Fish are scraping

[Blues N Twos]

Before I get shot down in flames I have done a search but can't find a specific
match.

Over the last month or so some of the fish have been scraping and flicking against the filter and ornaments.
I have taken the measurments for the water and they are "perfect"
Nitrites... 0
Amonia...0
PH broad.. 7.0
I change about 10% of the water a week and clean the filter and pump etc.
The tank is well established and is naturaly planted.

I have tried 2 whitespot treatments...... made no or very little difference.
I have tried the Sterazin 15 day treatment twice for flukes etc... no difference.
I have tried a fungus and finrot treatment...... no difference.
I am in day 2 of another whitespot treatment..WSP... still scratching.

I have run a carbon filter after each treatment and done a partial water change.
The fish look healthy..ie no visable whitespots and none of the common ailments are to be seen.

The fish eat well. I did recently loose a guppy who had a raggedy tail.

What can it be? I have tried raising the temperature to about 81 c and have turned the oxygen up on the filter. I don't want to keep putting in chemicals and I have never done a salt treatment as I have clown loaches and was told they do not tolerate salt well.

The tank is a 120ltr one with twin lights and fluval plus2 pump.

Your advice will be much apreciated folks.

Jon

 

[The-Wolf]

It sounds like you have a case of Ectoparasites, you can treat this with
Malachite Green (0.1- 0.25 mg malachite per litre: Repeat every three days for a maximum of three treatments)
Good luck and keep us posted on the outcome.

 

[Fawke]

You dont give a reading for your nitrates high nitrates can irritate fish and cause them to scratch.

I realise that you do regular water changes and that should be enough, but do you know what the nitrates in your tap water are? (if indeed you use tap water?)

I live in an area with high nitrates straight from the tap and have added plants and some beads that absorb nitrates to the gravel to help reduce them.

HTH

 

[skimpy]

Hi Blue n twos, I have a similar problem with flicking. I know my fish are not ill, they were a little while ago (internal bacteria successfully treated) but I have always noticed them flick a little and it has increased in the last two months.

My lfs (which is a good one) have said that not to worry they most probably have an itch, the same as we sometimes do and flicking is the only way to scratch it.

I watch them very carefully because i am not convinced but it has gone on for a while now and none have any other obvious signs of illness, i wonder if perhaps he is right.

Do not get me wrong they only flick now and then it is not a constant thing, i'm sure if it increased I would be more worried. I know it is a worry because it can be a symptom of illness, but I feel in the absence of any other symtom, if the fish are healthy and the water parameters are good, keep an eye on it but do not worry too much.

Good luck

EDIT: Thinking about it, high nitrAtes may have something to do with it. While I was treating my fish (twice) for internal bacteria I could not do so many water changes and the NitrAtes did increase more than normal. This is my first week back on normal water changes, I will watch to see if the flicking lessens as the NitrAtes get more and more reduced with more frequent water changes. It would be interesting to know what you nitrAte levels are perhaps it does have a connection to flicking.

 

[Blues N Twos]

Thanks for the advice there,

I will go and test the Nitrates and see how it is.

As you have said, in all other aspects the fish look absolutly fine
but you can't help tying in scraping and scrathing with some form
of illness or parasite.

The Wolf, thanks for that and I will look into that a bit further.

And Skimpy, I will try not to worry too much.