Sorry about that, I did mean a clove of garlic I will pick up some minced garlic tomorrow, did the water change today and noticed that the otocinclus has ICH too. So, it turns out it's fine that I didn't move the betta out of the tank, since all but the cory and ghost shrimp (can they even get it?) seem to have the spots.
She's still swimming around with a clamped dorsal fin, but she's active and has an appetite. I can't tell if the background I put up behind the tank and around the sides has helped, she seems to always be looking at what I think is her reflection :/ Obviously, that's not a problem I can fix... the glass will reflect. Any other suggestions?
It's so great to see so many FL members coming to one's aid. So sorry your Oto got it too. Hope everything gets resolved soon and there will be no loss. Keep us updated.
At the lamp thing, the only light I have on the tank is the toplight in the hood :/ I can't tell if the textbooks/background have helped... she still is always staring at the glass, but then again she was doing that before she got sick and stressed.
Is it normal for the ich spots to get larger? I had to run up to my hometown for the night, and had my fish-savvy friend check on her, and she says the spots are much more visible... maybe she just didn't notice them before? I'll let you guys know when I get back.
Well, I think I've got some good news. Lily is picking up her dorsal fin a lot more tonight (still not all the time, but more). She definitely has ich spots, as does the oto, but both are hanging in there
Lily still has an appetite, and while I've still not bought the garlic for her, I will tomorrow.
Just to ease my mind, anyone else have this kind of thermometer?
Update: Got the garlic, as well as a new hidey-log decoration to give her an additional place to hide, hopefully that will help her stress levels.
It was actually really funny, because I bought minced garlic, and tried to give her the tiny pieces of the actual garlic. Well, she got excited when I dropped them in... but then she got a whiff of them and sped away! Crestfallen, I decided to try Shawnie's garlic-laced-bloodworm method... and it worked!
She scarfed the little bloodworm down before she realized it was coated in the garlic juice xD She got a look on her face like "YOU TRICKED ME", but her indignation at being fooled will be worth it if this helps boost her immune system
Well, I fed the garlic-laced bloodworms a second time today, and while Lily and co will gobble up the bloodworms, they're not thrilled about the garlic xD Can't say I blame them, the stuff smells.
I *think* the ich-y things are beginning the falling-off-the-fish stage? I can still see some on Lily, but there are less now... hopefully the heat will nuke them! (Don't worry, it's only at 84.)
Keeping up with the daily water changes and feeding the garlic-laced food once a day. Both the infected fish are doing ok, both have an appetite, but the female betta will not leave her reflection alone. I bought a plant to hide some of the glass, but she finds ways around it :/ Any suggestions? I'm not sure that's what's troubling her...
I put backgrounds on all sides but the front (black paper on the sides and blue paper on the back) and she still chases it :/ She seems less stressed since I bought another plant and put it on the one side, and is even investigating the gravel today, which she hasn't done in about a week (that I've seen).
Keeping up with the temperature/water changes/gravel siphoning/garlic food. Lily seems to have perked up a huge amount today, and her striping is still visible but lessened some. The oto, who was the other affected fish, seems to be doing well and enjoys the new plant immensely. It seems like he gets more active and happy the more plants I add He and the cory cat have claimed the little fort I built with some decorations, and the ghost shrimp is perpetually happy and seems more active at the higher temp.
Lily did somehow split her dorsal fin (it's definitely a clean split, not fin rot) last night. She's split her anal fin before and it recovered fully with pristine conditions and a bit of stress coat, so I'm not horribly worried. I figure that since the water is being kept basically in very good condition and I'm boosting her immunity as is, no extra measures are needed.
Contemplating buying my own test kit, but if not, will go to the further away pet store that uses liquid tests. The fish guy there always grumps at me for doing it, but I've given his store so much money over the last few years he ought to thank me for coming in
I put backgrounds on all sides but the front (black paper on the sides and blue paper on the back) and she still chases it :/ She seems less stressed since I bought another plant and put it on the one side, and is even investigating the gravel today, which she hasn't done in about a week (that I've seen).
