its always something !

[joannde]

While I continue the great BGA battle in the betta tank today I noticed ich spots on two of the guys. ICH ??? How the heck did THAT get in that tank ! ?
And now I've seen some flashing (yesterday and today) in the 29G tank - I don't see any spots but something is irritating at least two of the fish.

So the bettas will be treated with heat for the ich, then I'll use the maracyn to finally kill the BGA and I'll keep a close eye on the 29G for any white spots

ugh

 

[TwoHobbies]

What the heck...is it air born. You really can't catch a break! I say we quarantine the whole building.

Sorry to hear that, wish I could help, keep up the fight ....you'll lick it.

 

[Jchillin]

I remember hearing that at the very end, the survivors will be rodents, insects and ALGAE! That being said, algae spore are indeed airborne and will take advantage of every opportunity to reproduce. You will get rid of it eventually.

As far as the ich, that is a mystery. Perhaps an encrusted cyst was able to survive? The sudden appearance of ich always intrigues me.

 

[QTOFFER]

As far as the ich, that is a mystery. Perhaps an encrusted cyst was able to survive? The sudden appearance of ich always intrigues me.

I recall a thread about this in the distant past.
I think that most aquarium fish harbor a subclinical infestation of ich on their gills. When they get stressed for some reason, the infection becomes symptomatic and visible. This is similar to the way everybody has staph bacteria on their skin, but only a few develop boils, or why many people have H pylori in their stomachs, but not all develop an ulcer.

As far as BGA, the stuff is pure concentrated evil.

 

[joannde]

interesting theory on the subclinical levels of ich. Nothing in that tank has changed in the past weeks except for the 6 day blackout (ended a week ago) to try and kill the BGA. "pure concentrated evil" for sure - I can't believe it survived 6 days in the dark ! The only stressor I can think of is my constant removal of the BGA (as soon as I see a small bit of it I'm on it - hate the stuff !).
I don't know what flashing in the 29G is - nobody is showing any ich spots. In the past I've rasied the temp only upon observation of flashing. I'm going to wait it out this time and see if its just a couple of twitching itchy fish who really aren't sick at all (perhaps they can sense the rise in my blood pressure when they flash, and perhaps they get some sort of weird enjoyment out of it LOL).

I'm slowing raising the temp in the betta tank. I may also add some salt (have to research if bettas can tolerate salt, and the dosing amt recommended for ich). Maybe I'll get REAL lucky and we'll find that BGA is salt intolerant (LOL ok ok - I can dream, can't I ???)

 

[severum mama]

Ugh- what a pain! You'll ditch the ich before too long though, you know what to do. As for the cyano, I definitely feel ya there. I've dealt with it too many times. I had a nasty case a while back that took 2 consecutive blackouts to go away. I've also treated it with Maracyn before. Be careful with that; I found that it did affect my bio filter, even though the package says it won't. Keep your test kit handy, and good luck!

 

[Guest]

I have noticed a couple fish in my tank that flash occasionaly and there are never signs of ich. I have come to the conclusion(hopefuly a correct one) that they do this because of minor irritations in their gills. I think my bottom dwellers flash sometimes to remove sand from their gills, and if I notice a tetra flash and check the water params, I will usualy find a slightly elevated ammo reading. But this is not a constant thing, just on occasion.

 

[SCFatz]

if I notice a tetra flash and check the water params, I will usualy find a slightly elevated ammo reading. But this is not a constant thing, just on occasion.

That should never be the case in an established tank.Some details would be great.Age?size?Population?Feeding habits?Parameters?

Flashing does mean what you think it does,but if the ammonia is up there is a reason...or to put it another way,each time the ammonia rises there is another reason,unless of coarse the tank has not be cycled.

 

[joannde]

Agree that flashing is sometimes the result of ammonia or nitrites and that neither should ever be present in a properly cycled tank.

