OP
OP
Man of fish
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How much will the air pump help as my fish don't seem to like it very much.
Ich :(
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OP
OP
Man of fish
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I'm so confused on why 2 of the platys tails are coming apart. Each is missing little pieces. What does it mean!!!???!!!?!!?!!!?!
!!!???
!!!???
Is there any way you can turn the air pump down slightly so that there is less turbulence in the water? Although it will help to aerate the water, if you say the fish don't seem to like it maybe it is a little too strong. Could this be responsible for damaging their fins as you mentioned?
OP
OP
Man of fish
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No it's not possible as their tails started to tear and the two each had little chunks out of their tails before I put in the pump. As for the pump I cannot turn it down.
The little chunks out of their tails could be one of two things. Either their fins have been nipped by other fish in the tank or they have fin rot which can be caused by poor water conditions. If fish are stressed or ill they are more likely to get fin rot as a secondary infection as they are more susceptible to the bacteria which causes fin rot which is always in the tank water in some form.
+1
Fish-in cycles leaves fish vulnerable to disease. Ich doesn't usually occur in tanks that have healthy fish, it usually strikes when fish are already stressed. Fin rot is another example of an opportune infection. The critters for both can be around all the time, but we don't notice them because healthy fish can usually cope with it on their own and it never becomes an issue. BUT, when the immune system is weakened by stress, all kinds of things can happen. This sort of thing happens with people as well. Many cancer patients die as a result of secondary complications, not from the cancer itself, but the treatment for cancer can so weaken the immune system of individuals that some bacteria that would never cause a problem normally can all of a sudden take hold rapidly.
Fish-in cycles leaves fish vulnerable to disease. Ich doesn't usually occur in tanks that have healthy fish, it usually strikes when fish are already stressed. Fin rot is another example of an opportune infection. The critters for both can be around all the time, but we don't notice them because healthy fish can usually cope with it on their own and it never becomes an issue. BUT, when the immune system is weakened by stress, all kinds of things can happen. This sort of thing happens with people as well. Many cancer patients die as a result of secondary complications, not from the cancer itself, but the treatment for cancer can so weaken the immune system of individuals that some bacteria that would never cause a problem normally can all of a sudden take hold rapidly.
OP
OP
Man of fish
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Ok so I'm going to try to explain in as much detail as possible. So the fish all have little white spots approx. 1mm. These 2 fish have the spots but they are maybe 1 and 1/2 mm. These spots look like little cotton balls though. Then these 2 fish also have what appears to be mucus mainly on the tail area but a little around the rest of the body. Some of this mucus from their tail appears to be actual pieces of the tail and now there is a gap in ones tail about 2 mm all ways in a triangle. The other one just has very small barely visible gaps. The rest of the fish appear to just have ich but these 2 look much different.
It could be fungus or it could bacterial infection. Fortunately for me, unfortunately for you, I've never had to deal with that particular issue so I can't really be of much assistance.
Ultimately, I think it all comes down to stress and water quality though. If the water is kept clean, many times the fish can fight off these types of things pretty well on their own. If not, then it can get much worse. I can't recommend meds personally, but I've heard Rid-Ich does the job very well. In the meantime, I would keep up with the water changes to remove the cysts of the ich parasite before they even get a chance to get to the free swimming stage (lots of gravel vaccing!). Large water changes will also help to improve the overall water quality, while removing the free swimmers as well and help to relieve some of their stress. The down side is that you will also be removing their meds to kill the free swimming ich. So, you need to redose as directed.
Have you added any salt to the tank? I'm not sure how the pleco will do with the salt, but the others should be fine with it. (You don't have corys do you?) Some folks treat ich with only heat, salt, and water changes. Ich dies at prolonged exposure to 86 degrees, I believe. If you can't go that high for fear of killing your fish as well, then just bump it up as high as you are comfortable with. The heat may be a little stressful, but it will increase the life cycle of the ich, so that it leaves the fish and heads towards that vulnerable stage for the meds, or to where you can vac it up. The salt can help the fish as a tonic and the ich don't like it.