Keeping up with the temperature/water changes/gravel siphoning/garlic food. Lily seems to have perked up a huge amount today, and her striping is still visible but lessened some. The oto, who was the other affected fish, seems to be doing well and enjoys the new plant immensely. It seems like he gets more active and happy the more plants I add He and the cory cat have claimed the little fort I built with some decorations, and the ghost shrimp is perpetually happy and seems more active at the higher temp.
Lily did somehow split her dorsal fin (it's definitely a clean split, not fin rot) last night. She's split her anal fin before and it recovered fully with pristine conditions and a bit of stress coat, so I'm not horribly worried. I figure that since the water is being kept basically in very good condition and I'm boosting her immunity as is, no extra measures are needed.
Contemplating buying my own test kit, but if not, will go to the further away pet store that uses liquid tests. The fish guy there always grumps at me for doing it, but I've given his store so much money over the last few years he ought to thank me for coming in
awesome job hooexii!!!!! Im so glad you didnt medicate her....and im very glad you have really kept up with this with your limited resources....I hope she continues to get better and I bet a few big leafed silk plants, will keep her from seeing her self and give her something else to keep her busy GREAT JOB!
GUH she managed to split both her caudal and dorsal fins now -____-
I'm not sure what she's splitting them on, all of the decor is either betta-safe or not anywhere near where she's been swimming (she alternates panes of glass). Like I said before, all the conditions for proper healing are present in the water as I've been treating for the ich, but still. Little girl likes to worry me!
ya they have a way of doing that dont they!!! lil buggers are always keeping us on our toes!
when you say "not anywhere near where she swims" does that mean on the other side of a divider ? if its in her tank, she probably is swimming near it just not when you are around....they tend to hang out to the closest point of the tank that they can see you best, when you are around...when you arent, they are all over...
Yeah, I was also reading that sometimes strong currents can cause ripped fins, and watched her around the airstone. I reduced the current on the airstone a tiny bit, maybe that will help.
None of the decor is especially point or sharp... most of the plants are soft plastic or real, and none of the rocks are that sharp. I'll keep an eye on her movements, though as you said she behaves differently when she can see me
Well she's still striping and still chasing her reflection. She does alternate panes of glass, and has been taking breaks, but still does it a lot. I'm at a loss for how to make her not bother at her own reflection. She's swimming with her dorsal fin up, however...
Trying to see if adding white/pink paper to the aquarium will help her become less focused on her reflection. She seems very interested/confused by the color change, but not distressed any more than before.
Hopefull, given time, she'll be more at ease. It's hard to say if it's the ich or the reflection that's stressing her, or both. Will watch for a few days and see.
As of this morning she is still chasing her reflection. Will an aquatic background help this at all? I've been using construction paper because I have it on hand and it's cheap to replace.
I'm concerned because she's now managed to split all three fins :/ Could this be from over-exerting herself with her own reflection? She's swimming with her fins extended, so...
The ich is mainly on her fins that I can see, but the splits are definitely just that--splits in the fin, not effects of disease. She is still striping, though I *think* it's less pronounced.
Thanks for the hug... you guys have all helped so much already, I just don't want Lily's healing to be compromised by her apparent obsession with her own reflection. Either she's curious, territorial, or narcissitic. I really don't know which one right now :/
Here's a video of her today... do you guys think its the ich or her reflection causing the striping? Or something else? All the other fish seem fine, and I've been doing daily water changes for the ich, so... it's not likely to be water parameters...
Good news, it seems! Lily's perked up a lot since last night and her caudal fin seems to have healed well. Hopefully she won't tear it again! The other fins are still healing, but I'm guessing since her water parameters are being kept very good, that will go well.
Keeping up with the same treatment as before, the ichs on her fins have not yet fallen off, but hopefully that won't take long? I'm siphoning the gravel daily in the hope of catching the ones that have possibly fallen off. Hopefully this combined with the increased temp will knock those little parasites for a loop
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I will pick up some minced garlic tomorrow, did the 
awesome job hooexii!!!!! Im so glad you didnt medicate her....and im very glad you have really kept up with this with your limited resources....I hope she continues to get better and I bet a few big leafed silk plants, will keep her from seeing her self and give her something else to keep her busy 
GREAT JOB!