Hi, new here and this seems like the thread for me.
I know I should read all the threads first but really I am after reassurance and advice on anything else I should be doing.
I'll try to condense!!! New to fish keeping, got a ridiculously small 15 litre tank for Christmas, set it up properly but with tap water, a few weeks later added 3 Glow-lights and 3 Cardinal tetras. 2 weeks later, the Cardinals got Ich and all 3 died even though I medicated with Esha Exit for 5 days. The Glow-lights never got it and are still well (well 2 are, one literally disappeared one day!!!!)Bought two blue tailed Guppies 3 cherry shrimp and a couple of snails and talked to the manager of the aquatic centre who felt sorry for me for having been mis-sold such a stupidly small tank so actually gave me a 48 litre River Reef aquarium that he didn't use/want anymore. Apologising that it was still small but actually I really couldn't have one too much bigger anyway.
This has been set up with RO water and a new Fluval U2 filter and three weeks later had a water test. All was well and my 2 Glow-lights and 2 Guppies moved house. That was two weeks ago, the water was fine today so I bought new water, 4 Endler Guppies and 4 more Cardinals (I know they are so common but I just love them, eased them in really gently and three hours later turned the lights on for a quick peek.
Guess what....... 2 of my Cardinals seem to have Ich!!!! There are only a couple of spots on each one and you have to really look but I'm sure its there. Well basically, I've panicked, taken the black filters out the U2, dropped in 10 drops of Exit, turned the heater up from 25 - 26 degrees centigrade with a view to upping a bit more tomorrow if the shop wont take them back. Changed the filter from spray bar to the one which breaks the water to aerate as I know that the higher the temp the lower the oxygenation. Lights are off. I was told not to change the water for a couple of days as to let the newbies settle. Oh, and the little tank can't be used as a hospital tank as my 8 year old has 3 minnows in it!!
It's 11 o'clock at night, is there anything else I can do? I'm truly upset about this as I was actually going to get 4 Rummy Nosed Tetras right up 'till the last minute as I didn't want the same thing to happen.
Thanks for taking the time to read.