Treating White Spot - Removing Carbon Element

[samboco]

Hello everybody,

I'm new to this fish keeping game and would appreciate some help. I've managed to get a white spot infection, affecting my golden rams, a few tetra's and my clown loaches. I bought an over the counter remedy which said I should remove the carbon part from my filter for the duration of the treatment course. However I'm concerned about the effect this may be having on the quality of my water. will this removal be having an adverse affect? the reason I ask is because I've just had my first fatality, in the shape of one clown loach. He was a wee fella and didn't seem to be getting bigger, where the others had, and had seemed a bit out of sorts for the past week (not very active etc) and tonight he passed on. I'm feeding my fish a flake and sinking pellet diet with the occaisional live feed. Will the clown's be feeding on these sinking pellets or do I need to start giving algae flakes as well?

Any help would be great.

Cheers.

 

[WILDER]

Using black carbon all the time is a complete waste of money.
You only use black carbon for removing meds. Black carbon only effective for 2 to 9 days.

Read instructions carefully as sometimes you have to half dose with the clown loaches.
The clown loach that died did he look thin.

A good filter turn over and filter floss or matting should keep water crystal clear.

 

[Anna Robinson]

Your clowns will probably be eating the sinking pellets, although they will also take any flake or live food that comes into their area of the tank as well. They do enjoy algae flakes and wafers, but they aren't an essential part of their diet in my opinion: a well-formulated sinking pellet will do.

If they seem reluctant to feed, try adding their food after lights out - clowns are more of a dawn and dusk fish than a daytime fish. Watch out for bullying among the group of loaches - sometimes this can make it difficult for small individuals to feed.