Sick platies (icj? Velvet?)

[fishie]

Okay, first off, I don't have any water testers at the moment, so I don't know what the ammonia count etc. is (however, I clean 25% of the water out each week, if that makes any difference)
It's a 5 gallon tank,fairly new, that houses four platies and one little white cloud (I feel bad for him. He's got none of his kind in there. His pals [who were old] died off awhile ago)-anyway,
My two adult platies seemed to come down with ich two days ago, along with another baby platy in there with them. Consulting my books so as not to make mistakes, I found that it should be very easy to treat, and I could get rid of it with just an application of some of my bottled fish medication (Wardley's Fish Care or something like that..).
Well, things seemed to be going fine. I added the amount listed on the bottle,and my fishies didn't get any worse.
Until yesterday. Now they are just littered with white spots. Both babies have contracted it, and my adult platies, while still harboring very healthy appetites, tend to hang around the bottom for the most part, occasionally taking a swim around. My white cloud remains healthy.
What have I done wrong? Wrong medicine (clams to to treat fungi,bacteria..all that sort of stuff). Is my medicine too old? (two year old bottle). Wrong water? Wrong temperature of water (usually around 76 degrees)
They all still eat fine,but don't look so happy.
What should I do?
Please help!!

 

[reg2k2]

Hi fishie and welcome!

Ich is a parasite, not a fungi or bacteria. You could post the ingredients, maybe someone would know, but I suspect if it doesn't claim to specifically treat ich, it's not the right stuff. If no exp. date, I would pick up something new, just to be sure.
Also, if u do this, be sure to run carbon for several hours to clear the old med's. Remove it before adding the new.

Raising the temp. to 80-82*F (slowly, maybe 2deg. every few hrs) can aid in treatment, by speeding up the life-cycle of the parasite; the medicine can only have effect during the juvenile, free-swimming stage (the adult stage is the spots seen on the fish). Treatment sh. continue at least 3dys after the last visible sign has gone.

I would also recommend getting the test kits, esp. ammonia and nitrite, if this tank is still cycling.
Smaller tanks can be more difficult to manage as changes occur more rapidly due to the smaller volume of water.
You say the tank is fairly new (how new?), but the fish that died off were old? Were they in a diff. tank?

(Ich should look a bit like salt, velvet sh. be finer, more like talc, from what I've read.)

 

[fishie]

Hey! Thanks for responding.
Since I last posted, I ran out to Wal-Mart with my mom (she graciously allowed me to make an emergency run-just for my fishies! *hugz*), and got a new bottle of ich medicine,some Ph test chems (also included were raising and lowering chemicals included) along with a new tank for my betta (he's kept separate from the tank with the ich problem,by the way),some tubifex worm cubes...and a box of chocolate covered granola bars...
Anyway, I checked the Ph, consulted my fish book, and found it to be the appropriate level (phew), of about 7.5. Apparently, it can go lower than that, and the fish will still be happy, so I'll check it about once a week to maintain that level.
My new ich (ick?), medicine is also by Wardley, but it's specifically for ich. I did a partial water change,let the filter run for a bit to clean out the old stuff, and then added a 1/2 teaspoon of the new ich medicine.
To be safe, since I heard sometimes medicine can stress the fish that are healthy (never heard that before 'til now...),I took out the single White Cloud tetra and put him in his own little tank for now.
So far, no dead fish. They are all still swimming, and eating. One of the younger platies is a little more timid to begin with, I worry about him the most, actually. .
Thanks for all the info. From your description, and from others books I've read, I think it is ich.
Oh yeah, I've got the heater keeping the tank at 82 degrees now.
Well, lemme see, I got the tank the beginning of the month, and the pump and airstone ran for about a week and a half before I put any fish in it.
The white cloud's pals mostly died off in another tank. Two had uncurable problems (air bladder or something..*sigh*), his last pal lasted nearly forever, until genuine old age took him to the big fish tank in the sky. His last pal was with him in the new tank for about a week, but I think the stress was too much for the oldie, and he couldn't take it.
But if you have other ideas, I'll take 'em.
Well, I've rambled on a lot, but I guess it's so everyone knows exactly what I'm doing.
Thanks so much!!

 

[mathman]

I can't be of anymore help than you have already recieved but wanted to say hi and welcome aboard! We always like to hear from new "fishy" people !

 

[LesGerber]

Fishie,
Reg offered alot of good information there. Good job M8
Fishie I would suggest that you read this thread, It another ICH topic where a fellow member had problems and alot of good info was posted there.

Ich Thread

Hope this helps


Les

 

[reg2k2]

Aw...good mom...
Good that you tested pH, always good to know where you're at.

Re: filtering...w/ the carbon, right?...and removed it? Just dbl-checking---carbon removes med's.
Re: white cloud. Chances are, even if you can't see signs, he may be infected...keep a very close eye on him!!
That's the thing w/ ich and continuing treatment after...the juvenile form (which u can't see) has three days to find a new host. So sometimes people think it's gone, and stop treatment, only to have it return.

You say the tank was running a few weeks...did it 'cycle'? Was it started from scratch...no gravel from another tank, filter media, etc.?

 

[fishie]

Hey, thanks for the link! Very helpful. I never new ich was such a pain. *grumbles*
Well, I've gotta go check on my fish now,see how they are doing.

 

[fishie]

I filter with carbon yes, but I've removed it now that the med is in there.
OK, I'll keep a close eye on my White Cloud. He was in the tank for awhile with the medicated water (if this makes any difference), but now he's in his own tank.
Did my tank 'cycle'..? I'm not quite sure I know what you mean, but I'll tell you all that I did;
I used other gravel from a reliable tank (I hope.), mixed with new, washed gravel. A new,plastic plant was also added after being washed. The filter was new, as was the heater etc. This (except for the heater), were allowed to run the entire time before I got the fish.
Later on, I realized heating the water would be better.
Well,I've gotta hit the road...
Thanks again!!

 

[reg2k2]

k, seein' as u put old gravel in, cycling may not be an issue...in which case u may have had to look out for ammonia spikes.
I would still recommend an ammonia test kit, tho...if at all possible.

For info on cycling, u can try running a search on board...or just check the 'newbie' forum.

Good luck & keep us posted.

 

[LesGerber]

I used other gravel from a reliable tank (I hope.), mixed with new, washed gravel. A new,plastic plant was also added after being washed

I hope you mean that you washed the new gravel and not the old. If you washed the old even in exsisiting tank water then you could have lost all the good bacteria.

What type of filtration do you have on the reliable tank? You might be able to swipe part of the exsisting bio sponge (if it has one) and drop it in the new filter.

Keep testing you water for ammonia,nitrite and nitrate to follow and make sure your water conditions are all good


HTH


Les

 

[fishie]

I hope you mean that you washed the new gravel and not the old. If you washed the old even in exsisiting tank water then you could have lost all the good bacteria.

Yes, that's what I meant.
I'm going out Monday, to get some more filter (packets? Is that what they are called?). I'll take the time to get an ammonia testing kit as well.
The reliable tank is already put away, so nothing from it would be very useful now.

So far, all my fish are still living. Though my younger platies worry me. They hang around the bottom alot, and look pretty sad. (if it's possible for a fish to look that way).
Is ragged fins also a problem with something like this? Possibly from rubbing themselves against plants/decorations and such? 'Cause their back fins look alittle ragged.
I'm off again!