# Best way to treat whitespot?



## amber1978 (Sep 2, 2008)

Hi, i've acquired a pleco 2 days ago and today i think he's got white spot. Also in my tank are clown loaches, zebra loaches, kuhli loach, an upside down cat, gold and lace gouramis and a red tail shark. Ive heard all sorts of different things about treatments, some people have said to turn the heat up for a few days, others say to add salt to the tank. I usually use either tetra medica contraspot or king british white spot control. Should i treat with medication as usual or will this be damaging to my other fish? Any thoughtd or advice would be welcome. Thanks guys.


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

I have not used either of the meds you described. It is usually recommended to use meds at half strength if you are treating sensitive fish, such as your loaches.
I personally use the heat/salt treatment.
I add one tablespoon salt for each 5 gal water. Usually adding the salt over a few days time to give the fish a chance to adapt.
I slowly increase heat. No more than one degree a day. 1/2 degree every 12 hrs works well. When you get to 82deg, the water becomes to warm for the ick to remain on the fish. Bumping it all the way up to 86 deg kills the free swimming ick. Leave the temp at 86 for one week after all visable signs of ick are gone.
Water changes through out the heat treatment are fine and will help remove the ick. Just be sure to match new water tempt with the tank water. Also, replace what salt was removed durring the water change while treating for ick.
Heat depreciates oxygen levels, so increase available air.


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## amber1978 (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks, sorry to sound dense but are we taking about standard table salt?


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

Table salt if fine to use.


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## amber1978 (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks very much, i'll get on it right away.


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## yippee (Jun 26, 2007)

do you run the filters like usual or do you take the carbon out?


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

If you are treating with meds, most directions say to remove the carbon.
If your using the heat / salt treatment, leaving the carbon in is fine as long as you are not using the ammonia removing carbon such as Ammo-Carb. Salt can cause this kind of carbon to release ammonia back into the tank.


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## mountfordwright (Dec 2, 2010)

Twistersmom said:


> If you are treating with meds, most directions say to remove the carbon.
> If your using the heat / salt treatment, leaving the carbon in is fine as long as you are not using the ammonia removing carbon such as Ammo-Carb. Salt can cause this kind of carbon to release ammonia back into the tank.


 hi there i am no expert but i will just tell you the problems i had and how i got round it. i had white spot for 3 months!i tried every tretment i could and nothing worked.some people say depending on the fish salt can cause more stress to the fish which will make the white spot worse. am sure you know that the increase in temp will not kill the white spot it just speeds the cycle up i believe it takes 4 days to atach then release more white spots.i whent to many tropical fish shops and the last day i whent in to ask them if they wanted my fish because i gave up with it he said for me to try 1 last thing. it was to feed the fish frozen food with garlic in.i use bryne shrimp with garlic.i was to feed as usual and do a course of treatment as normal and it worked!!!i could not believe it.from what i have red up on it the garlic causes the white spot not to atach itself to the fish so the treatment will then in turn kill it.i always use bryne shrimp with garlic now just to be on the safe side and i have never had any problems since.[14 mnths] i no the threads old but its a good tip for you and other people on the site!take care. Rich


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