Beat White Spot!!!

Help!! 170 L tank. 5 Platies, 12 Barb, 1 Shark, (4 KuhlI loach)

I have had white spot for two weeks. treated with Protozin.2 courses...still have it. I am about to change to King British orig WS3 but must wait till tomorrow. I was told to wait 48 hours when changing meds. I have not seen the KuhlI loaches so think they are dead) The temp is 25.9 and can't go higher due to the shark. Same applies for having to use half dose with the King British. This is driving me mad. The PH is 7.8 and Amonia/No2/No3 all 0)

Any help will be SO gratefully recieved...Must I wait 48 hours????

Best

Joel

 

your shark should be ok with the temperature above 29 for just a few days as long as you have an air pump somewhere in your tank. I would raise your temperature to 29-30 for about a week. Also, instead of using harsh meds on your fish I would use something like melafix for your fish with the increase in temperature.

Your profile also says you don't know about the nitrogen cycle, you really should read up on this and redo your tests. Its unlikely that all 3 of your readings would be at 0 and your profile also says your ammonia is at .25. Is your tank cycled? If not this whole thing might be part of new tank syndrome and the best thing you can do for your fish is daily water changes and raising the temperature instead of treating with meds and ammo lock.

good luck with your fish

 

bassmaster...Thank you for your prompt advice!!. I will try what you suggest. I do understand the nitrate cycle...well I thought I was beginning to!!...the tank has been going since late Jan. I got a better testing kit at the end of last week - that was the reading yesterday but will check again today. How long does the cycle take? I did have nitrate issues a little time ago but have been using liquid filter, cycle etc and it seemed to be coming in to balance.

 

what test kit are you using? Most test strips are pretty inaccurate and some of the liquid tests require you to really shake up the nitrate test bottle or else you can get a false 0 reading. Cycling can take anywhere between 2 weeks to over 3 months... The best way to know if you're cycled is to test often and watch the ammonia levels drop, watch nitrite rise and then drop, and then watch your nitrate levels rise. Once your ammonia and nitrite reach 0 (without the aide of chemicals like ammo-lock) and your nitrate begins to rise consistently you know you're cycled. Even once you're fully cycled weekly water changes are still needed in order to keep nitrate levels down

 

I am using the API master test kit(the shake up variety). I have followed the directions to the letter...I have not used ammo lock. Will do another test now and post the results.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

sounds good! glad to help

 

The results are in.... PH 7.8, Ammo - 0, No2 -0, No3 - 20 ...... ?

Water change now do you think..

 

One looking at the No3 again...It is hard to check it on the chart it could be 40 ..it is redder than orange..

 

readings look good
sounds like you're cycled, but I would go ahead and do a water change, be sure to keep up with those weekly to keep the nitrates under 20. You should go ahead and turn up your heater to get it to 29-30 degrees so that when the ich begins to reproduce, the new ich tomites will die off before they can latch onto a new victim, after about a week at the higher temperature, the white spots should be gone. Once you are ich free, keep the temp up for another 3 days and then lower it back to where you normally keep it

 

Ok..water change tonight 10%. Temp is at 26 and rising slowly ...will cap at 29. I won't put any meds in but will get some melafix from the shop tomorrow. I shall keep you posted with the progress. (not sure how one 'finger crosses' with a smiley)

 

Also do gravel vac to pickup ICH spores. If you can put a super fine filter pad in your filter to trap some of those buggers. They need a host to survive.

Melafix dose not kill ICH. Don't mix meds eather. Add Freshwater API aquarium salt, parasites don't care for salt. Just disolve in some tank water first, then add it. Only replenish the amount of salt needed for the amount of water you will put back into tank. As salt dose not evaporate. Read the directions and tips on the box. Some people don't care for salt but it is OK to use for short term use and disolve it beforehand.

When turning the heater back down, do it slowly.

Good luck!

 

HI Christine, thanks for the tips. I always use gravel vac for water change. I have always been nervous about using salt as it is a planted aquarium. I shall get some fine filter pad too.

Everyday is a school day in the aquarium learning curve!

 

HI Christine, thanks for the tips. I always use gravel vac for water change. I have always been nervous about using salt as it is a planted aquarium. I shall get some fine filter pad too.

Everyday is a school day in the aquarium learning curve!

Ditch the salt, didn't realize you had a planted aquarium and you have Loaches they are scaless.

I really hope you beat this, ICH can be a pain. How bad is it? Do you know the cause of the breakout?

 

Yes waiting 48 hours would be good 24 would do before changing medications. If that wasn't to happen and the medications mix in your tank or more importantly in the fish's body it could kill them. I would suggest it even with the weakest of medications. But the above infomation is very good!

 

Ditch the salt, didn't realize you had a planted aquarium and you have Loaches they are scaless.

I really hope you beat this, ICH can be a pain. How bad is it? Do you know the cause of the breakout?

I think its getting better...but we lost a barb today - there is a platie that was suffering a lot over the last two days but showed a huge improvement today. I hope the (kuhli) loaches are hiding because I haven't seen them for a couple of days... They do like to hide sometimes..) It was a pretty bad infestation..I am determined to beat it though! The cause was an infected fish from the shop...I was nervous about one of the fish he put in the bag...but stupidly trusted them as its a very good shop..normally. I should have said something at the time rather than trust the guy working that day, who I had not dealt with there before...oh well.

 

Live and learn I suppose :-\

On the plus side, if you ever have to deal with it again you'll know the cure..... Also might be a good idea to set up a quarantine tank for any new additions in the future. Its a pain, but keeping your established fish safe is far less trauma in the long run