Ultimately, I think the only thing you can do to combat this is water changes and LOTS of them 50% per day every day until the ich is gone. Keep vaccing up the cysts on the gravel and removing the free swimmers from the water. This will reduce the number able to attack your fish. If the air stone is bothering them, try dropping the water level a bit so that water from the filter output splashes into the tank. It might be a little noisier, but the increased drop will better aerate the water without all the bubbles that seem to be disturbing your fish. The last thing you want to do right now is offer them any more stress.
Ultimately, I think it all comes down to stress and water quality though. If the water is kept clean, many times the fish can fight off these types of things pretty well on their own. If not, then it can get much worse. I can't recommend meds personally, but I've heard Rid-Ich does the job very well. In the meantime, I would keep up with the water changes to remove the cysts of the ich parasite before they even get a chance to get to the free swimming stage (lots of gravel vaccing!). Large water changes will also help to improve the overall water quality, while removing the free swimmers as well and help to relieve some of their stress. The down side is that you will also be removing their meds to kill the free swimming ich. So, you need to redose as directed.
Have you added any salt to the tank? I'm not sure how the pleco will do with the salt, but the others should be fine with it. (You don't have corys do you?) Some folks treat ich with only heat, salt, and water changes. Ich dies at prolonged exposure to 86 degrees, I believe. If you can't go that high for fear of killing your fish as well, then just bump it up as high as you are comfortable with. The heat may be a little stressful, but it will increase the life cycle of the ich, so that it leaves the fish and heads towards that vulnerable stage for the meds, or to where you can vac it up. The salt can help the fish as a tonic and the ich don't like it.
Ultimately, I think the only thing you can do to combat this is water changes and LOTS of them 50% per day every day until the ich is gone. Keep vaccing up the cysts on the gravel and removing the free swimmers from the water. This will reduce the number able to attack your fish. If the air stone is bothering them, try dropping the water level a bit so that water from the filter output splashes into the tank. It might be a little noisier, but the increased drop will better aerate the water without all the bubbles that seem to be disturbing your fish. The last thing you want to do right now is offer them any more stress.
OP
OP
Man of fish
I'm Interested in.... ----|> that
I was gonna get rid- ich but at this stage I don't even know if it is ich!
More than likely it is ich which has lead to a secondary infection. But I can't say with authority. Sorry.
OP
OP
Man of fish
I'm Interested in.... ----|> that
Well I woke up to 4 dead carcasses all with true fungus then a living fish with true fungus that just up and dies! So I have 5 bodies with true fungus. -4 platys -1 bristlenose pleco. Down to 1 panda platy 1 marble Molly and 1 bristlenose pleco.
I've lost 10 fish from whatever disease they've had and one fish I think started it cause I wanted to get him in the tank so bad I forgot to quarantine him.
I've lost 10 fish from whatever disease they've had and one fish I think started it cause I wanted to get him in the tank so bad I forgot to quarantine him.
I am sorry for your losses. Unfortunately this is the bad side of the hobby. I have lost quite a few bettas to disease myself. All you can do is try again.
OP
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Man of fish
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At least I've got a whole batch of 22 platy fry coming up they're about 2 weeks old then 1 is 5 weeks old and I've got 5 that survived in the main tank at 5 days
Do you still have fish in the tank that had the illness?
Sorry for your loss.
Before putting anything into the tank with the illness, I would strip it down, dry it out, scrub it down with ammonia (pure stuff, the same stuff you would use for a fishless cycle). And toss the entire filter media. Scrub down ANYTHING you plant to keep.
I would scrap the entire substrate as well and start with fresh. Any decorations would need a thorough cleaning. Plants could actually be given a diluted bleach dip to cleanse them as well. (Be sure to rinse them thoroughly before putting them back in the tank.)
I'm glad to hear you have some fry, that will help with the loss, but don't get overzealous about stocking this tank again. Take your time and make sure it is safe from disease.
Before putting anything into the tank with the illness, I would strip it down, dry it out, scrub it down with ammonia (pure stuff, the same stuff you would use for a fishless cycle). And toss the entire filter media. Scrub down ANYTHING you plant to keep.
I would scrap the entire substrate as well and start with fresh. Any decorations would need a thorough cleaning. Plants could actually be given a diluted bleach dip to cleanse them as well. (Be sure to rinse them thoroughly before putting them back in the tank.)
I'm glad to hear you have some fry, that will help with the loss, but don't get overzealous about stocking this tank again. Take your time and make sure it is safe from disease.
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