Do this:
1.) 15%-20% water changes.... DAILY. If you miss a day it'll be fine... Just don't make a habbit of it :lol:
2.) Initially add Doc well fishes salt for fresh water fish to the entire amount of water the tank holds. Follow the directions on the box for dosage.
3.) When your doing your 20% DAILY water change, do it with your gravel vacuum and vacuum some gravel while your taking water out, why not, it won't hurt.... Just be sure to add the appropriate amount of salt to the tank when you re-fill.
4.) Turn your temperature up to 85*, and keep it there for two weeks, sometimes three, sometimes four depending on how bad the exterior damage or parasite is.
5.) This is important. ADD A BUBBLE WALL. A 12" bubble wall will work. It creates more surface break which oxygenates the water even more. You do this because warmer water lacks in oxygen. You may also find your fish laying in the bubble wall, I think they find it soothing.
Do this for two weeks. It will cure just about any external disease or parasite and here's the reason.
When fish get sick in the wild they go to shallow water. Why? Because in a river system the shallow water is highly oxygenated, warmer and replenished more often. We're just trying to duplicate mother nature... the major differences are the salt and the fact that there's no predators around to pick off the sick fish.... Make sense?
There's no set time as to how long it'll take for any fish to heal from injuries, ich, fungus, torn fins, HITH or any other parasite. Simply because it depends on how often you keep up on the water changes and the severity of the ailment....
Good luck! TFG
this method works wonders on open wounds
