Feeling discouraged

[Sarah C Mckee]

Okay sounds good, I will do that. Thank you. My ram wouldn't eat today and is starting to look sluggish on bottom hopefully he will be okay.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Okay sounds good, I will do that. Thank you. My ram wouldn't eat today and is starting to look sluggish on bottom hopefully he will be okay.

Add the air stone if you have one.

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

It looks worse today, I did 75% water change and the heater is up to 86 right now, And I added salt. It looks like the white stuff is floating in the tank, but I thought the white dots on their body is their skin healing over the ICH, hopefully they will heal soon! Is ICH something I did ? Or do they usually come with that bacteria and it just gets bad when stressed?

 

[Colin_T]

Fish have a thin clear mucous coating over their body and fins. If they are stressed they produce more mucous and it can look like they have a cream or white film over their body. Whitespot, medications, poor water quality and high temperature can stress fish and cause them to produce more mucous.

Whitespot is a protozoan parasite that gets introduced into your tank from contaminated water, fish or plants. One of the fish you bought had some whitespot parasites on it when you got it, and now all the fish in the tank have it. This is why quarantining all new fish and plants for 2-4 weeks is a good idea.

The following link has information about whitespot. The first post on page 1 and second post on page 2 are worth reading.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/what-is-ich.7092/

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

Thanks Colin that was very good information!!

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

Update : day two of 75 % water changes, salt adding and temperature at 86 degrees, air pump in place, and down to only one fish left. The Dots don't seem to be lessening yet At this point I'm thinking I just wont be adding any more fish to my 30g tank and I'll just keep my 3 danio and one gourami for now ...it's exhausting trying to actually get fish that aren't sick to add to your tank.

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

P.s does someone want to quarantine fish for me and then give them to me for my tank

 

[Colin_T]

The whitespot will stay on the fish for a couple of days and then drop off. Give it a couple more days and keep the water warm. You should see some improvement in a few days.

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

None of them survived the ICH now question is my filter on my QT tank is my extra one I usually have running on my display tank, what's the safest way to move my filter back? Should I rinse media or completely change the filter to a brand new one? And how do I clean all my QT tank stuff? I was contemplating leaving the QT tank running and starting over with more fish but I'm feeling down after this

 

[FishGuest5123]

You can drain most of the water and vacuum really well. The ich will die off if no host (fish) to feed off of. To be safe, keep it running empty for a couple of weeks.

 

[Back in the fold]

That's a great looking tank and I think you did everything right. Colin gave you sound advice. Hindsight is 20/20 and Monday morning quarterbacks aren't much help but I wouldn't have chosen Gouramis. They like a different set up than what you have. Maybe a whole bunch more Zebras would be nice. That's your call. I like the Sponge Bob decoration.

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

Thank you, it's really my first try at all this and I don't think I knew what I was getting into. I wanted more of a woodsy and live plant tank but my son's begged for the SpongeBob decoration haha. My gourami has been really the sweetest fish! He comes up to the tank like he loves me anytime I'm nearby. The danios are so fast and crazy haha I want more calm peaceful fish. I haven't attempted to decide what fish I'll add when I feel ready again. I'm nervous to try after my QT tank had ich

 

[Back in the fold]

No, you're doing good and gaining experience. Let the boys have their way for awhile. It will keep them interested and hopefully one or both will become the aquarists of tomorrow. Things could be much worse. You aren't experiencing anything that hundreds of people have at some time or another. Don't get discourage and give up. Things will settle out eventually and you will have a very nice aquarium. Actually you have a nice one right now. And one other thing. If you like a certain fish and he is thriving for you despite what a website, book or authority says, that's OK. Enjoy them. Fish don't read.

 

[Sarah C Mckee]

Haha thanks so much for the encouragement!! I appreciate it. I do love having fish!! I am excited when we do add more. I want another bristlenose albino pleco that's for sure.. I loved him ! Then after that not sure which route we will go. Im gonna give my QT tank another week to clear and then hopefully they again

 

[Back in the fold]

Haha thanks so much for the encouragement!! I appreciate it. I do love having fish!! I am excited when we do add more. I want another bristlenose albino pleco that's for sure.. I loved him ! Then after that not sure which route we will go. Im gonna give my QT tank another week to clear and then hopefully they again

There you go ! Always forward.