Emergency, fish dying.

[Ben2522]

According to seriouslyfish.com, they should have a GH ranging from 18-357. the m=wild specimens prefer the lower end of that.

Ok so as a general rule for all my fish 18 is the min? Barbs mainly and loach.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Ok so as a general rule for all my fish 18 is the min? Barbs mainly and loach.

For the tiger barbs at least. I forgot, did you have Yo-Yo loachs? Or some other variation?

 

[Ben2522]

For the tiger barbs at least. I forgot, did you have Yo-Yo loachs? Or some other variation?

Yes yo-yo loach and different barbs. I’ll do some research. Good job I bought some crushed coral just in case when I was starting out

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Good, add some coral and see if that makes the water harder.

 

[Ben2522]

Good, add some coral and see if that makes the water harder.

Could this be why they are flashing and stopping eating? Also how much you think in the filter?

 

[Colin_T]

Ich-X does not contain Metronidazole.

The fish are probably stressed because of the heat, salt and chemicals. Light could also be a contributing factor to them hiding but it's most likely the water.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

How big is your filter? What brand/kind of filter do you have?

 

[Ben2522]

How big is your filter? What brand/kind of filter do you have?

Betta 2000 540 canister. Tank is 240l

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I would get like a snack size plastic bag, poke holes in it, and them put it in there.

 

[Byron]

Are you sure? I thought it only has to be like that for livebearers? @Byron

I read through the recent posts twice and still am not sure I follow what this GH/KH issue is about. But...there is nothing wrong with a GH of 5 provided the fish are soft water species, and barbs and loaches are soft water.

We are in ppm (parts per million) and livebearers would need 180 ppm or higher depending upon species.

According to seriouslyfish.com, they should have a GH ranging from 18-357. the m=wild specimens prefer the lower end of that.

What should?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I'm pretty burned out/tired right now. I'm going to log off. I hope someone else will be able to answer your questions for the time being...

 

[Ben2522]

I read through the recent posts twice and still am not sure I follow what this GH/KH issue is about. But...there is nothing wrong with a GH of 5 provided the fish are soft water species, and barbs and loaches are soft water.

We are in ppm (parts per million) and livebearers would need 180 ppm or higher depending upon species.

According to seriouslyfish.com, they should have a GH ranging from 18-357. the m=wild specimens prefer the lower end of that.

What should?

Hi Byron. I did think the gh and kh was ok for the fish I have. But I still have this issue of fish dying one by one and stopping eating. No obvious signs of anything disease wise. Colin suggested heat and salt, tried that. Then I tried a anti internal bacteria treatment. Jury is out on all 3. Although another death today and one yesterday. So I can only wonder what’s going on. No closer to a solution.

 

[Byron]

Hi Byron. I did think the gh and kh was ok for the fish I have. But I still have this issue of fish dying one by one and stopping eating. No obvious signs of anything disease wise. Colin suggested heat and salt, tried that. Then I tried a anti internal bacteria treatment. Jury is out on all 3. Although another death today and one yesterday. So I can only wonder what’s going on. No closer to a solution.

I am not interfering with Colin's advice; I suspect there may be some issue here and once a member is guiding you through it, it doesn't help if other members start interjecting conflicting advice (unless of course the member feels certain it is wrong). Colin is right that the fish are stressed by the meds, salt, heat. This is what makes treatment so difficult, the benefits have to outweigh the detriments as any of these things will affect the fish.

Soft water fish generally will be fine in very soft water. There is no need to be using buffers (crushed coral), this is only complicating the water chemistry further and likely to cause additional problems. I have had loaches and barbs in zero GH/KH water for years.

 

[Ben2522]

I am not interfering with Colin's advice; I suspect there may be some issue here and once a member is guiding you through it, it doesn't help if other members start interjecting conflicting advice (unless of course the member feels certain it is wrong). Colin is right that the fish are stressed by the meds, salt, heat. This is what makes treatment so difficult, the benefits have to outweigh the detriments as any of these things will affect the fish.

Soft water fish generally will be fine in very soft water. There is no need to be using buffers (crushed coral), this is only complicating the water chemistry further and likely to cause additional problems. I have had loaches and barbs in zero GH/KH water for years.

Ok yes understood but what Colin has said I have done and doesn’t seem to have worked. Tret for internal infection, external infection. No obvious signs of disease other than one by one fish dying. Literally just stop eating and then waste away. Other fish flashing occasionally. Yo-yos now hiding 24-7. Nothing has changed in tank. No idea what do do next other than worm them.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Ich-X contains malachite green. This is not "safe" depending upon one's definition of "safe." Even Hikari on their site state:

using a less toxic form of malachite green, which makes it less taxing on biological action and safe for scaleless and sensitive fish like Corydoras.​

They even admit that this product is "toxic" and "taxing" on biological action and fish. And what exactly does "safe for scaleless and sensitive fish like Corydoras" really mean? It means that the fish will be detrimentally impacted by this product. This adds stress, and given that stress is the direct cause of ich, I do not recommend increasing stress beyond what is absolutely necessary.

Heat is safer for such fish. Salt is safer for such fish. It is never "safe" to use any ich remedy no matter what the manufacturer--whose prime aim is to sell the product--says.

Just want to update everyone that my fish made it through treatment with my “witches brew”. Worst case of ich I have ever dealt with but the Ich-X did not harm the fish. In fact they never acted like they were being treated!