Whats heppening!

[happyhillbilly]

Yesterday, my hatchet fish that was 2 weeks old, just died. I saw no change in behavior. Then today, my precious clown loach died! The other clow loach, which is living, has a TON of white spotts all over its body. It was just moving in between rocks, looked like it was sratching itself. Someone just posted what looks like whats happening to me, is is ich??? I need advice asap. I have a ton of fish in the tank!

 

[rich311k]

Does it look like the fish are covered in sugar or salt grinds?

 

[happyhillbilly]

Yeah, thats exactly what it looks like!

 

[rich311k]

http://aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=32

Read this article and treat with salt and heat. I would start right now since you have already lost fish.

 

[happyhillbilly]

Okay, I have a 55 gallon tank, and no hydrometer. How much salt should I use, and I only have kosher salt, so is that okay?

 

[Jchillin]

Ok...here it comes: You don't "have" to use salt. It can be treated with heat alone (as mentioned in the Article Rich linked).

I'm sure somewhere in your tank you have some bottom dwellers which are very sensitive to any level of salt.

 

[rich311k]

Kosher salt iis fine. I have used 2-3 tsps per gallon with a lot of success.

 

[happyhillbilly]

I have plecos, guppies, a platy, and 3 plecos. The platy and plecos have it too! Can I use salt?

 

[rich311k]

Do not use salt with plecos in the tank. Just raise the temperature. I have no catfish. Sorry I should have asked you first.

 

[Jchillin]

I'm sure somewhere in your tank you have some bottom dwellers which are very sensitive to any level of salt.

 

[flamingonhot]

Like they said you dont need salt. raise the heat up to about 86 for a couple of weeks and it should be fine.

I only use salt when i have fish that are very prone to getting ich....it helps protect them from it somewhat.

whats the temp in the tank? usually you get it when its pretty low......
oh yeah....dont try ich medication if you come acrossed it....it only kills them in theyre free swimming stage.

 

[happyhillbilly]

My temp is usually in the 78-81 range. Right now its 80.

EDIT:: Uhhhh, my dad just told me that he added about 40 teaspoons to the tank while I was out!! Is this realy going to hurt my plecos??

 

[erik7]

You need to raise it to 86 (if you havn't already). Only raise it by 1 degrees every 12-24 hours. Never more than 2 degrees a day. Too high to fast will cause stress to your fish and possibly kill them.

 

[happyhillbilly]

So the salt is okay?

 

[erik7]

Um, i didnt see that edit when i posted. Im rather new to the hobby, so I can't say exactally how that will affect your fish. I do know scaleless fish like clowns and other plecos are sensitive, but I don't know what kind of reactions they will have to salt.

I would call a LFS (an aquarium store, *not* petco or petsmart) to get a faster responce, it COULD potitently be a problem, and I know this board isnt terribly active.

 

[rich311k]

It could be a problem. You should add the salt slowly not dump it in all at once. I am sorry I didn't ask right away, but the plecos are sensative to salt. However believe it or not 40 tps is not all that much, at this point you might as well wait and see what happens. You could do a partial water change to reduce the salinity some but that would just bounce the salinity around more. I would wait and see. either way start raising your temp.

 

[patagonia]

i wouldnt add any salt if you have clown loaches in the tank...slowly raise the temp to 86F and that alone will kill the ick...good luck

 

[patagonia]

oh geez...i did the same thing again...didnt realise the topic has 2 pages...sorry...

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Kosher salt is actually recommended (no iodine, no anti-caking agents, etc.) and that isn't all that much in a 55 gallon, if your water didn't already have some salt. My pleco has survived multiple salt treatments, but I've never had loaches so can't help there. I usually raise my temp a little faster then some recommend-almost 10 degrees in a day-but I have never had a fatality from it (as opposed to medications which have around 30%). I usually crank it up to 88-that way you know your whole tank is at least 86.

 

[Guest]

lol JC ~ Anyways, I hope the heat treatment works out well happyhillbilly ^^