itchy fish no other symptoms please advise

[eao76]

Hi Everyone I did a little research online and saw that this was the friendliest and most helpful online community so I am hoping you can help me.


A few months ago I started a 10 gallon fresh water tank for my 6year old son. We did a fishless cycle . I check the water every few days and do PWC every week sometimes twice a week. My reading are always 0 for ammonia and 0 nitrite and about 10 for Nitrates. We have live java fern & java moss and some planted driftwood and cholla wood. We have slowly been stocking the tank for about a month and a half. Initially we started with one small red platy. Then added about 10 red cherry shrimp. Then after a few weeks the platy seemed lonely so I added two male endlers. Then about a week later 6 very small celestial pearl danios. Ive had the CPD for about a week now and haven't added anything since. I checked on AqAdvisior and this was all within acceptable limits for our filtration. In addition to our HOB filter and the three cartridges that it uses I also added that pricy poly filter stuff to ensure there is no metals (to keep my shrimp happy). I also use Prime as the conditioner. My Kh & Gh are both 8 (or 8drops on the liquid kit) and my Ph 8.2 (which I know is a little high but it never fluctuates).


So here is the problem...
A couple days ago I noticed my platy was just constantly going up & down the glass. Also he would shimmy a little. I thought he was just playing with the reflection but it was a new and odd behavior. Then I saw him rub on the rocks a few times. I wondered if the constant erratic movement was a way to get away from the endlers who are always trying to mate with him so I took him out and put him in Qt. He's still rubbing on the glass constantly. Today I watched the main tank and now I see one of the endlers flashing too. I am so upset.


What do I treat with? I know this isn't a high tech tank but I love the plants and my shrimp. I don't want to kill them. I can take out all the fish and treat them in Qt but some of my CPD are SO TINY I don't know what they can take as far as treatment. And I have NO CLUE what I am treating for. I don't see any ICH. I don't see velvet (although I am not sure exactly what I am looking for). The fish LOOK fine. Maybe gill flukes? But the fish most affected is hyperactive and doesn't seem to have trouble "breathing".

I hope someone has some useful advice.

On hand I have a bottle of Rid Ich Plus and a bottle of Mardel Maracide (I know this is an old product but its not expired and unopened).

Should I treat the one platy for ICH/velvet and see if it helps? And leave the others untreated in the main? That way I can get a better idea what I am dealing with?

Or should I get a treatment for flukes and start treating everyone ASAP?

Or should I move the endlers now to QT too since the one is itchy too?

If I treat everyone in the QT tank what about the main? Will the parasites die off if there is only shrimp in there?

Is there a good product that treats for "everything' since I don't have a clue what I am treating for?

I really appreciate any help you can offer.

 

[Delapool]

Hi there,

How are they all doing? Some questions I have are (rather quickly as on train):

Are the flashing around gills mainly?

Sounds like all the time and not just at feeding?

Is there anything in tank that could irritate the fish? Floating wool off filter, added chemicals, etc.

Can you see any difference in the sheen or scales along the fish?

It sounds external parasites but need to check as meds and young fish can be tricky. If it ich we could go heat treatment method.

 

[eao76]

Thanks for replying. The fish are not any better not any worse. I don't use any chemicals, fertilizers, etc. so I am confident there is nothing in the tank. I checked my water again today and its good as always. My poor Platy is no longer a normal fish. He spends 100% of the time rubbing against the glass or flashing against décor. He used to cruise around and pick at the plants and algae. I would complain that he pooped ALL THE TIME because he was always eating. Now he just itches. If I didn't see the other endlers flashing I would think it was neurological or OCD. I have looked at the fish 1000x and I see nothing wrong. The only think that sort of looks different is the platy's gill area may be a bit more pale than usual. He is an all red fish.

I'm pretty certain its not ICH. I know that ICH can live in the gills but I suspect that with 9 fish at least one of them would have a spot I could see. I don't think its velvet because wouldn't they be dead by now?

Anyway since I put him in QT I have dosed the QT tank with prazipro just in case its gill flukes. No changes yet but the 1st dose was only about 6 hours ago. I figure I will do my best to figure out what works to help the platy and then use that knowledge on the main tank. Any idea how soon I would see an improvement if the Prazipro is working?

Oh one more question the endlers constantly rub against the platy trying to mate with him and also would mouth at his side. Could that have something to do with him being so itchy? I won't ever have endlers with bigger fish again. They are relentless with their attempts to mate with any fish they find "voluptuous" and too stupid to realize who are male and female. Horrible little fish.

