Betta Fry ?

[Lenna]

I have quite alot of betta fry (too many to count) and I've had a minor ICh outbreak in the tank. At first I noticed that the weak and deformed fry (bent spines, etc) died as I expected (there were about 6 of them). But now I'm losing 2-3 every day, mostly due to the ICH I think. Is this excessive, should I be worrying about this mortality rate? Or is this pretty normal? The vast majority of the fry have no sign of ICH but I'm worried it will get worse. I am treating the tank with a little salt and a temp increase to 86F and so far the ICH hasn't gotten worse (fingers crossed). What sort of mortality rate should be expected in a large spawn, obviously not all of them could live but I was wondering?

 

[freshmike]

Um. Considering the size of the fish we are talking about...and the fact that ich is the number one disease in tropical tanks....I would say, without proper treatment (actual ich meds) all them will die. JMO.

 

[Lenna]

Oh no I can't use meds, they're only fry. It would probably kill them! Is there nothing I can do?

 

[shrks1fan]

Not true about not being able to use medicines with fry, in fact you need to if you have Ich as Ich will not just go away and fry are very succeptable to it. I treat with Aquarisol for my fry tanks, others may use something else. So I increase the temp, add more salt than usual and add the aquarisol daily.

Linda
http/www.pet-emporium.com
http/www.cooking-fanatics.com

 

[Lenna]

I don't have aquarisol, I have something called ICKaway. Should I have the dosage? Will it be safe? I don't think I have much choice but to try it (6 more have died)

 

[freshmike]

They are either going to die from ICH....or they MAY be cured by the meds.....you decide.

 

[bkk_group]

are you sure it's ich though? one of the most common killers of fry is actually velvet. (i'm sure you know the difference but still, it's worth mentioning).

 

[wuvmybetta]

If it were me I would go get some colloidal silver from the health food store. I've seen it cure ich almost instantly ( a day or two) and I know of a couple of members who I've recommended it to and they had great results battling ich.

http/www.familyhealthnews.com/49.html

Here's a great website with some helpful information. It's all natural and extremely gentle (unless it's dealing with a parasite or a bacteria!). If you do decide to get some, get the highest PPM that you can afford, it costs more but it's more effective and you use a lot less. This is only what I would do though....using silver,I've never had a need to use any other meds.

 

[shrks1fan]

I'm glad you brought up Colloidal Silver Wuv...I did some reading up on it a while back when my dog had a skin problem. I read a little bit about it for fish but got conflicting information (one even said it would quickly kill any fish it came in contact with, lol). I'm glad to actually know someone who does use it with their fish as that tells me it does NOT kill the fish but actually does the good that many say it does. Can you tell me what ppm you use and how much to cure Ich or anything else you've treated with it? The stuff I was able to get was 50ppm, which is pretty low potency, I think the store may have also had 500ppm which I think I'm going to get next time I'm there to use topically on cuts and stuff for me and my dog. So I'm curious what you use with your fish and the amounts for treatments.

Linda
http/www.pet-emporium.com
http/www.cooking-fanatics.com

 

[wuvmybetta]

I use 500 ppm @ about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon at a time (sometimes more,tank size pending). I've used it directly in my cycled tanks and it doesn't affect the beneficial bacteria. I use it as a precautionary when I'm acclimating new fish, this way any bacteria they're carrying,dies. Then sometimes I just add some to my tanks for no reason, in return I have fantasticly healthy fish. I've given it to ALL KINDS of fish, Africans,catfish,New worlds, bettas and I've never seen anything but positive results So I can say that it will not kill your fish instantly (those people are wrong ) I've also given it to our dog, the rabbit & ourselves (it takes care of a mosquito bite before your eyes ) I'm a silver freak, I even water my vegetable garden with it (very diluted) to prevent fungus and such )

 

[Lenna]

This is very interesting, unfortunately I've never seen or heard of colloidal silver in the LFSs around here. Maybe I could get some from the chemistry lab at uni? That's where I got pure ammonia when I couldn't get it anywhere else. Somehow I don't think they'd give me any it's pretty expensive. I've treated the tank with ICKaway at half strength and so far the fry aren't showing any signs of distress. Hopefully, this will work as more of have ICH than before. BTW, it's definately ICH, I haven't had an outbreak in a very long time, but I remember what it looks like. Are the fry with ICH on their bodies doomed? They're all still swimming fine and eating like pigs. Most of the affected ones have only a spot or two.

 

[shrks1fan]

No you won't find it at the lfs, you usually need to go to a health food store. In California I get mine at Whole Foods. I check the "vitamin" store called GNC and all they had was 5ppm potency, which is nothing, a complete waste of money at that ppm. I think I paid $23 or thereabout for a small bottle of the 50ppm, it comes in a darkened bottle (mine is brown) and an eye dropper (which I use all the time from my empty bottle to feed the fry their BBS and MW's).

Hey Wuv, if sometime you feel like it, could you drop me an email explaining all the different uses you have used CS for, and how you use it (amounts etc), for more than just fish too. I brought up the subject at one of my Betta meetings with our health expert and he had never heard of the stuff, so was asking me about it. I told him what I knew but that was very limited at the time. I told him when I got more info I would get it to him, and having something from a fellow fishkeeper with specifics I could print out and give to him would be great, it's one thing to just say "I've read the stuff is great" but to actually know a specific person who uses it with their fish with success will definetly help. I'm going to head out today and pick up some more and also get the higher potency this time. I love the fact that it is a natural antibiotic and I really want to learn all I can about it.

Linda
shrks1fan@yahoo.com

 

[wuvmybetta]

will do,Linda

Lenna, Linda is right, you're better off purchasing it from an off the wall health food store rather than GNC.
GNC stocks very,very diluted stuff and then they charge you an arm and a leg Remember...the highest PPM you can afford (preferably 500 to 1,100). Call around and you may find a store that stocks the small half ounce bottles, those are usully around 10 bucks

 

[bomar666]

Hi all I want some off this but all I can find in the UK is 5 - 10 ppm

like this site http/nkarande.users.btopenworld.com/order.htm

had a look on ebay 2 wnyone know where i can get some ?

 

[wuvmybetta]

Don't waste your money on that,it's only 10 ppm. Call some health stores and see if anybody stocks it.