New To This

[Miss.Ward]

Hi Im new to this so I need all the help i cann get.. I recently found white spots on my fish i have only had the tank for 1 and a half months..

In my 5 ft tank i have.
8 Neon tetra
3 Angle fish
1 Rainbow shark
1 Clown loach
1 Bristle nose catfish

The tetra and rainbow shark have white spot and its getting worse. Whats the best treatment?? My LFS gave me aquarium salt to add and he said that should fix it but its not.. what do i do?

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

I dont think you should of added the salt.
Clown loaches and the catfish is a big no no with salt.
I would raise the temp to around 31c
Clown loaches are scaless so if you treat with a white spot medicine, make sure its mild.
The salt would burn the loaches skin.

 

[fluttermoth]

Hi there, :hi; to the forum.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask a load of questions before we can help you...

Was the tank cycled, or was it set up before you had the fish in in any way?

Do you have any test kits to test for ammonia and nitrite?

How much salt have you added, and how long have you had the salt in there?

 

[Miss.Ward]

Hi there, :hi; to the forum.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask a load of questions before we can help you...

Was the tank cycled, or was it set up before you had the fish in in any way?

Do you have any test kits to test for ammonia and nitrite?

How much salt have you added, and how long have you had the salt in there?

Ok so we had the tank set up for just over a week before adding fish. we have a ph test kit and amonia test kit waiting on the nitrite and nitrate kit. have only added a half tea spoon of salt two days ago and since then i have done 2 small water changes as my LFS told me to do..

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

Okay the tank is not cycled yet.
Read up on fishless cycling in the link in FM sig.
Please don't add salt again, it burns the loaches skin.
Whats the ammonia levels?

 

[Rummynose]

So the tank was set up 1 1/2 months ago, and the tank was empty for one week!

Have you kept an eye on the ammonia levels?
Have you done water changes?

Your fish may have gotten sick with ich because their immunesystem was lowered from living in poor water conditions.

 

[Rummynose]

You may want to try the heat (usually with salt, but not advisable because of your loach) method.
Another option is to get meds that are safe for your fish (loach)...I think it is copper that you have to watch out for, hopefully someone with more experience can advise you here!

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

The heat speeds up the life cycle of ick.

 

[Miss.Ward]

Okay the tank is not cycled yet.
Read up on fishless cycling in the link in FM sig.
Please don't add salt again, it burns the loaches skin.
Whats the ammonia levels?

Ok i just did what my LFS told me.. The fish seem ok but will not put it in again. The amonia levels are at 0 ( they did get up to .5) and ph is fine too.

So the tank was set up 1 1/2 months ago, and the tank was empty for one week!

Have you kept an eye on the ammonia levels?
Have you done water changes?

Your fish may have gotten sick with ich because their immunesystem was lowered from living in poor water conditions.

Ok yes i have done water changes.. Sorry please explain how the water conditions are poor?

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

They are poor because the tank is not cycled.

 

[Miss.Ward]

The heat speeds up the life cycle of ick.

Thanks for the advice and have turned the temp up and its at 30c has been for 2 days

You may want to try the heat (usually with salt, but not advisable because of your loach) method.
Another option is to get meds that are safe for your fish (loach)...I think it is copper that you have to watch out for, hopefully someone with more experience can advise you here!

HOw would i go if i put my loach on a smaller tank?
And then salt and heat the other fish?

They are poor because the tank is not cycled.

How do i then cycle my tank.. I have only done what my lfs has told me to do.. as it seems he has no clue what he is talking about.

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

Yeah most lfs are like that.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

It'll tell you everything you need to know.

 

[Rummynose]

When a tank cycles the ammonia levels can get very high with fish in the tank. Any ammonia over .25 is very toxic to fish, it burns their gills, causes stress on their immune system, higher levels cause organ damage and organ failure and death....prolongued exposure to as little as .25 ammonia can be having the same effect as short term high exposure.

Then the Nitrite rise, they are also very toxic, then the Nitrates come in, and even though they are less toxic they too become dangerous if kept too high.

A cycled tank will have 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and a safe amount of Nitrate anywhere between 5 to 50. A lot of people will not let their nitrates rise above 20, others are OK with 100, but usually those are heavily planted tanks, where the nitrate are used up as food by the plants.

During the cycling of the tank you should keep all toxic levels as close to 0 as you can. If that was not done then the water conditions are poor and your fish's health becomes compromised.

During a fish-in cycle like you did, it often becomes necessary to do twice daily water changes of 50% if not even 100%!!!

 

[Miss.Ward]

Yeah most lfs are like that.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

It'll tell you everything you need to know.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Miss.Ward]

When a tank cycles the ammonia levels can get very high with fish in the tank. Any ammonia over .25 is very toxic to fish, it burns their gills, causes stress on their immune system, higher levels cause organ damage and organ failure and death....prolongued exposure to as little as .25 ammonia can be having the same effect as short term high exposure.

Then the Nitrite rise, they are also very toxic, then the Nitrates come in, and even though they are less toxic they too become dangerous if kept too high.

A cycled tank will have 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and a safe amount of Nitrate anywhere between 5 to 50. A lot of people will not let their nitrates rise above 20, others are OK with 100, but usually those are heavily planted tanks, where the nitrate are used up as food by the plants.

During the cycling of the tank you should keep all toxic levels as close to 0 as you can. If that was not done then the water conditions are poor and your fish's health becomes compromised.

During a fish-in cycle like you did, it often becomes necessary to do twice daily water changes of 50% if not even 100%!!!

My Level of amonia has never been higher than 0.5 my ph has always been good and i added my fish in two lots 3 weeks apart.. Thanks for your help