| While there are a variety of ways a marine aquarium | | | | freshwater dips as long as twenty to thirty minutes, i |
| hobbyist can deal with ich, there are a few methods | | | | feel we should err on the side of caution and go for |
| that have been tried and tested through the years | | | | a dip lasting no longer than five to seven minutes at |
| and are deemed as effective. The first method | | | | most. It was found that a freshwater dip lasting |
| involves the use of copper medication which is very | | | | merely five minutes was enough to eradicate up to |
| effective but may be too stressful for the affected | | | | eighty percent of the marine ich on the affected fish. |
| fish. | | | | The most important thing to keep in mind when |
| The second method involves changing the salinity of | | | | performing freshwater dips is to ensure that the |
| the water. Marine ich reacts very badly to lower | | | | water temperature and pH are as close as possible |
| specific gravities and will perish over time. While | | | | to the water the fish is coming from (normally |
| hyposalinity treatments call for the reduction of | | | | quarantine tank water). While changes in both |
| specific gravity to a level of 1.009, freshwater dips | | | | temperature and pH can be stressful, a sudden |
| use pure freshwater to be effective. | | | | change in pH is far deadlier than change in |
| Because prolonged exposure to fresh water is quite | | | | temperature of a few degrees. |
| stressful to marine aquarium fish, a dip method was | | | | Set up a small container for the dip and insert the |
| pioneered and was found to be quite an effective | | | | fish. You need to pay careful attention to the |
| short term solution towards marine ich eradication. It | | | | condition of the fish during this period. While most |
| is always used in conjunction with prolonged | | | | marine fish will easily handle a freshwater dip of five |
| treatment involving either medication or hyposalinity | | | | minutes, others may react badly. This depends on |
| or a combination of both. | | | | the overall health of the fish among other things. |
| While there have been some that advocate | | | | |