qourami ick? questions

[selinakyle11]

Hello everyone...I recently purchased four dwarf gourami, I have had them in a 10 gallon tank for approx. 2 weeks. I went on vacation(and yes I had someone feeding/caring for them during the one week I was away). I returned home yesterday to find that all but 3 had white bumps on tips of fins and some on body itself, one more tha the other three. Of course I was extremely upset and immediately hopped on internet to research how to treat my poor little fishies. All research led to "Ick". I went to local aquarium store today and picked up " Quick Cure", because according to most postings re: ICK, it seemed to have the best response. When I was at the store I questioned one of the employees who stated that "ick" is not uncommon, and he told me to use a product called "CopperSafe". I purchased both. Upon returning home I used the "Quick Cure" product as per dircetions. The "coppersafe" I felt was a medication used to treat more than what my fish condition is, as a professional in the health care field, I am trained to treat for symptoms, not to use medications that cover many basis? Is "Copper Safe" a better treatment? I removed the carbon filter from my tank as per directions, and used 10 drops of med, one per gallon. I also read that using small amounts of salt and raising the temp in tank are also positive treatments? Am I wrong, I have not yet done either of the two, because I am weary to do something that might be detrimental to the health of my fish. I am new to caring for fish and would appreciate any feedback that may be of some use.

[NickFish]

Yes add the salt and raise the temperature a few degrees. Don't add salt if you have any corydoras in the tank though. Ick is very common and something ALL fishkeepers experience at some time or another. Ich is also fairly easy to get rid of. Both of those treatments are good just read the instructions on the package. Taking out the carbon is good too.
As I always mention dwarf gouramis are very prone to disease and get ich much easier than other fish. What other fish do you have in that tank and how big is it?

[cocoa_pleco]

i believe gouramis are a tad sensitive to salt so i would do a half dose of salt, raise the tank temp. to 84f, and use meds. ive found copper meds to be a bit harsh

[NickFish]

Gouramis actually prefer a little salt. I think the best ich cure is API. Most work fine though. As you probably already know from your research ich is caused by stress. How often do you do water changes? Are all your gouramis male? How big is your tank and what are some of the tank mates. If your tank is too small or too crowded or the water changes aren't frequent enough then the ich is likely to come back.

[MeganL3985]

I have used Quick Cure for my betta, which had ick when I brought him home. It worked very quickly and well. And the gourami's being in the betta family, I wouldn't think would be sensitive to salt?
So far your doing the right thing. Just make sure after your treatments you vac your gravel well and do a large water change.

[lasm]

I would say that your 10g is way to small for 4 dwraf gouramis. Ikc is a symptom of stress. You may want to consider getting a bigger tank or returning two of them to your LFS.

In the future you may not only experience ick again, but also some fighting since probably all of your gouramis are males and are in a small tank.

About the salt, I use it as recommended in the label every water change. None of my gouramis have had problems with it.

About the ick, there is some product that doesn't require to increase the water temperature (I don't remember the name). Just check the labels when you go to get it a your LFS.

Good luck.

[NickFish]

I would say that your 10g is way to small for 4 dwraf gouramis. Ikc is a symptom of stress. You may want to consider getting a bigger tank or returning two of them to your LFS.

In the future you may not only experience ick again, but also some fighting since probably all of your gouramis are males and are in a small tank.

About the salt, I use it as recommended in the label every water change. None of my gouramis have had problems with it.

About the ick, there is some product that doesn't require to increase the water temperature (I don't remember the name). Just check the labels when you go to get it a your LFS.

Ya I agree with the gouramis being to big for the 10 gallon. You should try to return 3 of them back to the store or find a bigger tank for them or the ich will return.
It is a good idea to raise the temperature in the tank. Ich can only be killed when it is off of the fish and floating in the water. Raising the temperature shortens the time the ich is one the fish and increases the time it is vunerable free floating in the tank.