My white skirt tetra has a red face wound and ich. How do I treat him?

It could be early ich (white spot) infection or another infection (bacterial or fungal). To be safe, separate him into a quarantine tank and monitor for any change. You can treat for ich as you did it in the past if indicated. Bacterial and fungal infections have different treatments, so I would be hesitant to recommend a specific medication without more information or a definitive diagnosis. You can use plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt or Epsom salt). As a general tonic to reduce stress, increase gill function, treat minor infection of many types and to aid in recovery. This can be added to the quarantine tank at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition.

It needs to be separated into a hospital tank by itself so it can be treated and heal. If you leave it in the main tank, the others will continue to pick and nip until it dies. Maintain pristine water quality and chemistry during treatment. You can use a broad spectrum antibiotic for 10-14 days to treat infection. You can find one, such as Maracyn 1 or 2, Kanaplex or Furan, in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

When there is an ich infection, it is necessary to treat the entire tank, even the fish that are not symptomatic. Ich has 3 distinct stages in the life cycle. Tomites, the free swimming stage, are most vulnerable to treatment. Once on the fish or encapsulated in the substrate, ich is very difficult to treat. A combination of increased water temp, aquarium salt and commercial medication can be used to treat ich. The increased water temp, 86F, will significantly speed up the lifecycle. It can take 1-2 weeks to treat minor infections and longer for more severe infections.

Maintain water temperature at 86F for at least two weeks. Add an air stone during this time to increase aeration/oxygenation. Monitor the other fish for similar symptoms or stress associated with the warmer water. Up to 2 teaspoons of plain aquarium salt (NOT table) can be used to treat ich (white spot disease). It can take a couple weeks to effectively treat ich. In the future, it is recommended to quarantine new fish prior to adding them to the main tank to prevent infection.

Even though a picture of it would help to determine underlying cause more precisely, ich can only be killed in its free swimming stage. After it feeds off the fish, it drops into the substrate where it forms cysts and multiplies. Then the new ich parasites swim out of the gravel and find new fish hosts and start the cycle all over again. That is why it is important after all white spots have disappeared to continue treatment, you should continue treating for an additional 2 weeks after all symptoms are gone. After the spots disappear off the fish, I would vacuum the gravel to suck up any cysts. If you increase the temperature the life cycle of the ich becomes faster. All new fish should be placed in a quarantine tank for at least 2-3 weeks to make sure they are eating, free of disease, and are able to recuperate in a stress-free environment.

Gradually increase the water temp to about 80 F. This will speed up the lifecycle of the parasite. Once all the spots have dropped off the fish, you can use a commercial ich treatment. Look for one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully. If you have just a few fish in the tank, you can remove them to a separate tank after the spots have dropped off. Leave the main tank empty for 4 days at 80 F. The ich parasite cannot survive without fish, so they will die. After 4 days, perform a partial water change, vacuum the substrate, wipe down tank furniture and return the water temp to normal. Acclimate the fish to water temp before returning them to the water.

A photo of the fish would be helpful if you can get one. It could be infection, injury or parasites. Any new fish, ideally, should be quarantined for at least 2 weeks before being staffed to the main tank. For now, quarantine the fish. Treat with a broad spectrum dewormer. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Maintain pristine water quality and add in some plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt). This will reduce stress, improve gill function, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for no more than 14 days then reassess the condition