Help – Bad Outbreak Of Whitespot

[wolfie]

We have been treating the tank with King British WS3 white spot terminator for a week but it does not seem to be clearing and we have today lost our first fishes – 1 cherry barb & 3 penguin fish. We have been using half doses due to having several lightly scaled fish in the tank, but they are still reacting so badly to the treatment that they are now damaging themselves by flicking. One loach is quite big and is probably stressing the other fish more with his flicking, as it is particularly violent.

Our tank currently consists of:

3 Scissortail Rasbora
3 Agassi Corys
1 Barbatus Cory
1 Clown Barb
5 Checker Barbs
1 Red-tailed Black Shark
2 Algae Loach


We tested the water today and the nitrates were a little high (20) but everything else was fine (Am=0 Nitrite=0 Ph=7.0), however we have since done a 30% water change to be safe.

We have read on the forums that it is best to increase the water temp to around 28 degrees, but our biggest concern is that the corys and scissortails should be kept in temps up to 24 – 25. These fish are not showing signs of white spot so we are worried that we’ll kill them anyway if we raise the temp too high. The fish that definitely have white spot are the Clown Barb and Checker Barbs.

The only differences in the tank of late have been the addition of two Checker Barbs and the addition of coral to slightly raise the Ph level, which has gone from 6.0ph on the 15/12/05 to 7.0ph today the 31/12/05.

Any advice gratefully received

 

[severina]

I'm having one as well. Is there any form of treatment that doesn't harm beneficial bacteria? Also, if I have to treat it with quick cure...should I take out my filter cartridge and biofiber? Someone help me and wolfie, quick!

 

[black angel]

You must keep the overhead light off when using meds and any charcoal in the filter should be removed. The temperature can safely be risen to 85f as this will speed up the lifecycle and help kill the free swimming stage as well. Add extra aeration and your fish should be ok with the higher temperatures.

 

[severina]

You must keep the overhead light off when using meds and any charcoal in the filter should be removed. The temperature can safely be risen to 85f as this will speed up the lifecycle and help kill the free swimming stage as well. Add extra aeration and your fish should be ok with the higher temperatures.

Would I have to treat my biofiber too? If not I'm thinking of rinsing it off with dechlorinated water and putting it in another tank to save the cultures. And could I use the same cartridges I had if I just rinsed them off? I had *just* changed them.

 

[black angel]

The ick will be in your filter media whatever it is so dont put it into another tank or you will set the disease off in that one. I have no idea about the biofiber but if you havent used any meds yet then the best treatment is really high temperatures to kill it off, so you can try that for a few days and add extra air.

What types of fish do you have?

 

[severina]

I have 2 small oscars and 3 corydoras. I did a water change and vaccumed it out really good and took the carbon filter and biofiber out. I used a dose of quick cure (before I read your recent post) and started raising the temp. Will quick cure kill off my nitrifying bacteria? Because everything *just* settled in after several spikes in ammonia and nitrites.

 

[black angel]

There is a chance it will kill off the bacteria sorry. You will have to keep testing the water to make sure you dont get more spikes.

 

[wolfie]

Update
No more losses but the Clown Barb looking very sorry for himself. Carbon was removed before any treatments started. Temp has been risen to 28c and light turned off. Also going to stop feeding for awhile in case of a crash. Going to continue to medicate at 1/2 dose has the algae loach reacts when the WS3 goes in by flicking for awhile
Extra water movement has been by reducing the water level and the spray bar off the fluval 304. Is that going to be enough?