My angelfish has been doing wonderful in the community 72 gallon since November. All of a sudden I noticed a thin white fungus layer on its lips. I put a tablespoon of salt in to see if that would help. I have an empty 20 gallon for a QT. I'd rather not start it up, but I don't want the rest of my fish infected. What can I do?
Lips
- Thread starter itafx
- Start date
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Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
First setting up a QT tank is a great idea. There are many types of illness this may be, it may be columnarus, fungus or an injury that is getting infected. A picture would be helpful, also answering the following questions will help.
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Type of fish: Angel fish
Description of affliction: thin white layer of fungus around lips
Temp: 73. 200W stealth heater may have been laboring in the cold weather. It's set at 76
Ph: 6.9
NO2: 0
NO3: 40
Ammonia: Unknown
Tank: 72 gal. set up since November 2006
Filtration: Emperor 400 0 400gph. Running at 75% duty cycle4 on a timer
Fish in tank: 2 angels (3" 2.5", 5 glass fish, 1.5", 1 blue gourami 2", 4 ottos 1.5", 13 guppies 1.5", 6 neons 1.5" , 1 pineapple sword 2", 1 dwarf gourami 2.5"
Water change: 100% and new substrate 2 weeks ago. No regular regimen established for WCs and vacuum. Usually top off with distilled water to avoid build-up of hardness.
Owned fish: 4 months
New things: Glass fish, neons, guppies, and replaced substrate with aquariumplants.com substrate within past month
Food: Tetramin. No changes made.
Description of affliction: thin white layer of fungus around lips
Temp: 73. 200W stealth heater may have been laboring in the cold weather. It's set at 76
Ph: 6.9
NO2: 0
NO3: 40
Ammonia: Unknown
Tank: 72 gal. set up since November 2006
Filtration: Emperor 400 0 400gph. Running at 75% duty cycle4 on a timer
Fish in tank: 2 angels (3" 2.5", 5 glass fish, 1.5", 1 blue gourami 2", 4 ottos 1.5", 13 guppies 1.5", 6 neons 1.5" , 1 pineapple sword 2", 1 dwarf gourami 2.5"
Water change: 100% and new substrate 2 weeks ago. No regular regimen established for WCs and vacuum. Usually top off with distilled water to avoid build-up of hardness.
Owned fish: 4 months
New things: Glass fish, neons, guppies, and replaced substrate with aquariumplants.com substrate within past month
Food: Tetramin. No changes made.
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ok a few things, the tank is too cold for the fish, it should be 78F. If need be get another heater, I run 2 heaters on all my tanks over 55 gals.
Ammonia reading would be helpful, the problems you angelfish is having may be a result of a mini cycle from changing the substrate and adding the new fish.
Any reason why you don't run your filter 100% of the time? PWC's should be done between 25-50% each week. What kind of test kit are you using?
I'd QT the fish and treat with Jungle's fungus eliminator to be safe.
Ammonia reading would be helpful, the problems you angelfish is having may be a result of a mini cycle from changing the substrate and adding the new fish.
Any reason why you don't run your filter 100% of the time? PWC's should be done between 25-50% each week. What kind of test kit are you using?
I'd QT the fish and treat with Jungle's fungus eliminator to be safe.
I can add a heater. I had one in reserve for just such a need. One reason I didn't run the filter 100% of the time is that I was concerned about too much motion in the tank for the fish. Also, shouldn't one turn off the filter for feedings so the agitation doesn't cause the food to swirl away and fall to the ground before the fish can get to it? Test kit is the Mardel freshwater 5 in 1 test strips. I don't have too much confidence in it's accuracy. Is there something better?
To do 25-50% PWCs every week on a 72 gal seems really hard. To get the replacement water to the right ph hardness, temp, etc and then exchange it by bucket or something, just seems insurmountable. Isn't there a better way? Do big tanks with out a big fish load need so much PWC as smaller ones?
To do 25-50% PWCs every week on a 72 gal seems really hard. To get the replacement water to the right ph hardness, temp, etc and then exchange it by bucket or something, just seems insurmountable. Isn't there a better way? Do big tanks with out a big fish load need so much PWC as smaller ones?
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
Turning off the filters for feeding is ok, turning it back on again is important. For water changes the water out of your tap should be the same ph and hardness as the water in your tank. For temp it is easy to adjust. Over time you will be able to tell by feel if it is right.
You can look into purchasing or building a python gravel vac system. There are also cheaper brands such as Lee's. They can be purchased in length's of 25' to 100'. They are also very easy to make. Simply attaches to your faucet and drains and fills with no pails to fill.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3910
You can look into purchasing or building a python gravel vac system. There are also cheaper brands such as Lee's. They can be purchased in length's of 25' to 100'. They are also very easy to make. Simply attaches to your faucet and drains and fills with no pails to fill.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3910
zenkatydid
Aquarium Advice FINatic
you definitely need to be doing PWCs, there's simply no escape if you want a happy healthy tank. you don't need buckets - get a python.
imo if you are lightly stocked and heavily planted, you could get away with a 50% PWC once every couple of weeks, or maybe per month, but that is seriously pushing it. you should definitely never do a 100% water change. the water that has been sitting there for who knows how long will have quite a nitrate buildup, as well as other things, that the fish will have gotten used to. changing that suddenly for clean water is likely to make them sick.
imo if you are lightly stocked and heavily planted, you could get away with a 50% PWC once every couple of weeks, or maybe per month, but that is seriously pushing it. you should definitely never do a 100% water change. the water that has been sitting there for who knows how long will have quite a nitrate buildup, as well as other things, that the fish will have gotten used to. changing that suddenly for clean water is likely to make them sick.
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds like cottonmouth (Columnaris). I would suggest picking up some Melafix/Pimafix.
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you monitor the water parameters and keep a close eye on the fish, if it doesn't re-appear I say don't worry. Just keep an eye on the fish to make sure it doesn't come back. Don't worry about the neons at 78, several members including myself keep neons at 78.
