Pictus Cats and Ick
- Thread starter Toonerfish
- Start date
Thank you. I am treating for 5 days, but often the Pictus won't make it that long. I had one for about 6 months, and then it got ich and died. Have had 2 since, and had bad luck with both. I have become aware of pH problems with the water and am trying to keep it down to neutral (with both pH Down and pH Proper products). Had better luck when I was more ignorant and it was consistantly high! What do these fish prefer for pH and hardness? I can't seem to find the information.
Thanks!
Thanks!
You need to be careful with the meds you use on scaleless fish like pictus cats. It may be that the meds killed them rather than the disease 
Make sure you get a med that is suitable for scaleless fish.
Unfortunately, pictus cats get ich pretty easily. I would avoid using pH adjusters, as this may stress your fish and lead to ich problems. If possible, you should quarantine all fish before adding them to your tank when you have had ich problems (although it's good practice to do that anyway).
Make sure you get a med that is suitable for scaleless fish.Unfortunately, pictus cats get ich pretty easily. I would avoid using pH adjusters, as this may stress your fish and lead to ich problems. If possible, you should quarantine all fish before adding them to your tank when you have had ich problems (although it's good practice to do that anyway).
We are on well water here, and I have never had to adjust for chlorine or any of the other stuff cities put in the water, but it is very hard. I have just added some pH Proper in a newer 20 gallon tank and the water is still very cloudy. It doesn't seem to be able to dissolve the solids. The pH remains at 7.6 (hasn't moved since I began the pH Proper). The fish (angels, guppies (fry too), swords, tetras) don't seem to be too disturbed, but it is ugly to look at. Should I change some water and just let things be or keep trying to get it to the "proper" pH? The tank needs some "cyclical" assistance, but I hear Cycle is not the best thing. Do you have a recommendation?
Yes, I have just discovered that hardness and pH are not the same thing. pH from the tap is 7.2, not bad. Ammonia is 0, but I don't do nitrite readings. Water changes every 5 days. I have tanks set up for 1 year, 8 months, and 1 month. We have just sent the water away for another chemical test. We got one when we purchased the house last July and it showed hardness, and a pH of 8.0 but we have had lots of rain this year and the pH seems to be lower from the rainwater. We'll see what the lab has to say.
Tooner fish - I lost 3 pictus to ich meds. I've found that the best treatment for pictus and ich is a temp increase and a bit of salt. Keep your temp at 82+...it really seems to help them. Ich doesn't like heat. Since scaleless fish are sensative to salt as well, start with the temp increase and see if that does anything before you add the salt.