Ich problems... again

[canarsie11]

I am trying to help you not infect your 5 gallon. I know you dont want repeat of 46 in your 5 do you?

Keep lucifer safe.

Can you invest in a 10 or 20gallon tank, for a quarentine (sp?) tank?

 

[David]

Nah I'm kinda low on cash. maybe I can ask the LFS to quarantine for me?

 

[canarsie11]

Do you guys have trading posts in cali? Or garage sale, my boy gets his 10 gallons for like 7 bucks

 

[David]

Hmm I suppose I could get a 10 gallon quarantine. I saw some used ones at the LFS for like $10. It didn't come with anything though and I don't want to buy a bunch of other crap.

 

[canarsie11]

The beautyof small tanks, components are cheap.

 

[FishDan]

Ah. Never thought of that. But then again, Charlie was the only fish in the tank that never actually got ich...

Are you listening , just because he actually never had ick. He can still introduce it to your 5 gallon Because he has been exposed to it

I am trying to help you not infect your 5 gallon. I know you dont want repeat of 46 in your 5 do you?

Every single fish you own, that everyone owns, is always and constant "exposed" to ich. As I said, the things that cause ich are always present in the aquarium. Moving a fish that was in a tank with other fish that had symptomatic ich does not guarantee that other fish will get it. If the other fish is not stressed or otherwise weakend, he won't get ich. Or he'd already have it, because it is already present in his tank, without moving the other fish. Again, the 5 gallon tank is already "infected" just not symptomatic.

Now, having said that, maybe adding the second betta to the tank may stress the first betta and make it more suceptible to getting ich. But this is not to say that your fish will get it by "transmission" If he gets stressed in some other way he may get ich anyhow. You can put the divider and then see how both fish act. If they get stressed try putting some plants near the divider so they can't see each other. Personally, I think they'll be fine, but watch them to make sure.

\Dan

 

[David]

Well in that case... I've heard so many mixed stories about ich that I don't know what to believe anymore. Some say infected fish carry it for the rest of their lives. Some say it can't be gotten rid of once introduced. Some say it lies dormant in your gravel. I'm really confused.

 

[canarsie11]

Do your own research David.

I beleive what Dan saying is true, I have also read that.

Either way, you dont want lucifer to be stressed that will make him open to ick

 

[FishDan]

Well in that case... I've heard so many mixed stories about ich that I don't know what to believe anymore. Some say infected fish carry it for the rest of their lives. Some say it can't be gotten rid of once introduced. Some say it lies dormant in your gravel. I'm really confused.

Unfortunately, ich is always around. Like what causes the common cold. The germs are always in the air we breathe, but most times we don't catch a cold because our immune systems are "in balance" and keep the cold from taking over. When we get stressed, over tired, or something else that throws our bodies off, the cold begins to take over and then we "catch" cold. Same thing with ich. It is always in the tank, but normally the fish are able to keep it at bay. When fish get stressed they become more suceptible and than "catch ich" the same way we "catch cold".

And yeah, you can Google ich and get some pretty good info on it.

If you don't have the cash to go and buy another tank, I still think you can try dividing your 5 gallon. Again, if it becomes evident one or both of your bettas are stressed, simply add a few plants next to the divider, so they can't see each other. You can even do that right from the start, and then they shouldn't get stressed as they won't even know the other is right next door. If you still notice stress, you can then get another small tank. Short term stress won't be a problem, but if you let it go then you run the risk of infection to one or both your fish. So make sure you can get another tank if you need to before going ahead with dividing.

I hope your well fish stay well.

\Dan

 

[canarsie11]

Common cold explanation was great

 

[FishDan]

Common cold explanation was great

Thanks Glad it made some sense.

\Dan

 

[David]

Ok I will put some small plants in the 5 gallon and divide it. If I see signs of stress I'll do something about it.

 

[canarsie11]

Keep us posted

 

[David]

Will do.