I have a tank with mollies and swordtails that I just got, well one day after I got them they popped up with ick, covered in it! My tank is not new has been going for a couple years, just switched to a different type of fish. Never had ick with the other fish. So they are all in a smaller tank with medicine. So two questions:
1.) how do I make sure the ick is gone from the main 55 gallon tank? I don't want to have to put medicine in it because it takes so much and is expensive. Should I drain the main tank and leave 5 gallons or so in it and treat that water then refill, or will that give me new tank syndrome? Can I just add a ton of salt while the others are in the small tank then change half when they are better? Which brings me to question
2.) How much salt per gallon should I put in there on a regular basis to maintain a disease free environment? I have read so many conflicting amounts... I do weekly vacuums and water changes and keep the temp at 82º F. I have perfect water for them, high alkalinity and hard.
1.) how do I make sure the ick is gone from the main 55 gallon tank? I don't want to have to put medicine in it because it takes so much and is expensive. Should I drain the main tank and leave 5 gallons or so in it and treat that water then refill, or will that give me new tank syndrome? Can I just add a ton of salt while the others are in the small tank then change half when they are better? Which brings me to question
2.) How much salt per gallon should I put in there on a regular basis to maintain a disease free environment? I have read so many conflicting amounts... I do weekly vacuums and water changes and keep the temp at 82º F. I have perfect water for them, high alkalinity and hard.