Clamping and Scraping.

[spittinfly]

Ok, I will go and do research on this but I figured I would post anyways.

2 of my Lryetails seem to be clamping there tails. I say seems to be cause I've seen some pics and not sure if it is. Their points don't come all the way together just not as spread out. Is this clamping or does the tail have to come to an almost point?

Also some of my Platys and Mollies scrape against my seashells. At first I thought the Calico was trying to re-arrange the tank but then a couple of others started doing it to. Again not sure if it is a disease because only a couple do it and not all the time. Also they ONLY do it on the seashells I got from the Pacific Ocean.

So don't know if I really have any problems but I would really appreciate any and all opinions.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Are any of the fish new? Any new additions? Did you sterilize the shells before you put them in? How long ago did you add them?

Sounds like the fish are clamping. The rubbing you are seeing is called "flashing". Usually indicative of something irritating the fish and it is often a premature sign of ich. Keep your eye out for white spots.

HTH

 

[theotheragentm]

Sounds like it could be ich. Turn up your temperature slowly (1 or 2 degrees an hour) to 87F and leave it there for two weeks.

What are your water parameters?

 

[spittinfly]

Thanks guys, yeah they are all new fish really. I don't have the luxury of a qt tank so I do what I gotta do. No I didn't steralize the shells. Would it help to take them out and boil them now?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hard to tell if something on the shells are irritating the fish or if ich is the culprit. To be safe, I'd do both treatments. Take the shells out and boil. Perhaps put new activated carbon in your filter cartridge to filter out any bad stuff in the water. Also start increasing the heat as theotheragentm stated. Heat kills ich.

HTH

 

[spittinfly]

What about Flukes I heard that was a gill and skin parasite that causes scraping?

I will probably do the boiling and raise the temp. I have about 18 fry and have heard that the temp increase is good for them also for metabolism.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Maybe...but they are much less common than ich.

 

[spittinfly]

I have since cranked up the heat (slowly), taken out the shells and replaced the cracked and filling with water thermometer! This morning I was at 86 degrees and bumped it up a little more before leaving for work. I haven't boiled the shells yet, will have to convince the wife it's safe for her pot. I have not seen any ich spots yet so hopefully I have caught it early.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Sounds like a plan!

 

[spittinfly]

Ok, I saw my first speck of Ich today so it is official. I am trying to get the temp up to 87 I am stuck at 86 right now. So this is the way to go right? I don't need to go buy the Ich medicine? I am fine if it is I just want to be sure.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Yes, you are fine. You may want to also go pick up some aquarium salt if the heat isn't helping. No meds.

 

[spittinfly]

Well a couple of the ich spots seem to be gone but a couple of new ones on other fish might be popping up. I'll have to keep an eye on it. Sad news one of my first Dalmatians has passed. I am not blaming this on ich though. My Golden Sunglow Lyretail Molly's name is Don, you know like "Godfather Don". Yeah, he terrorizes the tank. I even saw him picking on my Pleco last night as he ate his wafer. I have also seen him chasing this Dalmatian around a lot and now he is doing it to the other male Dalmatian I have. All 3 are males and I have 3 females also. I have always read that the males will harass the females so I was never worried about the males. Now I think that all 3 of my females are carrying fry by The Don.

Should I just pull him from the tank. He seems so aggressive and I think it would be a better life for all the other tank mates.

I am not really sure what to do with him since the lfs's say they don't restock fish and would just put them down.

?? Don't know what to do! ??

 

[Devilishturtles]

Keep persistent with the temps. Are you sure the temp is staying at or above 86/87? not dropping lower at night?

The pleco is a common pleco it seems.

About Don, dunno what to tell you. He is really nice looking. Maybe as around to some chain stores and see if they will take him? I know when I used to work at walmart I would take fish from people if they needed to get rid of it. Just a thought.

 

[spittinfly]

Thanks I'll check. He is really cool looking and our favorite one but he is a real menace. Hopefully he donates the colors but not the temperment to the fry. Yeah the temp stays right about 86/87, we have central air and we keep it constant I'm usually up till 1-2 and it is always right on. Ok, I will admit I am having a very hard time with the 10-12 hrs of light limit.

Does light have any effect on Ich?

 

[spittinfly]

Well I did it. Took the little terror in last night and traded up for a female Platy. Figured I needed to bump up the Platy numbers a little 2 to 2 (M/F) now. Hopefully my tank will settle down a little now and everyone will be a little less stressed out.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Cool.

Light doesn't have any affect on ich. Only thing that might happen if you leave the lights on longer than 10-12 hours is you'll get some algae maybe.

Good luck.

 

[spittinfly]

Good, maybe my Pleco will have some thing to eat. I am always worried that cause I can't see the algea build up there is nothing for him to eat. Is this true?

 

[Sicklid]

I wouldn't add too much salt with a plec in there, they don't tolerate high salt concentrations like your other species you have in there.

 

[spittinfly]

No salt is out of the question right now.

If I can't see algea in the tank, does that mean it is not there?

 

[Sicklid]

Algae mostly comes from the air and possibly some form of fish food in a newly setup aquarium. It may be present, but does not have the nutrients to support it's growth yet. Algae can not be avoided unless you add tons of plants at the start of a new system and feed those plants not long after... plus, co2 will help keep the algae at bay. But, now we are talking a whole new ball game! Your pleco would make short work of any plants. I would just boil him up some green zuccini slices for a minute and drop them in, and add some driftwood if you can, he would love the natural roughage. But by all means, they get along just great with just the proper sinking wafers.

My clown pleco never even ate any algae! He liked the wafers and vegetables too much.