Emergency

[corymad]

Hi

I have an established tank PH6.8 Nitrate 10ppm, Nitrite 0, Amonia 0. DH and GH limits both OK.

I'm treating the tank for Ich as half a dozen new Cardinals have died - several fish including the cats have been flicking and some Cardinals showed signs of Ich (white spots and fast breathing). The cats all looked OK but several have been flicking along the sandy substrata - we put their flicking down to liking sand together with a wish to find the King British cat pellets.

My cories show no sign of infection apart from increased gill rate. Two are dying as I type.

The temperature is now 80 degrees - increased from 78 last night to help meds irradicate Ich. 260 Litre tank - not overcrowded - was 18 Cardinals (now 12), 5 Neons, 4 Black line tetra (now 1), a pair of Rams, 13 Corydoras (soon to be 11), 2 Otos (soon to be 1), an USD cat and an L66 Pleco.

Treating with Waterlife Protozin - 1st dose went in 10pm yesterday.

If you have any ideas / suggestions, I'd be happy for any help. Infection may have been the introduced with the new fish last week.

 

[snowyangel]

80 is high for cories, but if your sure you have ICH (don't use meds for a disease unless you know you have it) then your temps should be alittle higher(82F). Increase airation or do a water change if you can. Do you have a cave where your cories can hide in the shade from the light and heat? Or can you put them into another area with cooler water(becareful not to shock them, introduce them gradually)?

 

[corymad]

Hi Cories have lots of hiding places - tank is really well furnished with bogwood. The 2 cories and another Cardinal are now dead and as regards the Ich, all I can say is that the Cardinals had spots on them around the size of a spec of sand. (I wishfully told myself they were specks of sand). Have given the tank its second treatment of Protozin as directed. I can't move the cories as my 60 litre has 3 healthy breeding cories in and the internal filter wouldn't adjust to the bio load. Think I'd have more problems with Nitrite / ammonia.

Have just been reading about Gill flukes - I think that the Cardinals definately have Ich. but I've never lost a cory to Ich before - they always seem to get by. To make matters even more frustrating, the Rams have just laid eggs tonight! No doupt the meds will kill any potential fry.

Thanks for your reply though.

 

[snowyangel]

corymad I'm sorry thigns aren't working out. To help fight ich, aquarium salt also does wonders aggainst fighting it(yes I've added salt to my cories and my cories do just fine). Just weaken the full dosage abit and it should help. Good luck

 

[Inchworm]

Hi corymad

Are you sure that your fish really have ich? Do they look like they were sprinkled with salt, not just a few spots? I ask this because corys seldom get ich. In fact, they are somewhat resistant to it.

Is it possible that you might have misdiagnosed this or have more than one illness going on?

 

[corymad]

Hi Inchworm

Cories show and have showed no sign of Ich - the only fish with white spots were the Cardinals. They started dying first - started breathing really fast, then lost their sense of balance then died. Meanwhile a Adolphi and a Sterbai started breathing really fast - then died - there was no sign of Ich on the cories. There was also no sign of gill flukes - though I must admit that I don't know what I'd be looking for apart from redness / excessive slime around the gills.

Several other Cardinals have now died (spotless since the second treatment for Ich). After laying eggs last night, the female Ram started breathing very fast, lost her sense of balance and died a couple of hours ago.

We wondered IF this was Ich, could the pests have got in the Cories gills through their delight at sifting through the sand? If you have any thoughts I'm really open minded. PG GH KH Nitrate, Nitrite, Amonia levels all fine. Temperature now up to 81 as we believe we've had Ich. 3rd treatment due tonight - no spots on anyone and in a dilema what to do. (Last treatment due on day 6)

Any advice would be much appreciated.