GBR Behavior - Ich?

[chinoanoah]

After waking from a nap, i see that my male who was acting great the last few days, has just started laying on the bottom in the back, breathing pumping his gills very fast and heavily. Also, once the female moves out from under the light, it looks like she has tiny tiny tiny white spots on her. Ich?
I touched my male and he moved a bit to be inside the Rotala Rotundifolia. I thought maybe he was protecting eggs, but i just bought him and I am worried! help!

 

[Zagz]

If the spots look like grains of salt it is ich. Are the fish flashing at all? If you suspect ich raise the heat slowly to 87-88 F and add extra aeration.

 

[chinoanoah]

Yes but it is only on one of my dozen fish.
I don't know what "flashing" means, but the male GBR is moving a lot more now.
I raised the temp up! Thank you for a quick reply Zagz

 

[Zagz]

Have you tested your water parameters? When was your last water change?

Flashing is when the fish rub up against things, basically scratching.

 

[chinoanoah]

I actually don't have a test kit, haven been doing it all by feel and experience since I moved out to FL for college.

I can borrow one from a friend.

My last water change was.... probably within the last week. But I got ...15 more neons since then. :/ Ammonia spike?

 

[chinoanoah]

Doing a ...~50% water change now.

 

[Zagz]

Possibly an ammonia spike. See how they are doing after the water change. I am doubtful of ich as only one fish has spots and none are flashing.

 

[chinoanoah]

after the water change, the male GBR is at about a 45 degree angle with his face buried in the plant, and the other fish seem ok. Ill see if i can get a pic of the female for you.

 

[bluerose]

This is what's in your tank? (pulled from your sig)

10g low-light planted - M/F GBR - 1 Otto - 5 Neon Tetras - 3 Lemon Tetras - 12 black neons

You NEED a test kit.

NEED. My guess is with that kind of bioload in a 10g you will NEED to be doing 50% changes more than once a week to keep the parameters safe. That is a LOT of fish in a 10g... I really hope you're running a lot of extra filtration.

 

[Zagz]

Is he still breathing heavily? Any bloating at all?

 

[chinoanoah]

ughhh.. Yeah Ok i will get one tomorrow. Would you suggest removing some of the neons? Male GBR looking grim

 

[chinoanoah]

I can't see him because he is hiding in the plant, should i reach in and find him?

 

[chinoanoah]

 

[Zagz]

That female looks like she has ich from those pictures. Keep raising the temps but make sure to add extra aeration or lower the water level a bit.

No do not stress the male right now and drag him out. Keep an eye on him and if you can get a pic of him later. Overstocked as you are you do need a test kit. It can be done, overstocking with regular water changes and testing. What filters do you have on the tank?

 

[chinoanoah]

Just the AquaClear 10 or whatever comes in a 10 gallon starter kit sold at PetsMart

 

[bluerose]

You need probably double filtration, and considering that filters are generally over-rated, you'd want at least a 40gal rated filter IMHO.

You may end up losing fish due to the double whammy of overstocking/insufficient bioload and ich. Always pays to do your homework.

Hope your male perks up...

 

[Zagz]

Upgrading your filter in the near future would be good. With the plants it is a benefit to the filtration. Keep up on the water changes and make sure to match the temp to the warmer water. You can raise the temps 1-2 degrees every 6-8 hours.

 

[chinoanoah]

A hero has fallen. the male is dead.

minus $8.99 worth of scales, me sad.

Temp is up to 84.

water level is lowered

morale is lowered

 

[Dano01]

Rams are a sensitive fish and not for the inexperianced or casual fish keeper......I am sad also that the fish died and the other may soon follow...I hope that you are learning something from the nice people answering this thread.

 

[chinoanoah]

True. Pour some dechlorinator out for my homie. He was a beautiful fish.

Don't know why images are crooked, dumb iPhone.