Persistant Whitespot On Cardinal Tetras

[Leonwillow]

Can someone help me please? I have 9 cardinal tetras in a tank with two silver sharks, a ram, corydorus and several small plecs. The cardinals have whitespot and I have been using protozin to treat it. I have used half the recomended dose due to having plecs in the tank. I have treated the tank for five consecutive days (at half dose) and there has been improvement - in fact the spots seem to have increased. Only my Cardinals are affected- no other fish are showing symptons. I am nervous about using chemicals due to the plecs.


Tank size: 180L
pH: 7.1
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:20
kH:?
gH:?
tank temp: raised to 28 - normally 26

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): As above small white spots. Some flicking - only on the cardinals.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 15-20% weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: I used protizin after removing the carbon filter. I have just added the carbon back to the filter

Tank inhabitants: As above

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Replanted tank approx 10 days ago.

Exposure to chemicals: protozin at half dose for 5 days.

Any advice appreciated. Thankyou.

 

[WILDER]

Take the black carbon out, even when using full dose it can take two rounds, and it will take longer as you are only half dosing.
Have you turned temp up to 30 and increased aeration in the tank.

 

[Leonwillow]

Take the black carbon out, even when using full dose it can take two rounds, and it will take longer as you are only half dosing.
Have you turned temp up to 30 and increased aeration in the tank.

Thanks for the response

OK I will go and take the carbon out now. If I use Protozin for a few more days will the levels build up to a dangerous level for my plecs?

I increased the aeration but have not increased the temp to 30 I just increased to 28 - shall I increase more?

 

[WILDER]

Yes increase temp but you will have to have alot of aeration in the tank for the bottom dwellers, as the med and high temp reduce 02 in the water.
Some fish keepers even treat up to an extra week once whitespots have gone to make sure it completely gone.

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml

 

[Leonwillow]

Thanks

I have taken the carbon out and added another dose. I have just given a feed and one of my really shy plecs made an appearence - very sad to say he had several spots, but from what I could see he was the only other fish affected.

There is a lot of aeration in the tank...... so the 02 shouldn't be an issue.

Will just keep up the treatment.

Thankyou.

 

[WILDER]

Good luck.

 

[Leonwillow]

Good luck.

Thankyou.

 

[ileopard]

Isolate the plecostomus using the same water they were in. Feed them something like algae wafers (I believe Hikari sells some of these).

 

[The-Wolf]

there is a resistant strain of ich
I have only been able to treat this type of ich with a copper based med, however you have to be careful as most fish don't do well with copper.

before going down that road try a course of FMG (Formalin & Malachite Green)
dose at 1ml per foot of tank for 5 consecutive days

 

[ileopard]

If you choose to go the copper route, CopperSafe works well for true parasites. If your fish are tolerant of copper, try CopperSafe, Maracyn, and Maracyn-Two. (It didn't work for my female betta with black spots because, as I just found out, she has tuberculosis instead of black spot disease.)

 

[Leonwillow]

I have carried on with protozin, gradually increasing the dose and it's almost cleared up. Thank for all the advice.

 

[kev350d]

I have carried on with protozin, gradually increasing the dose and it's almost cleared up. Thank for all the advice.

Same issue (used two full treatments of protozin and recently whitespot plus) it still manages to come back "on the cardinals" all other fish have been clear now for 2 weeks including my clown loaches.

Its becomming a real PITA as im only talking one spot on one fish between treatments but if left unattended the condition would over throw the tank in no time (just wish i could kill off the cycle) but ive exhausted every method other than removing all fish and treating seperatley and allowing no host in the main tank..

I honestly feel that the parasite is managing to survive due to the tank being so dense with plants and the substrate being so deep "hell knows".

 

[Leonwillow]

im only talking one spot on one fish between treatments but if left unattended the condition would over throw the tank in no time (just wish i could kill off the cycle) but ive exhausted every method other than removing all fish and treating seperatley and allowing no host in the main tank..

I honestly feel that the parasite is managing to survive due to the tank being so dense with plants and the substrate being so deep "hell knows".

Same here.

Was thinking of taking the cardinals out - just hope I'm over the worst.

 

[Leonwillow]

I'm not over the worst.

Several cardinals now covered in spots.

Have been treating daily with protozin.

Am getting very frustrated.

All my stats are still fine.

 

[WILDER]

Get the interpet whitespot med.