Ich In My Fry Tank

[kristins1877]

I just began introducing my swordtail fry into my community tank today. I put 4 fry in the main tank and they seem to get along fine. After started, I really looked im my fry tank and I think I have ich. I have about 20 6 week old swordtail fry and about 60 one week old swordtail and platy fry in my fry tank. I was inspecting my older fry and I see that a few of them have one speck of white on their tail.

Question 1: Can I medicate the fry tank with newborns in it or will the meds harm the baby fry?
Question 2: What can I do about the 4 fry I already put in my main tank? Should I medicate it? Theres no way I can try to catch them its so heavily planted and they are so small.

 

[minxfishy]

If there is only one white speck on the tail, doesnt sound like ich, ich would look like salt had been scattered over them.

Do the fry already in the main tank have anything showing on them?

You should be able to raise the temp slowly in the fry tank up to 80f and then half dose I believe with ich meds, read the instructions carefully to ensure its ok. If not, then raise temp and add aquarium salt (as per dosage on packet).

But need to confirm its is Ich before medicating with anything.

 

[kristins1877]

It looks like a grain of salt but its only one on each fish and its on either the tail, or upper fin - not on the body. I have an auto heater on the fry tank so i cant raise it, but i can add the salt...

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

You can only half dose with young fry.
Raise temp to 30 and increase aeration in the tank.

 

[kristins1877]

Its a 10 gallon, and I know I have WAY too many fry in there. I don't know the stats yet (dont have a kit, usually take a sample to my lfs)

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Get water tested to make sure everything in order.
I would try and invest in some liquid test kits.

 

[kristins1877]

I did a 50% water change, put in new heater that is adjustable, turned up the temp to 82 degrees, bought some aquarium salt and added according to the package. Just checked on my little babies and whatever was on their tails is gone. I can't imagine what could have been on their fins and tails that would be gone that fast but all looks good... Had my water checked and my stats were:

Amonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
PH - 7.2


Now on to post my next thread about me other tank - aaggghhh

 

[WILDER]

You are not meant to use salt with fry.

 

[kristins1877]

I can't? Great, what should I do now? What would happen if I had salt in the community tank and the fry were born into the salted water? Will it harm them?

 

[WILDER]

Keep doing water changes that how you get rid of salt out of the tank.
Scroll down to fry and salt.
http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...?article_id=335

 

[theshadowinc]

You are not meant to use salt with fry.

Well i kinda disagree with this but with this type of fish fry I personally wouldn't use salt for healing them especially if not adult size, cause they are not known as a brekish fish. (But I have used salt for healing adults)
But on the other hand I have used salt to heal fish wonds, and for times of stress example when bringing home a new fish from the pet store. Usually I do a 10% water change 12 hours after and continue the water change every day 10% at a time to dilute the salt, but I have never done it with fry >< unless they where guppies or mollies cause they are known to be brekish fish and do better kept in little salty water
(Note: I add the salt to the filter canister and never put directly in the tank and never add the entire dosage it says on the package, usually 1/3 of what it says so example 55gal tank should be 1 rounded tablespoonful for evry 5 US gallons of tank water thats a total of 11 spoons full ><, I would use way less like 1-3 table spoons full and have never had a problem)

(Taken from the Wikipedia®)
A brackish water aquarium is an aquarium where the water is brackish (semi-salty). Keeping brackish water aquaria is a popular specialization within the fishkeeping hobby. Many species of fish traded as freshwater species actually do better in brackish water, for example mollies, Florida flagfish, and some cichlids such as chromides and black-chin tilapia. There are also several popular species traded purely as brackish water fish, including monos spp, scats, archerfish, and various species of pufferfish, goby, flatfish, and gar. Generally aquarists need to maintain a specific gravity of around 1.005 to 1.010 depending on the species being kept, but practically all brackish water fish tolerate variations in salinity well, and some aquarists maintain that regularly fluctuating the salinity in the aquarium actually keeps the fish healthy and free of parasites.