White Spot Treatment Before I Go Away For Christmas

[missymiss]

Hi all,

I knew things were going just too well after my fish tank move. lol.

Bless, my lovely black molly showed the first visible signs of white spot tonight. This is the second time.
It's only just 'seemingly' recovered from it however I'm understanding it can recur.

I also bought some new plants for the tank so not sure if they have anything to do with it? Or could it be the fact I've used media from the old tank in this new one? Either way Molly is not a happy fishy.
As before my two hi-fins platties seem fine.


I have started the dosage of whitespot treatment tonight after their waterchange and will do the other tomorrow, however, I leave to spend Christmas with family and am not back until next Sunday night. My friend was due to check my fish daily to do the water changes and nitrite tests because of various hoopla (see here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...p;#entry2218310 ) I've had to cycle with fish in the tank. However, my friend told me that they may be away one day to see their own family and I'm concerned molly won't get his meds for one day, well as well as no water change and check - but the nitrite is reducing well so the concern is more the meds at this point.

Meds are to be given three days on, a day free, then last dose on the fifth day.

Regarding the filter: I removed the carbon as per advice. I am confused about carbon though - what does it do in general and as the tank is in cycle is it best once the treatment is in cycle to put a new filter in? I'm a tad confused on this issue.

Thank you so much yet again for any advice and reassurance you can give me.

 

[freerunner416]

For the white spot just turn the temp up. You can then leave the temp up around 28-30 while you are away and that will burn off the white spot without adding any meds at all or causing any havoc with your filter.

Good luck

 

[missymiss]

O.K. Well I'll give it a go. I need to do a water change now as my nitrite just spiked up again I guess I need to put the carbon back in the filter already in there? Or should I put in a new filter with new carbon in?
Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[fishyfreak]

Turning up the temp doesn't "burn off" the white spot, it just speeds up their life cycle so the meds can kill them at their free-swimming stage. You need to keep using the meds. Check out some of the other posts on Ich, there are many. Do not use any carbon while medicating, carbon absorbs unwanted chemicals in the water, this includes meds.

How long has your tank been running? If it's not fully cycled yet then you're going to have problems for awhile, you have to be persistent and aggressive with the Ich treatments.

 

[missymiss]

Hi Fishyfreak,

Thanks for popping a post in my topic.

Oh Lordy. Well then I have conflicting advice here don't I? I must admit I have never heard of turning the heat up to kill whitespot but as freerunner416 at that point was the only one to reply and they have over 400 posts I assumed it would be o.k. So the advice now is conflicting as you've said continue meds.


Let me tell you what I just did.

They were moved (circumstances mentioned on my other thread) to a new tank on the 20th with some of the media from their old tank which had not matured however I did get some mature media from a friend last night so have since put that in.
The nitrite levels were starting to go down slightly but last night they spiked.
Water has been changed 50% twice a day morning and late night apart from yesterday (only one change in the evening) The fact it was only changed once may have resulted in the spike again.
I've been feeding them every other day. Small amounts.

The molly had his first treatment last night and 50% water change.

This morning all fish were looking a but mopey especially the molly although the spots have gone and all that remains is a very faint mark on one side of it's body. It's very small and you have to look very hard to see it. I do not for one minute thing the whitespot is out of its system but I think I caught it so quick the spots didn't have time to get very big.

Nitrites had spiked badly as I mentioned, so I've now done almost a full water change.
Carbon went back into the filter(the one I've been using) since I saved it in a jiffy bag but NO treatment was given as yet because I was following the advice of freerunner416.

All of them seem very perky now and swimming around happily.

Now I'm going away tonight so I have a choice here; I can give the treatment minus the carbon in the filter and hope my friend can continue the treatment or I can leave it to chance which is not something I really want to do. The point was my friend was possibly going away for one day and that would be the final day molly needed his meds.

I understand whitespot can be a problem for some time. I just want to try and do my best to give these beautiful fish the best care I can.

 

[fishyfreak]

No problem, just trying to help. I had a similar outbreak with my Cichlids last March when I moved a 180 gallon, it took a couple months b4 I finally got rid of the Ich. I used Cupramine which is a copper treatment and it eventually did the trick. Some people who are opposed to chemical treatment suggest raising the temp and adding aquarium salt and vacuuming the gravel daily replacing any salt removed. But the white spots are just the 1st stage, the stage you worry about is the free-swimming stage, this is when they are vulnerable and you have to kill them. Like I said, turning the temp up is important to speed up this cycle but WILL NOT kill them. You are better off leaving them for a day or two with the treatment than by not treating them at all. Fortunately it sounds like things are still under control.

Read this: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=128879"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=128879[/URL]

 

[missymiss]

Thanks so much fishyfreak.
I was just about to reply anyway and say I'd decided before I leave tonight I'll take the carbon out again and put some more meds in. Like you said it's better to treat it a bit than not at all. What temp should I keep it to when I'm away do you think?
Thanks again.

 

[fishyfreak]

Thanks so much fishyfreak.
I was just about to reply anyway and say I'd decided before I leave tonight I'll take the carbon out again and put some more meds in. Like you said it's better to treat it a but than not at all. What temp should I keep it to when I'm away do you think?
Thanks again.

80-82F or 27-28C Max. you don't want to cook your fish

 

[missymiss]

lol, nope I do not want to cook them. Thanks so much fishyfreak