fin rot + ich

[clanx]

Hi guys,

I've a 10 gallon tank that has been running healthily for a couple of months without any casualties already. However, recently, after a short trip back from a getaway, I noticed that my fishes seem to be having a myriad of diseases. Can someone advise me what to do? I am at a total lost on where to start.

Guppies: white shiny scales appearing, fin ragged.
Cories: White/greenish shiny scales appearing, white spots like sand

I'm thinking of getting some medications, can someone help me diagnose these diseases? should i do salt water baths? I know cories can't bathe in them though.

Guppies = fin rot? but what about the white/greenish shiny scales appearing
Cories = Ich? what about the white/greenish scales appearing

 

[achase]

Could you possibly add some pictures of the fish? That might be helpful for identifying what illness they may have.

I don't know much about fish illness so hopefully someone with more knowledge will post answer.

To me....your guesses about fin rot (ragged fins) and ich (white spots) sound right from what you describe. For something like that I have aquarium salt and Melafix on hand but thankfully I haven't had to use them yet.

 

[sombunya]

Do you do water changes? 25% per week is the minimum, I do 50% every two weeks.

I'm no expert by any means but I've always felt that is the easiest way to keep a tank healthy.

 

[stoddern]

first off do a major water change I'd do around 75%, swish your filters in the old water to clean them (I cut the plastic backing so I can take the carbon out and filters last 3-6months, no problems) vacum your gravel as you empty the tank (this is really needed especially if you don't have live plants to complete the nitrogen cycle) all the fish poop and excess food settle in the gravel and as it all breacks down and rots it lowwers your water quality fast and since you have a 10 gal the water wquality is gonna drop faster then if you had a bigger tank.

please let us know how many guppies and how many cories? I think your problem is stemming from poor water quality and for the health of the fish I must recomend that you do the 75% water change now, and then do 50% every 3-4 days after that to help get the tank back to normal, after 3 or 4 changes do 50% once a week at a min. since it's a 10gal, depending on how many fish you say are in there I may say to do more or even get a bigger tank. (misnomer smaller tanks are better for beginners) small tanks are harder to keep because the water quality can change very fast, I recomend a 20 or 30gal for a newb to this hobby

 

[clanx]

Hey.. I've lost an oto and a guppy.

Current stockings are 3 guppies, 6 cherry barbs and 5 cories.(2albino,2peppered,1leopard) and around 20 over red cherry shrimps. will try frequent water changes thanks

 

[stoddern]

you are way over stocked, you should have all that in a 30gal min. the genereal rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gal. always measured at full adult size not current fish size. yes the shrimp will help clean the tank but they too produce waste. at a bare min. get a 20gal. and add some live plants to help filter the water, live plants will help complete the natural nitrogen cycle also make sure the tank is properly cycled with a good bacteria colony, one thing new ppl to the hobby overlook is the cycle, fish waste and extra food cause ammonia to climb, a natural bacteria eats the ammonia turning it to nitrites another bacteria eats the nitrites converting it to nitrates, nitrates and alil ammonia are used by the plants, giving you a slight buffer in filtering but when you are so over stocked in such a small tank the levels of stuff climbs very fast and you have to stay on top of water changes and the water changes have to be bigger, I really feel sorry for your fish being so crowded and breathing in sewage

 

[achase]

the genereal rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gal

This rule doesn't always work because certain fish require more space regardless of their adult size. Which is why you said in general but I personally wouldn't recommend it. A good alternative that I and many others on this forum have found useful is this site: http://www.aqadvisor.com