HELP - Two ClownLoaches With White Spots !

[Grant R]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

I'm definitely not going to add another, until this pig of a disease has ended. All are still alive to date, but still, the spots on the loach don't appear to have cleared up, even after 4 odd days of the treatment.

I think I'll do a 50% water change tonight, rather than a 20%. There are a few things people have said, which I'm unsure of.

Filter Carbon - Is this just the media in the filter ? IE, at the moment, mine is a cylindrical sponge.

Free Float Period - This is obviously a crucial period in killing the disease, but I'm not sure what is meant by it

Thanks again for all the help, everyone.

 

[fishnutz]

Activated carbon is used to trap wastes and heavy metals at the molecular level by adsorption and ion exchange, when fresh it also works extremely well at removing meds from the tank water. Most filter pads for hang on power filters contain small amounts of activated carbon, it can also be placed in canister filters or power filter media chambers. If you are using a sponge filter powered by an air pump it will not contain any carbon. Activated carbon must be replaced regularly or it will begin to release compounds back into the tank.

Free floating/swimming stage In an outbreak of ich after several days the parasites or white spots break free from the fish and fall to the bottom of the aquarium where they begin to reproduce rapidly. Within 24 hours each cyst can contain up to 500 new parasites. When the cyst breaks open hundreds of free-swimming parasites are released into the water. These new parasites then seek out a host (fish) to attach themselves to and feed. These parasites or protozoans can only be killed when in the free swimming or floating stage.

 

[Grant R]

Thanks mate, that explains a few things.

 

[Grant R]

It's been nearly two weeks now and my clownloach just doesn't appear to be getting much better. What else can I do ? I'm still using the medication, but no joy.

 

[Somethingfishy]

Which medication are you using again?
Are you using an external canister filter? If so have you removed all your carbon?

 

[Grant R]

I'm using ' eSHa Exit ', a formulated medicine to treat whitespot. I have an internal filter, no external canister unfortunately.

 

[Somethingfishy]

And there is no carbon in the internal?

I treated my ich/whitespot with Waterlife'srotozin and within a week it was all cleared out.
Not sure of the eSHa Exit product.

 

[Grant R]

No, no carbon. I will have to try something different soon if results don't improve, so I'll bare the WaterLife stuff in mind.

 

[Somethingfishy]

Try, before you add tonight medication, a 90% water change plus cl;ean the substrate by digging the syphon tube down into it and give it a good clean. Then after filling it up add more moetie (medicine). Try every second day to do a 20% water change before administering the next dose?

 

[Grant R]

I only did a 20% water change yesterday though, would 90% this evening be OK ? When people use the word ' substrate ' , is this just the gravel at the surface ? I have no direct tool for cleaning the gravel at the moment, the guy in the shop said I wouldn't need one immediately, although when I get the 45, I'll almost be def. looking into getting one.

 

[Somethingfishy]

Well yes it is the gravel and should be cleaned about every other water changed and then 'vaccumed' on the normal changes. There is a tool that you would need to if you wanted to clean the 'gravel', how do you change the water? What do you use to syphon the water?
No a 90 will not make too much of a difference as most of your bacteria is on your rocks, ornaments and in the filter, there is hardly anything in the actual water.

This is more or less what I use at the moment to clean my gravel:
http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Gravel_Cleaners_54.html
don't bother about the first one, I could not get it to work properly!

 

[Grant R]

Wow, they are excellent. Cheap too. An investment soon I think.

I will carry out a large water change then this evening and report back tomorrow. Thanks again.

Anything to aid the ClownLoach of this real shi**y disease.

 

[fishnutz]

Don't do more than a 50% to 75% water change as this will create to much of a shock to the tank and may destroy some of the established nitrifying bacteria. A 75% may even be pushing it and could start the cycle process over again, although a short one, but it will for sure cause spikes.

The stress to the fish may also be to much as they are already stressed by trying to cope with the ick.

Very large water changes will not do much to get rid of the protozoan. Gravel cleaning and water changes do indeed reduce the population of the little jerks, but along with this meds are also needed to actually kill them.

 

[Grant R]

I think the clownloach is slowly getting better now. The white spots are slowly disappearing, and are only in one or two very small patches.
I hope so anyway ...

 

[Somethingfishy]

Excellant, glad to hear that.

 

[Grant R]

I'm considering purchasing one clownloach this evening, to replace the one that died, as the current one, understandably, seems lonely without a compatriot ! This should be OK now that the disease has cleared up shouldn't it ?

 

[Somethingfishy]

Personally I would wait a couple of days and see what the disease looks like.
Again saying that I have replenished a stock of fish just after a disease.

 

[Grant R]

Well I opted against it in the end as I forgot I'm getting two of the little fellas on Sunday !!

 

[Somethingfishy]

Some more info on the clown loach:
http://freshaquarium.about.com/library/profiles/blfw0053.htm

 

[Grant R]

Thanks, that site is brilliant.