Treating Ich - How to Use PP? Or should I do something else?

[Dragonfin]

I read the sticky and it said to use PP, but where do you buy it and how do you use it?

I could buy something else, too, but want whatever I use to work.

Fish is in a 3 gallon tank heated to around 80 degrees, which is the highest I can get it with my non programmable heater.

I actually have the water at 2 gallons right now.

I have been using aquarium salt and changing the water daily.

No filter - just plastic plants, a Betta Log, and glass rocks - so I rinse them all.

I have an ammonia problem - discovered it is from my tap - so I am using Prime for conditioner and also Seachem AmGaurd. I am not getting the ammonia to zero no matter what. At best, using a LOT of that stuff, I am getting it to .25 - so that is my other issue.

However, right now I need to address his ich. He looks like he is sprinkled with salt, and is not eating.

[shellieca]

I would invest in an adjustable heater to get the temp up to 86F. I have treated ich with the heat method & dosed aq salt for a couple of days. I did every other day 100% water changes & the ich disappeared within a few days. I wouldn't dose meds if at all possible.

I have not read the ich treatment stickie so am not familiear with what it says.

[Dragonfin]

Thanks. I did buy some ich treatment today because no one responded about the PP use.

It was from this sticky about fish diseases.
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73332

I will continue with daily salt and water changes.

I am scared of getting an adjustable heater that will heat it too high for my 3 gallon tank.

The Betta Stick heater is pretty good at maintaining 78 int he winter and 82 in the warmer months, so overall it works.

Geez, I bought this fish 11 days ago for 7 bucks and have spent $25 on treatment (and hours of research) trying to keep it alive. My husband thinks I am nuts! I love the little guy, though.

[Dragonfin]

I would still like info. on using PP if anyone has it -

And/or other ways to get my ammonia down besides Seachem Prime and AmGaurd.

[callistra]

PP doesn't work on ick. This is primarily a dewormer. Sorry. I'm sorry this sticky contains wrong information. I can't edit it.

The best treatment for ick is heat between 86-88F sustained for one week past the last sign of ick, and aquarium salt predissolved at 1 tsp per gallon, readded only with water changes. Salt can only be used for 10 days.

However, ick is an opportunistic infection due to fish stress and/or poor water quality so more info would help in assuring this doesn't come back: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

[aokashi]

PP is an oxidiser, not a dewormer. it is Potassium Permanganate. KMnO4, the 4 oxygen atoms makes is especially reactive. it basically kills ich by burning it away....

PP is good for killing off free floating parasites as it reacts with all types of organics.
The dosage is 1tsp/600gallons (you read that right).
But for ich, temperature alone is enough to cure it...

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Like Aokashi said, potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizer. It is an antiseptic, and can be used to kill bacteria. But it is also corrosive to skin and eyes, and can damage internal organs. It stains all organic material, turning skin and clothing brown.

Personally, if I needed to treat something like ich, I'd much rather follow Shellieca's and Callistra's advice on simply raising the water temp and adding Aquarium salt....

(If you want to know more about potassium permanganate, here is a link to a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) about it: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927406)

[callistra]

aokashi do you have experience killing ick by using pp alone? Because I have seen this tried many many times without a single successful event..

[aokashi]

Originally Posted by callistra

aokashi do you have experience killing ick by using pp alone? Because I have seen this tried many many times without a single successful event..

I've done it, but along side a quadruple dose of ich attack...only because I was treatingfor velvet. All my fish survived and it did not have an impact on their health.

I also had many many plants in that tank. the potency of PP is largely dependant on the amount of organics you have in that tank. with enough organics it instantly neutralizes (turns brown). other wise I recommend a dip, there is very little information on this available online however.

For ich, temps have to be above 86F for the heat treatment to be effective.
I also recommend Kordon ich attack at 3-4 time the recommende dose, dosed twice a day.