Help with ich!!!!

[Elg13]

We have 3 glofish for just over a week. I noticed the ich last night while me and my son were saying our loooong good night's to them (Ball, Korey, and Tristan). They all have numerous spots on them so I research and came up with a game plan to start treatment today. Wake up this morning to find Tristan at the bottom dead ?. So now I'm wondering where to start. We are down to 2 glo fish and I know they need at least 3 in a school but I also need to treat the ich starting today. So what should I do??? Also, my plan to treat is with the salt and heater. I'm thinking the temperature change is what got them. Our house can get cool, especially at night. I never thought about a heater. Right now Im leaving their tank light off to not bother them too much.

I also have noticed in the last 2 days, foamy bubbles are forming at the top of the water. I don't know any of my levels (going to get a kit today) but was wondering if anyone might have a few ideas as to what could be causing them?? A long time ago we won several fish at the fair and just put them in a bowl (no filter etc) and they had similar bubbles.

Lastly...do you think it's better they have the plants or a rock they can go inside of?? We have both but together, they just made the tank too crowded.

This is our first attempt at keeping fish and understood them to be one of the easiest...not so much right now lol!! Our kids love these guys sonic hoping I can save the last 2 and add a third back in. Any advice is great!! Just remember I'm the most novice of fish owners so I'm still learning lingo and everything!!! TIA!

 

[Brittany28]

Ich

I noticed Ich on my Black moor a few days ago. So I went to the pet store and got the "super Ich cure". I dropped a packet in after cleaning the tank and it started clearing up. The company who makes it is Api if it helps you out any.

My problem was caused by overfeeding. But after the cleaning and putting in the ick treatment the fish looked a lot better.

 

[Elg13]

Ok thanks! I'll look for that and give my tank a good cleaning. I'm like 90% sure our problem is the temp. I thought it was a little cool for tropical fish.

I'm just wondering if I should add the third fish while treating or wait until it's cleared up??

 

[mimiheart]

What size tank and what type of glofish?

They all are tropical as far as I know, so they do need a heater if your house gets cold. If you have tetras, be careful about the ich medicine. And while treating with the ich medicine you'll need to take out the carbon filter.

What size tank do you have? All of the species of glofish I know of need to be in a school of the same type of fish of probably 5+. (color doesn't matter). So a pink zebra danio and a green tiger barb and an orange tetra won't school together, even though they're all glofish. But 6 multicolored tiger barbs will make a great little shoal. But you do need a big enough tank.

For now, get a heater that you can adjust the temp. on. You want it warmer than you normally would in a tropical tank to treat the ich.

 

[Floop123]

Ich is caused by water that is too cold, so you should turn up the heater to about 80degrees. I would also recommend that you get medications. Also boil your decorations. Hope they get better!

 

[Elg13]

Sorry for not responding...got the heater and it worked great for 2 days..fish seemed happy. Came home yesterday to water that was 102 and 2 dead fish. We are so upset about it. I feel terrible for the fish. I'm in the process of contacting the company to let them know what happened.

Now we are in the process of looking at other fish. The kids really loved them. I'm thinking that maybe a solitary fish is a better idea...maybe one that doesn't have to habe a heater as well... any suggestions?

 

[toolman]

Ich is caused by water that is too cold, so you should turn up the heater to about 80degrees. I would also recommend that you get medications. Also boil your decorations. Hope they get better!

No... Ich is a parasite, heating up the tank speeds up the life cycle of the parasites to get rid of them. Right treatment, wrong reasons for disease. Ich can be brought in with new fish, all fish have parasites healthy ones fight it off. Usually caused by stress from any # of reasons (aggression, overcrowding, poor water conditions,etc.)

Too cold of water could cause stress leading to itch, but one if many possibilities for cause.

 

[toolman]

Reread post and agree cold could have gotten them, but if not testing water poor water quality could also be the culprit. Apologize I thought previous post thought ONLY cause was water temp.

Sleepy and read to quickly. Check water also though. Don't be afraid of heaters, failure is very rare( but does happen.

 

[Elg13]

Pretty terrified about the heater, I gotta be honest. May start with one of those cool bubble head goldfish. My kids just loved the colors of the glofish though. If we do the glofish we are gonna get a 10 gal tank (had the 5) and put it in the living room. It doesn't get as cold out there so maybe a heater won't have to run as much?? Im still surpirsed about the heater failing like that. Those poor fish just practically boiled to death.
I figured the stress of the water being too cold on top of the new tank was what made them susceptible to it. The one that died first was definitely a runt but I'm positive the other 2 would have lived. They seemed to be doing much better in the 2 days the heater worked. When we first put the heater in they were schooled around it, like they were so happy to have warm water lol. I guess it's a lesson learned. The fish people never told us about water temp for them aND the little I did read on them never mentioned it either. So I think tonight I may start to cycle a new tank and get a fish this weekend. Should I clean the old one really good with soap or just a good rinse in really hot water?

 

[toolman]

A goldfish requires more than a 10 gallon tank.

In my opinion a 10 gallon tank is suitable for only nano fish or a single betta.

Do not use soap!

 

[Elg13]

Oh gosh really?! I feel like 5 gallons is worthless for anything practically. We discussed a beta but it would need a heater.

 

[toolman]

Heaters are really usually very reliable, just had my first issue in 1 1/2 yrs and it was my fault. Just put my window AC in and didn't check temp. No loses but may have to get 2nd heater (it's a 48" long tank).

Shrimp and [emoji222]'s in a 5 gal.