Help --- What Do I Do?

[friendlyfishy777]

My fish tank is only in it's second week running with fish in after fishless cycle and suddenly I have an issue on my hands.

Two of my hoplos have a fine white dusting on their bodies, mostly on the tops of their heads, but a little does reach to the gills. This has come on extremly studdenly. About a day ago I thought I saw something in the light on the males head but wasn't sure. Now it's beyond any doubt! I'm guessing this is ick/ich? I can't say I've seen them rub themselves on anything but then, these two hoplos have been rather shy from the start. Being totally new to tropical fish keeping I fingured they didn't take the journey to me well and needed extra time to settle in. The thrid Hoplo is super active and doesn't appear to have any ick nor do any other fish in the tank (for stocking list see my sig).

I noticed over the last few days I've had a nitrate surge too, from 20ppm to 40ppm (maybe a little higher!). I blame myself for the surge as I may have been over feeding them (um make that certain I was), as I worked out just how much my group of bottom feeders needed (I know now and clean up after them staight away). I did a massive water change of around 65% when I noticed the surge. I've done 20% water change tonight. The nirate is back at around 20ppm. My tap water is naturally 20ppm which is rather frustrateing. The ph has remained steady at 7.5. The ammonia and nitrite levels have remained at zero!

I have a feeling the ick came in on my big adult gold laser who is one of a wild caught pair (my other two are tank breds), as a few days before this I thought I saw a spot on her fin but then it seemed to be gone the next day. These two had very red gills when I got them, they seem to be a lot paler now, so I guess that was nirate or ammonia from the fish bags they came in. But i thought I'd mention it in case it has any bearing.

Please tell me what the best possible medication is and how to treat, as I'm sure I read somewhere that catfish are sensetive to medications. Also has anyone got any really good pictures of ick or velvet so I can compare. I would take a photo of my two hoplos if I could but my camrea simply isn't good enough.

The tank was set at 26c when I got my first fish (hoplos and wild caught gold lasers) as where they came from their tank had been set to 26c, I left it like that for four days before turning it to 25c, and then after another 3 days to 24c. I've had the Hoplos and Gold Lasers for two weeks now. I feel terrible I added other fish which now might be affected too. I could slap myself!

I am guessing that it would be good to treat the whole tank at once? I certainly won't be any more fish until this is over. I hope everyone comes out alive.

Tank is 200L and is running with a Fluval External Filter 405. The tank has a fine sand bottom and there's plently of plants, craves and a big chuck of bogwood.

 

[friendlyfishy777]

Ps. if you could name a brand safe for catfish I'll run out and buy it.

 

[CrazyCichlaMomma]

aquarium salt, 1 tsp per 5 gallons(i'll let you do the conversion to metric, but i think 1 us gallon is not quite 4 liters), raise the temp to 86 degrees F, and add an air stone. and in 5 days do a 50% water change and do it again. repeat as necessary till you see no more signs of ich in the tank. and then do another 50% water change without adding any more salt.

 

[friendlyfishy777]

Thanks! Are you sure salt is okay for catfish?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Some fish such as elephant nose, Ghost Knives, as well as many catfish, Clown Loaches, etc. are salt sensitive so I would be careful and not go past 2 teaspoons per gallon. This method can take so long that the fish die of the ich infestation

 

[CrazyCichlaMomma]

yep, i'm sure the salt is ok for the catfish, in fact, that is why i use salt instead of buying meds. i had an RTC and TSN and neither of them could stand the Ich meds that you can buy in the store, it says right on the bottles to not use them for catfish or invertibrates. i hear corydoras are kinda funny about salt, but the ones i had never complained or acted any differently when i added salt to their aquarium, and the amount of salt i told you to put in is a very light dose. some people use as much as 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons and i've even seen folks say 1 Tablespoon per gallon which i wouldn't do to any freshwater fish.

 

[fishmania06]

i need help urgently, my elephant nose has been doing realy well for the month that ive had her but recently she has become very thin, when she swims she seems ok but then she starts to swim vertically and just today she has been floating vertically on her tail she looks like she is dead but she is still alive i am extremely worried about her HELP PLEASE i dont know what to do

 

[fluttermoth]

i need help urgently, my elephant nose has been doing realy well for the month that ive had her but recently she has become very thin, when she swims she seems ok but then she starts to swim vertically and just today she has been floating vertically on her tail she looks like she is dead but she is still alive i am extremely worried about her HELP PLEASE i dont know what to do

What size is your tank, what are your water stats and filtration details? How long has the tank been set up and was it cycled? What are you feeding?

For the moment do a big water change; drain the tank right down, leaving just enough water for the fish to stay covered before you refill. don't forget to dechlorinate and temperature match the new water, and to turn the heater off first.

 

[fishmania06]

i need help urgently, my elephant nose has been doing realy well for the month that ive had her but recently she has become very thin, when she swims she seems ok but then she starts to swim vertically and just today she has been floating vertically on her tail she looks like she is dead but she is still alive i am extremely worried about her HELP PLEASE i dont know what to do

What size is your tank, what are your water stats and filtration details? How long has the tank been set up and was it cycled? What are you feeding?

For the moment do a big water change; drain the tank right down, leaving just enough water for the fish to stay covered before you refill. don't forget to dechlorinate and temperature match the new water, and to turn the heater off first.

my water stats are perfect, ive done the water change as soon as i saw her, temp is 26C, tank size is 144litres, the tank was set up 3months prior to getting the fish yes the tank has cycled, i am feeding live bloodworm frozen brineshrimp and she likes to try flakes now and then when some float down by her but she has deteriorated majorly throug the night