already serve as carriers of ich.


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## trentstephens (Feb 1, 2007)

The Ingredients in the medicine i bought were Malachite Green and chitosan. Should I follow these instructions: Use 10 mL per 5 gallons of water on 1, 2 and 3 day. Which method would be safer salt/medicine?


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

salt is ok but the ich might grow an immunity to the salt, rendering the effect useless. The good thing about the salt is that it wont harm the beneficial bacteria. 

Meds are ok but they can harm scaless fish, they can destroy good bacteria and can kill plants. But meds are also gread for killing the bad things, imo, meds kill most good and bad things, they cant tell one apart from the other


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I'd do half dose for Malachite Green.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

blue, is that really ok? if you dose too softly the medication wont kill the ich and since it is in a small quantity, the ich might grow immune to it, an ich immune to malachite green isnt going to be easy to get rid of


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

We had a BGK, and i loved it. I would just try to raise the temp in the tank to move along the cycle of the ich. We were told its best not to medicate a BGK but if you need to then dose it in half.


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

oh....and to add to what i already said. Is he your only fish or do you have others with him. Also do you have a quarantene tank?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

musho3210 said:


> blue, is that really ok? if you dose too softly the medication wont kill the ich and since it is in a small quantity, the ich might grow immune to it, an ich immune to malachite green isnt going to be easy to get rid of


IMO, it's fine. If it didn't work, how did the ich got eliminated when I used half dosage before just to save some of my scaleless fish's plight especially my loaches before?

Scaleless fish do not tolerate heavy dosage hence half is the better option.

Mel, I don't think the quarantine tank will help considering ich will aready exist in the main tank if introduced via a carrier. However, moving all the fish to another tank for two weeks will guarantee elimination of ich as they have no host to feed on although you might get mini cycles as there aren't wastes for the bacteria to feed on either.:shake:


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

thats what i was wondering if they had them blue, if there were no other fish then the BGK could go into quarantene and the tank could be left for the ich to cycle.


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## trentstephens (Feb 1, 2007)

No, I have about 13 other fish or so in there. I do have a quarantine tank. I discovered that there was a corroded penny in the tank if it matters (I took it out)


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Corroded pennies have nothing to do with ich although it may contain heavy metals which can stress and harm the fish. What are those fish you have?


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## trentstephens (Feb 1, 2007)

Rainbow shark, tetras, bala shark, zebra danios, chineese algea eater, trumpet knife fish in another tank at the moment, and some little yellow fish I started out with.


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## trentstephens (Feb 1, 2007)

I should probably add that he/she swims in the middle of the tank at the top. The white spots look like skin peeling off (is it possible it is just a wound from fighting because a crawfish bit the tip of his/her tail off)


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Pictures will help. You should isolate the crayfish. Crayfish are known to consume small fish and attack larger ones. I'd use Melafix for now if those are suspected wounds. Pls monitor the BGK. Fungus can occur which is a secondary infection to wounds and can be difficult to get rid.


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## trentstephens (Feb 1, 2007)

the only camera I have is a phone...


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