I have no idea what is causing the flashing in my tank since my ammonia and nitrites are both 0 and my nitrates are 20ppm. I've read LWBs posts on gill flukes and I'm praying thats NOT the reason !! Its only one cory and one platy doing it at this point and its not constant.

Have started adding salt to the betta tank.

Ah , the joys of the hobby LOL

 

[Guest]

One time I cleaned the tank a little too good and caused a spike, and there was lots of flashing. Then another time I had extra floss packed into my 2 hob's and pulled it out to replace with new carbon. Im thinking that I removed some of the bio filter and this caused a small spike. When I noticed the tetra's flash I tested and there was a slight elevation in ammo becuase of me playing with the filters, but a water change solved the problem. The tank is established, Im the one who usualy messes things up. With the exception of a bottom dweller or two flashing(very occasionaly), I will notice something as a result of something I did or a change I made.

 

[joannde]

Well - I'm raising the temp on the 29G. I still don't see any spots but now 4 fish are flashing. Icky Ich, here we go again !!!!!!

 

[Codefox]

That sucks Ick is so frustrating...I think I've had my fish get that more than everything else combined. I don't particurally remember my fish ever contracting any other disease really.

 

[joannde]

So I go to raise the temp and as soon as I touch the heater NOBODY is flashing - its been an hour and not one flash, and the temp hasn't had enough time to change.
I can almost hear the fish saying "ha ha - we got her again ! look at us make her jump !!!" - I have to wonder if the dog didn't have a secret training meeting with them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I've turned the temp back to its original level.

On a more serious note - I wonder if its my hands that's doing it - I had my hand in the tank to pull out a few pond snails (I do that about 2x a day - definitely keeping the population in check). Perhaps I'm just not thourough enough in rinsing my hands after using soap.

 

[Guest]

On a more serious note - I wonder if its my hands that's doing it - I had my hand in the tank to pull out a few pond snails (I do that about 2x a day - definitely keeping the population in check). Perhaps I'm just not thourough enough in rinsing my hands after using soap.

I bet that might have something to do with it. Like I was trying to say in previous posts, fish gills get irritated and it could be anything out of the ordinary, and in my case, it's usualy something I did. Someone once told me that if you dont see ich, you probably dont have it. I find it hard to believe that if you have three stages of ich established in a tank, that it wouldnt show up on at least one fish somewhere and just remain invisible in the gills. Ill also bet that you keep your tanks clean as possible, and when fish detect any changes from what they are used too, it can bother them. Traces of soap are a definate change. Maybe try carbon for a while?

 

[joannde]

The tank is bottomless (no substrate) so it pretty much keeps itself clean. I do regular 50% water changes on Fridays, vaccuming around the plants that are in the pots. I'd bet its my hands also.
Although many people find that carbon is useless I'd bet in my case it would be beneficial - I seem to have my hand in the tank at least once a day (depending upon how many pond snails I find - especially if they're large and look like they might be old enough to lay eggs).

I still think the dog has something to do with it - its a pet conspiracy ! Even my budgie is in on the act - when I first got him he started some heavy panting - I treated him with OTC antibiotics to no avail. $200 later the avian specialist told me that he could find nothing physically wrong with him; he's still doing the panting a year later - I should video him to see if he does it when I'm not watching or if its only a ploy to get fresh carrots or sweet potatoes. Not quite as bad as the $800 canine cardiologist bill to find out that my dog in fact does NOT have congestive heart failure as the local vet thought - her coughing is probably chronic broncitis (or a way to get a good long cuddle !!!). My husband has said that he wants to be reincarnated as one of my pets so he can get as much attention LOLOLOL

 

[Jchillin]

interesting self-observation Joannde. It's probably the most important thing about aquaria that can be overlooked. I'm sure that you will do what is necessary to get those hands as sterile as possible.

Your bird may be mimicking a behavior that was pleasing to him. Just as I am intrigued by sudden ich appearances, I am bewildered by animal behavior.