Hello from....Somewhere (let's go with that).

[snailmail]

Hi! I'm known as "snailmail" here (hehe) on this website so I guess you can call me "Snails" if you like. Or "K". I'm not about to give out my full name because well...I'm just not comfortable with that (hope you don't mind, dears). I joined this website because shortly after getting new fish (one of the tetras I adopted was by itself and needed friends since it is a school fish-my friend is helping me learn about fish since I am a recent adoptee of fish) because the place (I'm not saying names.....Walmart...*cough cough*) I got my fish apparently had sick fish and since the place had a single something system (my friend told me what it's called but I cannot remember it *sigh*) it affects ALL the tanks. So, now I'm dealing with fish that have ich. And I JUST got the new guys last week (actually about a full week ago). I know the adoptees did not have ich prior to the new fish because of the fact that my friend (who got her fish a day or so before me at the same place) has ich in her fish tank as well. I'm medicating it and have taken out the snail and shrimp prior to medicating. Any advise would be helpful on what else can be done...

 

[snailmail]

They seem to get along though and a friend of mine, who has experience with fish, came with me. We even planned everything out before getting the fish. Hmm. Then how many SHOULD I have in there? If this ich has it's way (I am trying very hard to refuse it though even though it likes to take my tetras) it'll probably be less then the "proper" number. My fish are all small, by the way. Or does that matter? The only one who I personally know about fish and who-can-tank-with-who is that one friend who helped me out with picking the fish. The only ones that were not planned on where the orange tetra who's the exact same size as a small neon and he was a "freebie" (since they didn't want to fish him out of the bag). I got the shrimp and red fin to clean, the neon tetras so the one I adopted wouldn't be so lonely (the "bloodied" fin ones were also adoptees but the neon and them two did not "hang out" so the neon's colors were very dull), and the gourami (who is not that big and the the length of my pinky since he's a dwarf gourami) was to "clean house" should there ever be any eggs (which I doubt would ever happen but luck favors the prepared). Before the ich, the ecosystem within my tank seemed balanced. I'm not giving you an excuse, mind, just simply my thoughts as to why it is so. Hmm..though I might need to edit my profile now--I need to clarify things.

 

[Alyxx]

Welcome!
I'm sorry you are dealing with illness right off the bat, but it happens. How are you treating the tank? And was it cycled before you added fish or are you doing a fish-in cycle? That's a lot of fish to start a tank off with so be sure you are keeping a close eye on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

Looking at your profile, you are overstocked, mostly because plecos and red tailed sharks get way too big for a 10 gallon. If its a common Pleco it can get nearly 2 feet long! Even smaller species like bristlenose plecos have such a high bioload that they are unsuitable for anything under about 20-30 gallons. They poop a loooooot! I have a picture somewhere of a day's worth of poop from two juvenile bristlenose plecos and they looked like they had pooped out their body weight in 24 hours, even though all they had to eat that day was some algae and a couple pellets if the bettas they are in quarantine with let them have any. The red tailed shark gets about 5 inches long and is very territorial - they need a 55 gallon tank because they need room to make a territory. In anything much smaller they become fish killing terrors as they mature because they consider the whole tank theirs.

Edit - just saw that your Pleco is 7 inches - that's a common Pleco and it needs a new home soon! A 10 gallon is much too small and his growth will be stunted in such a small tank. They need 180+ gallons to do well. Plus at that size he is probably putting out more waste than the other fish in the tank combined. Plecos are very dirty fish.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Snailmail welcome to A.A. you will find it a great place to make friends and find answers to your questions. It is always great to see new members coming on board looking for help and direction in properly keeping their fish.

You might want to go ahead and post a thread in the Sick Fish forum of the freshwater portion of our website, as that may help in generating some more direct answers to your questions regarding dealing with disease.

The purpose of this area of the forum is simply to give you a chance to introduce yourself to the community, so many knowledgable/helpful individuals may not read through this introduction thread.

My apologies for the welcome you received, unfortunately many of our members are so willing to help, that they forget common courtesy in the process.

 

[Fishdude3233]

Snailmail welcome to A.A. you will find it a great place to make friends and find answers to your questions. It is always great to see new members coming on board looking for help and direction in properly keeping their fish.

You might want to go ahead and post a thread in the Sick Fish forum of the freshwater portion of our website, as that may help in generating some more direct answers to your questions regarding dealing with disease.

The purpose of this area of the forum is simply to give you a chance to introduce yourself to the community, so many knowledgable/helpful individuals may not read through this introduction thread.

My apologies for the welcome you received, unfortunately many of our members are so willing to help, that they forget common courtesy in the process.

Sooo sorry I just got a little over anxious. Welcome to the forum. Once again so sorry. my apologies

 

[snailmail]

It's fine–-I understand that they just want what's best for my fish. :3 Though I do have to edit my information because the tank has changed. I have also learned what type of gourami mine is and...rather unfortunately...he's the kind that'll get to be (possible) around 5 inches. Especially since he is...well, a he.