 

[eao76]

I am so happy to report that less than 24hours after the PraziPro my platy isn't itching anymore! He is back to his slow pace and eating. He still occasionally gets a weird burst of energy and then will flick off of something but I am hoping as the meds continue to work that will stop too. I really hope he continues to do well and the meds aren't too harsh for him. As of now he seems fine. I am so happy to see him still. He was like a kid with ADD unable to stop fidgeting and moving. It was giving me anxiety just to look at him.

Now I need to decide what to do next. I want to treat the main tank. I suppose I could move all the fish to my Qt tank but I don't think the QT filter is sufficient to house all my fish. I am concerned about my biological filter on the main tank. In order to use the meds I have to take the carbon out. My filter is an HOB and uses three cartridges that have carbon. Right now I have two carbon filters and in the third spot a piece of ploy filter. I have to remove the poly filter too because it will also remove the meds. So If I take the carbon & poly filter out I will have little to no filter. It will just be the sleeves that hold the carbon. I am concerned that messing around with the filter cause the BB to die & my tank to cycle again. I am wondering what I can do to modify the filter so that it will still keep the water clean and harbor the BB while there is no carbon. Can I add some ceramic rings to an HOB? And how long would they need to be there before the BB would stick to them? Or any other ideas?

 

[Delapool]

I am so happy to report that less than 24hours after the PraziPro my platy isn't itching anymore! He is back to his slow pace and eating. He still occasionally gets a weird burst of energy and then will flick off of something but I am hoping as the meds continue to work that will stop too. I really hope he continues to do well and the meds aren't too harsh for him. As of now he seems fine. I am so happy to see him still. He was like a kid with ADD unable to stop fidgeting and moving. It was giving me anxiety just to look at him.

Now I need to decide what to do next. I want to treat the main tank. I suppose I could move all the fish to my Qt tank but I don't think the QT filter is sufficient to house all my fish. I am concerned about my biological filter on the main tank. In order to use the meds I have to take the carbon out. My filter is an HOB and uses three cartridges that have carbon. Right now I have two carbon filters and in the third spot a piece of ploy filter. I have to remove the poly filter too because it will also remove the meds. So If I take the carbon & poly filter out I will have little to no filter. It will just be the sleeves that hold the carbon. I am concerned that messing around with the filter cause the BB to die & my tank to cycle again. I am wondering what I can do to modify the filter so that it will still keep the water clean and harbor the BB while there is no carbon. Can I add some ceramic rings to an HOB? And how long would they need to be there before the BB would stick to them? Or any other ideas?

Great news.

I'd add ceramic rings to the hob anyway but it will take 1 to 2 weeks for the bacteria to get established. Can you remove the carbon from the carbon/poly filter? I'd leave that in if possible and between that and bacteria in tank may be enough. You would just have to test each day. Prime will detoxify for a day or so as well if ammonia does lift.

The other carbon filters I'd leave in a bucket of water or QT. The bacteria will go dormant without food. I'm less certain on oxygenated water they need. If the water in a bucket doesn't smell badly then you should be getting enough oxygen exchange at water surface. Putting them in QT would be better though if finished treating.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Tank

Hello eao...

The tank is small and a steady water chemistry is more difficult to maintain, then that of a much larger tank. You should work up to the point you're removing and replacing half the water a couple of times a week. Otherwise, dissolved wastes can build up and stress the tank inhabitants.

For now, I'd just keep the tank water clean. The pH, hardness and all that stuff is unimportant. Just treat the new water to remove chlorine and chloramine.

Consider getting a larger tank, at least 20 to 30 gallons. The larger the tank, the better your chances of success in the waterkeeping hobby.

B

 

[evil Nick]

I was just going through something similar. Started with my platy. I thought it was only showy behavior since females were introduced but no luck. As soon as I saw the female do it I decided to try something.

I started using this daily around feeding.
Seachem. StressGuard

Then added a TINY bit of aquarium salt to the filter basin hoping it would help kill off what might be in the water as it filters. In a week my fish all stopped and are back to normal. My fish never didn't eat and it wasnt a constant flicking but enough.

Never quite figured out what it was. I actually have a full bottle of Milafix I was going to try but never opened it because they seem fine now.

All in the main tank as I dont have a QT still. I REALLY should.