Ich is a horrible disease that can quickly affect a whole aquarium and kill all of your fish in a very short amount of time. Therefore, finding a good treatment is essential. Today, we’re here to take a look at the five best ich treatments for aquariums that you can buy, so let’s get right to it.
Best Ich Treatments for Aquariums
- KORDON Rapid CURE # 37911
- Hikari Usa AHK73314 Salt water Ich-X
- Weco Nox-Ich Water Treatment
- KORDON #37611 Rid Ich for Aquarium
- Tetra Ick Guard Tablets
Top 5 Best Best Ich Treatments for Aquariums: Reviews
Here are all of the best ich treatments for aquariums available on the market.
Disclaimer: The information provided on Aquarium Genius is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as veterinary advice. If your fish or other aquatic animals are showing signs of illness, please consult with a qualified veterinarian in your area for professional guidance and care. Always prioritize the health and well-being of your pets by seeking expert advice.
1. KORDON Rapid CURE # 37911: Our Top Pick
- RAPID RELIEF: Provides relief from surface itching and treats common symptoms like white spots,...
- COMPRENSIVE TREATMENT: Treats Ich infections, fin damage, and external Protozoan parasites,...
Here we have a special treatment option that comes to us from a highly trusted brand name in the world of fish medicine. This particular product will treat ich within a matter of days, generally within about 48 hours. Here, one drop is enough for a gallon of water, and you only need to add it three times daily.
The whole bottle should treat roughly 400 gallons of tank water, which means that a single bottle should be more than enough for full aquariums.
What’s really neat about this product is that it doesn’t only treat ich, but also external protozoan parasites, and much more. It treats many different symptoms such as fin damage, visible worms, white spots, itching, and more. Even better is the fact that it should not negatively impact the water chemistry of your fish tank.
It should also be 100% totally safe for your fish, which is quite impressive seeing as it should be able to solve this problem within about 48 hours. What does however need to be said is that this treatment may be toxic to invertebrates, so any shrimp, snails, corals, and live rocks need to be removed from the water. Furthermore, this treatment is not safe to use in water that contains loaches.
Pros
- Safe for most fish
- Works in 48 hours
- Cost effective
- Easy to use
- Also treats parasites
Cons
- Not safe for use around loaches or invertebrates
Unless you happen to have loaches or a lot of invertebrates in your tank, then this is by far the best option to treat ich in an aquarium.
2. Hikari Usa AHK73314 Salt water Ich-X
- Hikari salt water ich x 4oz
- Your pet will love it
What you get here is a large bottle of an ich treatment solution that should be able to treat up to 240 gallons of aquarium water. To be clear, each bottle comes with four oz, and one ounce should be enough for around 60 gallons.
This product also comes to us from a highly trusted brand name, but something you do need to be aware of is that it is specifically designed to be used in saltwater aquariums. It is not designed to be used in freshwater tanks, and if it’s used in freshwater tanks, may cause serious damage to the environment.
That being said, other than the fact that this product is not designed to be used in freshwater aquariums, it should work just fine for all saltwater conditions, as well as all saltwater fish. It should not change the water chemistry or negatively impact your fish in any way, while quickly getting rid of ich within about 48 to 72 hours.
Pros
- Good price
- Fast acting
- Fine for saltwater use
- A little bit goes a long way
Cons
- Not for freshwater use
If you happen to have a saltwater fish tank, then this is by far the best ich treatment that you can get your hands on.
3. Weco Nox-Ich Water Treatment
- Immediately stops Itch
- Also kills Velvet, Fin Rot, Chilondonella, Trichondina
Here we have a super versatile product, which is true in many more ways than just one. First and foremost, this particular product can be used for both saltwater and freshwater aquariums, which is a really big bonus. Furthermore, this product not only stops ich in its tracks, but also takes care of fin rot, velvet, Chilondonella, and Trichondina.
What you might really like about it is that it is extremely cost-effective. A single drop of it is more than enough to treat a full gallon of aquarium water, so you can imagine just how far 4 ounces of it will go.
