Two types of sick fish

[FoundMoney]

I just set up a hospital tank because I have a couple of sick cockatoo cichlids. I've had a recurring problem with these fish and it always seems to affect the eyes. Currently, there are two female cockatoos in the hospital tank, one with a cloudy eye, the other with bulging and cloudy eyes. I am currently treating them with antibiotics - Maracyn 2.

Unfortunately, I just noticed a few little white spots on my rummy nose tetras. It looks like the beginnings of ich to me. Can I put the rummy noses and the cockatoos in the hospital tank and treat for popeye and ich at the same time? I'm tempted to put the rummy noses in the hospital tank anyway just so the ich doesn't spread, but I don't want the cockatoos to get ich, as well. What should I do?

 

[FoundMoney]

The question is can you treat for ich and bacterial infections at the same time without counteracting the effect of either medication?

Thanks!

 

[WILDER]

Just treat the whole tank for whitespot, you could medicate in the hospital tank but then you would be treating two tanks, and i don't no if you can mix both med, if the cockatoos haven't whitespot just move them for now and keep an eye on them for whitespot.

 

[FoundMoney]

Thanks for your response. I did some other internet research and according to what I've read you can treat for both Ich and bacterial infections at the same time. As a matter of fact, sometimes when a fish develops Ich they also develop secondary bacterial infections so it makes sense to treat for both.

My main concern right now is protecting my male cockatoo, who is vibrant and healthy. I'm taking other fish out of the tank as they appear to come down with with any affliction. Hopefully, all will turn out for the best and I will update everyone on my progress for future reference.

 

[sylvia]

I think you'd actualy be better off taking out the healthy fish and leaving the sick in the tank and treating them there. I'm saying this simply because of the way the ich's lifecycle works. It means that at any time, the water in the tank that contained the infected fish could still have the ich parasite (but at a different life stage) in it. It seems simpler to treat the whole tank and just take out any fish you are certain don't have ich.

I'll try to find you an article about ich so you might understand my reasoning behind this but basically ich is treatable during the stage when the white spots you see on your fish have opened and released millions of little ichs (I realy don't know how to explain this ) into the water. The 'spores' if you like, then look for a new host. If you take the fish out before they attach, you can keep that fish from getting ich. Ich can also be harboured undetected in fish' gills and on plants etc...

Here: - http/www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/whitespot.htm a bit about ich That explains things a lot better than I can.

 

[FoundMoney]

Thanks for your response Sylvia. Unfortnately, I've already moved the fish that are showing signs of Ich into the hospital tank. I understand your reasoning, but I thought it would be better not to medicate fish that weren't sick.

What about the cockatoos being treated with antibiotics? You would suggest they stay in the main tank also and treat the whole tank with antibiotics?

Do you suggest that I still switch the fish, even though I've already started medicating? Or perhaps, I should just leave the fish where they are for now and also treat the main tank for Ich, even though none of the fish seem to have it?

I'm sorry I didn't wait for any responses but I was anxious to at least start some kind of treatment.

 

[ncjharris]

Consider also that any fish with an infection, or the signs of one will have a weakened imune system anyway, given that it is fighting the infection.

Moving the fish, or stressing it may be the final nail in the coffin, so to speak.

That said, treating the whole tank for white spot, although acceptable, will stress the whole tank, including non infected residents, plants and bacteria.

One final note, it may be worth considering how the medications work. The antibiotics work by strengthing the immune system of an patient and fighting bacterial infections.
However, most (if not all) white spot medications work on killing the ich parasite when it is in the free swimming state - as sylvia said.
Bearing that in mind i don't know if the two medication may be compatible - if your research threw up any answers I would be interested to know.

N

 

[FoundMoney]

I'm of a mind not to treat the whole tank, as you say, as there are quite a few other fish and plants in there.

On the Maracyn box it says it can be used with all other types of Mardel medications. While I don't have the same brand name, I'm making an assumption that other Ich medicine is going to be similar.

I did read one person's anecdotal evidence about treating for both Ich and baterial infections at the same time. This is by no means conclusive research but here it is anyway:

http/www.nunnie.com/ick.html

 

[WILDER]

Company mix meds in parasite, bacteria and fungus, usually called tonic, if you have to you could try the bacteria med at half the dose instead of the full recommended dose.