Ich treatment

[Lilnoelle80]

When I first noticed Ich on two fish in my display tank, I didn’t have access to Cupramine but did have Ich-X. I started treatment in QT a week ago. I’ve been treating every 24 hours and doing 20-50% water changes every 24h (vacuuming well at the bottom). I also have the heat turned up to 84 and lots of aeration.
I’ve since noticed it in a couple more fish and so I’m removing all fish from the display tank for treatment. I’ve also dropped salinity to 1.20.
The fish are eating and swimming well without breathing issues.
I now have Cupramine. I also have a copper testing kit. It seems that Copper treatment is preferred amongst ya’ll.
Am I better off continuing what I started? Or should I switch? And if I do, do I need to do a complete water change to get the ich x out entirely before starting treatment with copper? If treatments are equivalent or close, I’d probably just as soon stick with what I’m doing.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

A couple of observations: your temperature is too high. Raising water temperature for ich is advice from freshwater ich, which is a different species. It only speeds up the infection in marine fish, and lowers the oxygen level. 80 degrees is best for most marine aquarium fish.
Ich-X is also better for treating FW ich. I’m not sure if the malachite green in that interferes with copper, but it is pretty toxic, I would do a 50% water change first.
Be sure not to use ammonia remover when dosing Cupramine.
Jay

 

[Lilnoelle80]

A couple of observations: your temperature is too high. Raising water temperature for ich is advice from freshwater ich, which is a different species. It only speeds up the infection in marine fish, and lowers the oxygen level. 80 degrees is best for most marine aquarium fish.
Ich-X is also better for treating FW ich. I’m not sure if the malachite green in that interferes with copper, but it is pretty toxic, I would do a 50% water change first.
Be sure not to use ammonia remover when dosing Cupramine.
Jay

This product is just the formaldehyde without malachite green, it’s supposedly for marine aquariums. I’ll turn the temp down. Thank you.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

This product is just the formaldehyde without malachite green, it’s supposedly for marine aquariums. I’ll turn the temp down. Thank you.

That won’t interfere with copper then...formaldehyde de-gasses after 24 hours (at the normal 24 hour dose of 25 ppm).
Jay

 

[Uncle99]

This product is just the formaldehyde without malachite green, it’s supposedly for marine aquariums. I’ll turn the temp down. Thank you.

This stuff will not rid you of ick.
Separation in QT, treating with Copper, Hypo or TTM in addition to a DT fallow of 70ish days will.