Ich?

[Feline]

Hi everyone, I'm new here!

So we just set up a new tank a week ago, cycled it (I think? We dechlorinated the tap water and left the filter on for 4-ish days before adding fish) and then bought our lovely fish (types in my signature).

Things were going pretty swell until I noticed our platys seemed unhappy (not very active, gathered in corner of tank a lot) so I bought an aquarium heater to rectify that... I'm in Australia so I guess the shopkeeper thought it would be fine for us to not have heater, but I think he forgot we're in the middle of winter. This is the first time I've ever had fish other than regular goldfish, so I'm quite unfamiliar with all these tropical species... it's currently at 22C.

Anyway, lately we've also noticed our black moors slowing down and not being as swimmy as they were last week. Upon closer inspection today, I think they, and some of my other fish, have ich in its very early stages (by that I mean the spots are very small and some fish don't have spots at all, but are acting sad).

Unfortunately I don't have any testing kits (will buy some this weekend!) so I don't know anything about the water pH and all that jazz.

So my question is: how do I treat ich? I've read about the salt and heat treatment, but I can't find any info on whether that would be good with the various fish species that I have.
I would much, much, much rather by a medical treatment and keep up with that for a few weeks as I'm not home a lot to keep changing the water and adding salt, etc. I can do a couple of water changes, just not very often.

So any suggestions of an easy treatment that will be fine for all my fish but also effective and as least stressful as possible (I'm really attached to the little guys now!) would be great.

Thanks for your patience! Like I said above, I'm new at this

 

[Feline]

Oh, forgot to mention their diet:
We feed them a small pinch of pellets in the morning and then either peas, carrots or broc in the evening.

 

[Toon.inc]

Hey I'm in aid to its about 7 degrees at night ATM. My main cichlid tank had white spot a few weeks ago I treated it with ich away and put heater on 30. Heater is still at thirty and all fish are healthy. I have also bumped my red terror/ bristle nose breeding tank to 30 they love it. Try slowly putting temp up and do a 50% water change an take charcoal out of filter if there is any then treat with ich away.

 

[Toon.inc]

Australia*

 

[Feline]

Hey I'm in aid to its about 7 degrees at night ATM. My main cichlid tank had white spot a few weeks ago I treated it with ich away and put heater on 30. Heater is still at thirty and all fish are healthy. I have also bumped my red terror/ bristle nose breeding tank to 30 they love it. Try slowly putting temp up and do a 50% water change an take charcoal out of filter if there is any then treat with ich away.

Thank you! I will definitely slowly bump up the temperature of the water and treat them with medicine when I get my hands on it. Will 30c be okay for my fancy goldfish though? I don't want to stress them out more with heat.

 

[jlk]

Hi! Can you please provide us with some more information? Tank size? Exact number and type of fish? Water change schedule?

Ok, you have quite a few issues going on here. First, you have a mix of tropical and coldwater fish (goldfish). Each has specific requirements for temperature, diet and care. You will need to either invest in another tank or consider returning some fish, unfortunately.

Next big concern is that your tank is NOT cycled. You are just beginning a fish-in cycle with fish (fancies) that do not handle cycling well at all. Their behavior is indicative of very serious toxin issues, not ich. While there may also be ich issue, the toxin levels need to be addressed immediately to avoid fish demise. Clearer pics of the 'spots' you are seeing will help!

Do NOT turn up the temperature! It should be at 74f max and absolutely no higher. Do not add any meds either. You need to start with the toxin levels- change 50% of their water with temperature matched, properly conditioned water. Wait an hour then change another 50% (temperature match & properly condition). Then do a third water change later on today. Tomorrow, change 50% in the am and another 50% in the pm. Continue to do this daily (change 50% in am & another 50% in pm) until you have a proper liquid test kit. The API fw master test kit is suggested. I strongly suggest using Prime as your water conditioner as well because this will help to limit toxin exposure for about 24hrs up to 1ppm of ammonia and/or nitrite.

Please read the links posted below- one covers fish-in cycling and the other discusses at length goldfish care. Please ask any questions!!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

http://www.myaquariumclub.com/goldfish-101-11174823.html

 

[Feline]

Hi! Can you please provide us with some more information? Tank size? Exact number and type of fish? Water change schedule?

Ok, you have quite a few issues going on here. First, you have a mix of tropical and coldwater fish (goldfish). Each has specific requirements for temperature, diet and care. You will need to either invest in another tank or consider returning some fish, unfortunately.

Unfortunately lost a platy this morning

Thanks so much for that link on fish-in cycling.
Like I said, neither of us are able to change the water every day (we both work/study full time), but I picked up some "Quick Start" by API to remedy that. We changed 50% of the water today and will next be able to change the water on Tuesday, then Thursday, then Saturday...

I took the best photos I could of the ich on the fish... I struggle taking good pictures of them even with my DSLR My pleco (the one that I can find) has very visible white spots, as do two of my danios and one of my platies.
I picked up some aquarium salt and just added the recommended dosage (rather than the 0.3% concentrate I've read about when looking for ich remedies), the temperature is set to 26ºC. I don't plan on going any higher than that for the sake of my goldfish.
Also dosed the water with white spot treatment.

My fish are listed in my signature.
I asked around before buying my fish types... each pet store I went to to purchase my fish said the fish I had live together well

 

[jlk]

Asking your fish/pet store for fish and stocking advice is basically the equivalent of asking your local mail carrier for advice on how to remove an appendix. Although there are a few privately owned stores that are genuinely knowledgable in respect to fish and care about their welfare, most places are only concerned with profit margins.

Did you invest in a proper liquid test kit? Have you considered your options for this tank? Common plecos will eventually reach 2ft and require huge tanks. They will also eventually outgrow any desire for algae and find your goldies more tasty. The 5 goldfish need a bare minimum of a 60-75g tank as juveniles. The danios can tolerate cool water without an issue but you will need additional gallons on the goldfish's needs. Please take some time to read the Goldfish 101 article posted and take a minute to check out the pics posted in the sticky "Why goldfish Require Big tanks- visual perspective" in the Coldwater Fish section here. Please ask any questions!