It should be more than enough to take care of this issue in any home aquarium no matter the size. If we are talking about the saltwater tank, it will take about two drops per gallon. Of course, it is 100% safe for your fish and all other aquarium inhabitants, so you should not have any problems there.
Pros
- Ideal for fresh and saltwater tanks
- Kills ich and more
- Cost effective
- A single drop for a whole gallon
- Should be safe for all fish
- Adjustable flow
- Many sizes available
Cons
- May stain sealants
If you need an all-around ich treatment that works well for all types of fish and aquarium settings, then this is probably your best bet.
4. KORDON #37611 Rid Ich for Aquarium
- Kordon rid ich 1oz
- A combination of two powerful medications
Here we have another fantastic product from Kordon, with this one being designed specifically to kill ich, something which it can accomplish in as little as 2 days.
This is a very fast acting and effective treatment that should quickly control it and a variety of other fungal and protozoan external diseases. You should be able to control various parasites such as costia, trichodina, chilodenella, and others.
This product should be 100% safe to use around your fish, and it should work fine in both saltwater and freshwater aquariums.
A single bottle comes with one fluid oz or 29 milliliters, which should be enough to treat 60 gallons of aquarium water. Therefore, you may need additional bottles if you have an aquarium larger than 60 gallons. Furthermore, something else you might appreciate here is that this product should not negatively impact the biological filtration capabilities of your aquarium.
Pros
- Ideal for most aquariums
- Should be totally safe for fish
- Works for saltwater and freshwater tanks
Cons
- Only for max 60 gallons
If you have a small aquarium that you need to treat ich in, then this is probably your best bet.
5. Tetra Ick Guard Tablets
- 24 Ick Guard Tablets Total (3 Packs with 8 Tablets per Pack) By Tetra
- Clears ick fast
If you have a fresh water tank and your fish are suffering from it, then this might just be one of the best products in the world. What you get here are three separate packs, each with eight tablets.
In order to remove ich from any aquarium, it is recommended that you add one tablet for every 10 gallons of tank water. Therefore, a single patch should be enough for an 80 gallon tank, and one purchase should be enough for a 240 gallon tank.
This product is ideal for all types of freshwater aquariums, and should be safe for all animals as well. It should work within just 48 hours, and you should notice changes starting to happen almost right away. It should also be totally safe to use for all other tank inhabitants.
Pros
- Works quickly
- Easy to dose
- Safe for all fish
- Safe for all freshwater tanks
Cons
- For freshwater tanks only
If you happen to have any kind of freshwater aquarium, and your fish are suffering from ich, then this is by far one of the most reliable products on the market.
Ich Treatment for Aquariums Buyers Guide: What to Look Out For
Before you go out and buy any old ich treatment for your aquarium fish, there are a few important considerations to pay attention to.
Type of Fish
When choosing any such treatment for an aquarium, always keep the type of fish in mind. Although most of the treatments that we’ve talked about today are fine for all fish, there are some that are not.
For instance, some treatments might not be fine for scaleless fish, and others might not be okay for invertebrates. Always make sure that the product in question is ideal for the fish that you have.
Type of Water
You then also need to consider the type of water that you have. Just like these treatments are not suitable for all types of fish, so are they not suitable for all types of water.
Yes, there are some that are suitable for both freshwater and saltwater environments, but this is not always the case. Always make sure that the treatment within question is ideal for the type of aquarium that you have.
Amount Needed
You then need to take into account the amount of the product that you will need for your aquarium, which in other words means that you need to compare the size of your aquarium to the directions as included on the product in question.
Always make sure that you purchase enough to treat your whole tank, and then some. If you don’t purchase enough, you might not be able to totally get rid of the issue, in which case it might come back stronger than ever.
Treatment Time
Different products may require different amounts of time to fully treat an aquarium of ich. Therefore, always pay attention to how long it says it takes to work. Some of the products we’ve talked about today take as little as 48 hours.
Cost
Finally, you should also consider the cost of the product in question. Although we certainly don’t recommend going with the cheapest products, if there are two products that both do the same thing, you don’t need to always buy the more expensive one. The most important thing here is for you to pay attention to the ingredients.
