ICK?

[Seleya]

Three threads, actually, Froggy.

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/freshwater-beginner-information-questions/40151-finrot.html

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/freshwater-beginner-information-questions/40010-ick.html

Dragon, you still haven't answered a bunch of questions. We cannot help you without the information.

 

[Seleya]

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, LWB. While only a heater malfunction has ever driven my temps up to that degree (at the cost of several fishes' lives) the entire purpose of raising the temp to around 84F in ich treatment is to accelerate their lifespan, hence make the salt treatment go faster.

I've done the salt treatment with wild caught cories and other more sensitive fish without a loss -- if the treatment is done asap and effectively, losses should be kept to an absolute minimum even with more sensitive species. Most medications are significantly more harsh than the salt method and I am not sold on simply using heat with no other catalyst.

All this, however, is a moot point since Dragon's problem has nothing to do with ich, tho it may still rear its ugly head with the stress this gup is going through and her recent aquisition from a pet store.

Egads, dual posts -- sorry, Froggy!

 

[FroggyFox]

ok they're merged. For future reference Dragoncqzzz it helps to have all of the information in one spot for people AND it helps if you answer everyone's questions so that we have all the information we need to help you out.

 

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

Ok, I just thought I'd put that question in more places so I might get more responses.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

True, 84 degrees does speed up the ick lifespan, but above 86 degrees kills ick. And as for sensative fish, I have not only cories myself, but GBR's, which are even more sensative. My cories can go through quite a bit, but the GBR's are so sensative. But at those temps, the GBR's do great, as they are a warmer water fish. And yes, I did have 1 case of ick where 86 degrees and salt did not work. I had to go to the very frightning 92 degrees, before I could get it to stop spreading. That was the first time I had ever seen that strain of ick, and have not seen it again. But I have never been able to get rid of ick below 86 degrees, not even with salt. 86 degrees should stop it in it's tracks, unless you have an imune strain like the 1 case I had.

 

[Les_251181]

Shortly after i added 2 shibunkins to my aquarium, both those 2 fish and a couple of my others got ick. there were visible white spots, and they were flashing the tank like mad.

I used an interpet liquid treatment for white spot, and uppsed my water changes to 2 times a week, and in just over a week the icks had gone.

*SUPERSMIL

 

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

Froggface died last night, the same day or a day after I did a water change. I have no idea how she died. I just found her floating at the top, pale and disgusting, like there was a fungus all over her. I guess next time I'm getting normal guppies and they're going in the 20 gallon. If any look sick or die I will do a water change other than the ones I do each weekend. The only guppy that I have been able to keep alive is little Psycho.

 

[Seleya]

I'm sorry to hear you lost her.

The likely cause was ammonia poisoning due to the tank not being cycled. It doesn't take much time for a tank that small to get toxic. Even with a water change a day or two before, the toxins can build up so fast a cycling tank that size needs extra careful monitoring and constant water changes. There is certainly a possibility she brought something in with her (tho the fuzz was more likely postmortem) as new fish can always be harboring all sorts of nasties which is why quarantine tanks are so important. Why risk the fish you already have by adding fish with potential problems?

Your best bet is to keep a small sponge or hob filter going in a healthy tank at all times. On those occasions you bring new fish home, that filter may be moved over to an empty tank used just for quarantine. Be sure to add a small ornament of some sort or a few plants (plastic or real) to give the fish some places to hide and feel more comfortable but not so much that you cannot monitor them) With your size tanks, a 2.5 gallon is a good size -- they may be bought with a glass top at PetSmart for $10. When I use my own 2.5, I hang a Whisper 10 on the end (instead of the back) and the glass top fits nicely on its front (no cutting needed). If you do this, the tank is immediately cycled for any sort of fish you may bring home (just not too many at once, it *is* a small tank!).

I do strongly recommend that you re-examine which tank each of your fish are in.

 

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

What do you mean by "examine" which tanks my fish are in? I think I have a sponge that I got with a hermit crab tank, would that work in my aquarium? I think I might move Psycho into my 20 gallon if everything's ok. Oh yeah, I went to a pet store in Carbondale yesterday and found a tank labled "feeder guppies" that had "feeder" tetra in it because they "last longer." Some hobbyists are really sick.