ScarfaceShaz

Help...

Ive woke up this morning to see my beautiful fish with some white pin head sized spots. I believe it to be ICH. Ive been given some medication to add to the water from the LFS. They never mentioned to raise temp to 82 F, but I have, as thanks to fish lore Ive picked that up. Also I got some aquarium salt and added it to some tank water in a bowl, and placed each of my fish in it for 10sec, as recommended by my lfs. Ive decided not to add it direct to my tank. Should I? I guess not now, as Ive placed medication into it now.. :-(
Also now Ive noticed one of my platys has white substance around its mouth. there seemd to be small cracks also. Is this a secondary infection?
Fungal or Bacterial? I hope Im using the right medication, as all the three lfs i went to recommended different ones. I hope my platy pulls thru as he looks in abad state. There was no sign of this occuring last night..?
Ive not notice any of my fish rub themselves on to my rocks or substarte in the past, apart from flicking themselves on my plant leaves. I thought they were happy and having fun..??
The medication Im using is Protozin by Waterlife. treats whitespot & fungus. it contains Malachite green (0.085%) Formaldehyde (0.07%) and Copper Sulphate (0.015%) w/w
Should I do water changes/clean gravel during medication to try and get rid of the parasites when in the form of tomonts & thermonts...?

Im I doing anything wrong? Is there anythin else I can do?
Please help....

Lucy

For ich, I'm pretty sure the temp should be raised to 84F and left there for two weeks. Do a good vacuum to pick up all the spores.

Someone will have to confirm this, but I don't think salt it good for your pleco.

When fish are stressed, they're more susceptible to disease. This many be whats going on with yours.

If it's only one platy that's exhibiting these symptoms, it would be best to put him In a Q tank and treat him alone.
You don't want to medicate fish that aren't ill.

ScarfaceShaz

Hi lucy.

They all have some white spots. Just one of the platys is worse of. He's really struggling now, rolling over and stuff. Im scared im going to lose hime. Only had him 2 weeks :-(
Ill raise my temp to 84, thanks. Why would my fish be stressed I dont understand. All my levels are nice and low if not 0. ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 and Nitrates just a slight trace.
pH is at 7.5. could that be it...?

ScarfaceShaz

Oh no... just lost may platy :-((((

Lucy

I'm really sorry to hear you lost the platy.

In another thread, wasn't one ill when you brought it home?

Incompatible tank mates cause stress to fish, I believe it was mentioned in another thread. There was already some chasing going on. Once we turn out the lights, we don't know what goes on.

The betta really should be moved to his own heated filtered 5g tank.

Adding additional hiding spots...lots of plants may help the others.

ScarfaceShaz

I have placed afew plants in my tank. Also afew rocks, as well some hiding places in the form of ornaments; a barrel, a rusting car and a log...
As soon as Ive got rid of this Ich I shall be getting a quarantine tank and another tank for my betta...

Lucy

The hiding places should help them feel more secure.
Good luck with the ich, the raised temps and vacuum should help.

ScarfaceShaz

Thanks for the support Lucy...

Lucy

Your welcome. Along with the raised temps, you should increase the aeration.....warmer water has less oxygen.

ScarfaceShaz

Yes thanks for the info. Id forgotten to mention. Id luckily enough just installed a long 6 inch air stone at the back of my tank, in the middle and a large round at the front right. Ive now placed on in the front left now too.
I have plenty of bubbles entering the water and constant water tension breaking on the surface. I believe this should be enough to compensate the decrease in dissolved O2.

Thanks lucy....

cerianthus

Just remember to decrease the temp gradually when all is well otherwise possibility of going back to square one since sudden temp drop can/will trigger the dormant spores to hatch looking for new hosts.
It could be that heater is not strong enough (ususally 5Watts/Gal) or it could be that your room temp is fluctuating the temp of the tank higher than your heater is set for and when room temp drops, it can cause sudden temp drop which can cause ICK infestations. Seen it many times especially in Summer. During the day when no one is home, room temp can go lot higher than the heater setting. in the evening, temp can drop fast due to cranked up A/C which can/did drop the room temp drastically and same goes for fish tank.

No matter what i try to control and manage the fish, such unfortunate event can develop. We just need to recognize the problem fast enough and use what we learned in order to prevent from happening again.

ScarfaceShaz

thanks cerianthus.
It is winter here now. I have my temp at 84 F. at night it drops by just 0.5 because of the cold outside...
I think thats ok aint it? tank is in far corner from window, and next to radiator which stays on until 2 at night.

By the way guys, I just lost another platy! It seemed ok last night. I cant take much more of this... :-(((

ScarfaceShaz

Just got back from work.. My betta looks terrible. Got big patches all over it, and major fin rot!
What shall I do !?

Lucy

I'm really sorry about your loss.

As advised in another thread, the betta shouldn't be in your community tank. The shark was doing a lot of chasing in your video.
Are you sure it's fin rot and not damage from him being picked on?
He'd be best in his own filtered, heated 5g tank without the stress from the shark. Clean warm water garlic gaurd, Vita-Chem and Fish Protector (or extra stress coat)
should do him some good.

If he needs to be treated Maracyn-Plus or Rid-Fungus might help.

Good luck.

Shawnie

id get him in his own tank asap...you can cut some media off your cycled tank (your tank is cycled right?) and use some of the gravel in his new tank to cycle it fast....and using the miracle 3 , garlic guard, vita chem, & fish protector will do him wonders...the stress coat+ rocks now so that will heal his fins if you cant find the others...move him fast!