What Could It Be And How To Cure

[TraceyB]

I am currently treating my tank for Ick ((day6) with King British white spot. I used this as It did not contain copper and thought it better than Waterlife Protozin that I have used previously. I had turned the temp up to 30c but reduced the temp yesterday to 27c.

I am treating every other day with about 12mls (200l tank and half the dose because of the catfish), and doing a small water change before I add the meds.

I have noticed that my Syno's and Red tailed Black shark are rubbing and flicking on the sand and rocks... I don't see any signs of Ick on them, or anything external. I am concerned that it may be something different and I am not treating it properly.

I know Ick can take sometime to go (if at all) but I'm thinking it isn't Ick that is making them react like this .... Please If you have advice from your own experience I would appreciate your help.

 

[Blubble37]

raising the temperature speeds up the life cycle of ich and it can only be killed when waterbourne.. if you speed up the life cycle it is waterborne more often and therefore can be killed more effectively

 

[TraceyB]

raising the temperature speeds up the life cycle of ich and it can only be killed when waterbourne.. if you speed up the life cycle it is waterborne more often and therefore can be killed more effectively

So I shouldn't be worried that it is internal parasites if they are scratching against rocks etc?

 

[Blubble37]

as far as i remember thats them trying to get the ich off of them

 

[TraceyB]

Ok so I have put the temp back up again. Hopefully the meds I am using are suitable for catfish

Thanks for replying

 

[Blubble37]

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

What catfish do you have TraceyB, beside the Synodontis decora (maybe hybrid) I know about?

When I had my horrid Ich tradegy in my 48x12x15 ~6 weeks ago, I treated with full strength Protozin; no water changes until after "day 13" (with conservative feeding during treatment... this meds is progressive, so water changes will remove active meds); 0.5g/l of sea salt (raised to that level in 2 days); temp raised to 27C; filter spraybar well above waterline for better aeration.

The tank contained Synodontis decora (sadly lost all six, these guys were the worst infected); Synodontis nigriventris; Microsynodontis polli; Synodontis congica. Its probably worth me mentioning that my last remaining Weather Loach (who has been on/off poorly for a while) and my hidden Eel Loaches came through this treatment well.

Initially, before getting welcome advise from MatsP and MartinS (both well known on PlanetCatfish), I was trying to maintain 29/30C with no salt. It was during this period I lost all but my final decora, Mats said they would not handle the extra breathing stress of their heavy Ich infection; with the lowered oxygen potential of the medication; with the extreme temp compared to their normal 22C which will noticeably lower the potential oxygen saturation.

 

[TraceyB]

Hello and thank you for replying. I am getting rather worried now. I couldn't keep the temp up as high. I found the scaleless fish and my Gouramis were stressed out with it. My RTBS has completletly lost its colour and is not looking great, despite increasing the air pump and increasing the flow of the spray bar.

Yes that's right I had it confirmed on the Planet catfish site that my Syno Decorus is infact a hybrid I also bought a Syno Multipunctata (it is very small but growing) I noticed that it also is rubbing on the sand ...

My routine of treatment consists of treating every second day with King British white spot and a water change (20%) using only 12 of the recommended 20mls due to the catfish and sensitivity. All of this is advised on the instructions.


Should I change to a different medication? if so what is safe to use for the catfish? Is protozin not advised because It contains copper? I read it wasn't good for catfish (copper that is)

I really really hope I don't lose them.. How long a period did it take for your own to die from infection. It isn't great watching them thinking there must be something I could do


Oh I ran out of aquarium salts ... I'll pick some up tmrw..

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I've no experience of the King British product, but Protozin at full dose should do your two catfish no harm. As regards temp, your multipunctata will be more heat sensitive than the "valentine" hybrid, so ~26/27C should be your upper limit. The Cuckoo will be more salt tolerant than the Valentine, coming from the Rift Valley lakes, but I could not say if you could safely go higher than 0.5g/l in a gradual increase (0.25g/l every 24-48 hours).

 

[TraceyB]

Bought some salts and added about 4 tablespoons (mixed with water) to the tank..... I ill wait until Monday to change meds, bought the Protozin.. What was the routine when you treated your tank? I read that using protozin its only day 1 , 2 ,3 and then six..... I take it after day 6 you did a large water change?

Temp down to 27c

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

After a visit from MatsP and MartinS, I set the temp at 27C with the spraybar well above the water line for loads of rippling, added 0.25g/l of Sainsburys Coarse Sea Salt with "day 1" full dose Protozin. From here on I fed conservatively, 1 meal per day.

I added "day 2" Protozin with a small top of water, enough to dissolve the equivalent of 0.25g/l for the whole tank and dribbled it in.

After "day 6" I continued feeding sparingly and did not change any tank water until "day 13", at which point I did a ~25% water change with 0.25g/l of salt in the new water. I then turned down the thermostat to let the water slowly cool to the original 22C.

On "day 14" I did another ~25% water change using 0.25g/l of salt in the new water.

On "day 15" and "day 16" I did ~50% water changes with fresh water (no salt), adding the water over the course of several hours, to let them adjust better to non-saline conditions.

I then went on holiday, hoping everything would be fine, with someone popping in to feed them twice while we we away. We came back to find everyone fine and ~9 new Ilyodon xantusi fry additions.

 

[onidrase]

fish rubbing against objects can be caused by a wide array of things, from ich, to flukes, to just general discomfort. Don't go pumping the water with medications unless you know for sure what it is.