Help! What should I do??

[maranatha22859]

I've got a couple of problems with the new 55gal I set up about 3 weeks ago. I have 2 other fully cycled and healthy tanks (5gal & 10gal)

First, I used tap water with conditioner. I have gravel, rose quartz (from lfs) and artificial plants (for now.) I added 2 platys and 4 mollys.

I've been watching Amonia, NitrItes and NitrAtes every few days and occ the pH. PH has always been 7.6. When all the other readings remained at "0" after 10 days, I thought there might not be enough fish to start the cycle, so I added 5 small black-skirt tetras. I also added 2 small snails( a little smaller than golf balls) There still has been no change-everythings still "0" My other tanks have "0" Ammonia and NitrItes, but show 20 NitrAtes. (I thought maybe the tests were wrong!) Thats my first problem-or is it a problem? (continue below for total fish currently present!)

The other problem is that the B.-S. Tetras I added had ich! I was never faced with this before, but added the medicine, only now it seems that all the fish have it, and they're dying off like crazy! I currently have only 1 snail, 1 molly and 2 platys left

I'm afraid to do anything! From what I read about ich, it's a common problem, but it said something about spores that hatch-could it totally pollute my tank forever? I almost want to take the whole thing apart and start over! What do I do???

 

[fishwife]

Maranatha, Love the name, by the way... anyway. Have you done any water changes on your tank? If so, how often? What temperature are you running it at?
FW

 

[wetwetwet]

Hi m, with whitespot you really need to act quickly as it is very contagious.

How long and what medication were you using?

Raising the temp will speed up the ich cycle and make medications more effective.
Ideally a medication that is dosed several times say on days 1,3, and 5 along with a higher temp seem to be most successful
This topic come up frequently - try a search on ich here.

Or lots of thoughts on it here

ICH


As far as cycling the tank, to get no spikes I presume you must have used filter material/decor/water from your established tanks and possably by-passed the cycling all together??

 

[maranatha22859]

Thanks! I had the tank at 74-76F, but raised it to 80F.

I used Rid+Ich once, doing a 25% water change beforehand-it was the first water change for this tank, but did ianother change (plus med) this afternoon.

Usually I do 20% changes weekly, but wanted to wait until the tank cycled, so this had been the first change.

I did add gravel and a little water from one of the established tanks to speed the cycle. I also add Stress-zyme which adds "helpful bacteria" to all my tanks once a week and I'd never had a water quality problem.

I went to have my water tested at the lfs today, and they verify my test results- 0 nitrItes, 0 Ammonia, pH 7.6. He told me to do the Rid+Ich and water changes everyday for about 4 days. He also told me the tank might have had an ammonia spike which went unnoticed and because there were so few fish in the tank, it's already cycled. I thought it would take a month or more?

What do you think? I'm not very hopeful for the remaining fish, though.

 

[maranatha22859]

I lost another fish this morning, but the others seem to be perking up a bit. I did another 25% water change and another treatment ofRid+Ich. I guess I'll just have to wait and see...

 

[William]

I'm not sure you should be doing water changes while treating with the chemicals as it will obviously reduce their concentration in the tank, suprised the guy at the LFS said this, does it mention it on the instructions ? . You have removed the carbon in your filter I presume?

Just keep adding the medication I have not used your product but usually it says treat every 24/48 hours and continue treatment 48 hours after the last signs of the disease have gone. Then do a large water change of about 25-50% to remove any remaining meds and you can then put the carbon back in the filter.

I hope your fish improve and I'm sorry I am so late in replying.

 

[semper fi]

sorry william the water change will not get rid of the meds, just lower the concentration like you said earlier. to remove the meds you put carbon into the filter. carbon will remove the remaining meds out of the tank.

maggie