HELP DISASTER HAS STRIKED

[Fantazia]

Disaster has striked in my tank, i have about 30 different fish in my tank, and i went away at the weekend and when i got home about 15 where dead they where all covered in white spot,
i was absolutley distraught, the next morning first thing i went to my local fish shop and bought some white spot treatment, i did a 20% waterchange aswell then put the white spot treatment in, i found 5 dead yesterday morning, and my favourite Sparky, my beautiful angel fish was found dead this morning, there dropping like flys.
I have checked the water Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 Nitrates where up a little but nothing over the scales. Whats going on what am i going to do all my beautiful babys are dieing in front of me. Its heartbreaking to see all my hard effort i have put into my tank over the last year has gone to pieces. What am i going to do PLEASE HELP

 

[wetwetwet]

Hi and welcome Fantazia,

Ich or whitespot is common, highly contagious and can kill quickly if left untreated.

What youv've done is correct. The parisite can only be killed when it has left its host to begin its cycle. I'm affraid all you can do is follow the course of meds and hope for the best - make sure any carbon is removed from your filter.

By turning the temp upto 30C you can increase the time of the cycle and follow the dosage instructions, this should ensure that the fish that have survived will be ich free- likly to take about 5 days. I'd then carry out a large water change - upto 50% and add some activated carbon to remove whats left of the med.

Some people use salt (not me personally) but as youv'e started a med finish the course.

Good luck and keep us upto date as to how you get on

 

[cichlidmaster]

First off...Hello and Welcome to the board....Now on to your problem...

You say your tank has/had 30 fish in it. What size tank (dimension wise)

Next...It sounds like an outbreak of ick. Are your remaining fish covered in the spots? Is it a light dusting or heavy?

In any case try this.....

1. raise the tank temp slowly to 82 degree's
2 use the medication per the directions and CONTINUE use for the recommended number of days.
3. if after the dosage the spots are gone...do another full treatment.

If ick is the culprit them you have a heavy infestation. I say this due to lossing 15 fish over a weekend.

The only way to kill the ick parasite is to wait until it leaves the host fish, drops to the gravel bed to multiply.

Ick CANNOT be killed while on the fish, without killing the fish.

HTH and keep us posted....please

 

[Fantazia]

Thanks for your advice. I bought 3 rainbow fish last weekend, and they are covered with white spot quite heavily i dont know if it was them that bought it in 1 has died from it the other 2 are still alive, and as i say they are covered in it.

 

[semper fi]

i know i am going to sound like a real b_ _ _ h for saying this but this is a good reason why you should always quarantine new fish for about three weeks before adding to communities. had a tank wiped out for the same reason.

maggie

 

[Fantazia]

Hi just to let you know, the fish are looking much better, the 2 rainbow fish are still covered, but it seems to be getting better, and my Angel Fish, Star, is looking alot better he looked half dead on Mon and Tues, but when i got home last night he was swimming around like his happy normal bouncy self looking for food, when i came near.
He is the only angel fish in the tank now, he's also the boss, he is the biggest out of all my fish well the ones that are left. Surprisingly. All of my 8 Harlequins, escaped without a spot which im quite surprised about i thought they would be the first to go, and my 2 swordtails, and 1 platy, escaped without a spot to, its funny how it hits some more than others isnt it.
Should i do a water change after i have finfshed the treatment, and if so how much water shall i take out.
Im so pleased everytrhing is getting better

 

[cichlidmaster]

After the treatment is finished...do a 50% water change.

I would also do another full treatment. It really does sound like you have/had a heavy infestation of ick and this will ensure you get it all eradicated.

Glad to hear things are looking up

 

[Great Lakes]

Fantazia, I learned the hard way just like you. Now I never add or change anything with my tanks before going away. Not even a water change.

 

[Fantazia]

Is Ick different to White Spot, or the same thing?

 

[wetwetwet]

some good news then,

I think some fish are more susceptable than others especially loaches and other scaleless fish, and those that have been affected before will have some immunity if there is ever another outbreak.

 

[wetwetwet]

Ick Ich whitespot- yes all the same thing