Sati
Aquarium Advice Addict
The boyfriend and I moved just over a week ago. We set the 38g community tank up the same as it was before. To try to save space at our new location we did the taboo and combined our 4 Labidochromis caeruleus with our 3 angelfish. The labs were in a 29g and now all are in a 20g hex. I had never done anything to alter the pH in either tank so both had the same water quality and had been doing well for a year and a half this way.
A week after the move my angels were suddenly looking bad. They had what looked like a red vein going from the dorsal fin to the caudal fin. There was and is also redness where the pectoral fins attach. (The labs were starting to breath heavier but were otherwise normal.) Since my test kits were old I threw them all out before the move. I was going to buy new ones in September. So I could only assume what's going on with the water. I guessed that despite my care with the media a mini cycle was taking place. A 50% water change seemed to help a lot. But now 1 angel has some ich on his face.
On the contrary, apparently the labs really liked this change because they've become far more outgoing than they were alone in the 29g with only a small pleco as a tankmate. Then this morning I saw the dominant male following the largest female all around the tank, periodically shaking/spasm-ing. An hour or two later I checked and I am 99% certain the female has a mouthful of eggs. Daddy has been working construction and made a nice hole under the bogwood by moving the flourite around. He makes sure everybody else stays away from said hole.
So my first question is, what is my best option to treat the ich? My second question is, what is the best thing to do for the new mommy? I'd like to avoid medication. I turned the temperature up from 78 to 80 degrees. I have a 15g long, 2 10g's, and the 29g that I could set up. They're not cycled so I'd maybe want to purchase some Biospira. Should I move Mom? Mom and dad? Will she drop her eggs if I move her? Should I move everybody but the 1 angel? Gah, I was so excited but now there's drama in fishytown. The only other tankmates are a bristlenose pleco and another small variety of pleco who's species has slipped my mind. Then there is a second, smaller male lab, and one teeny tiny female. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
A week after the move my angels were suddenly looking bad. They had what looked like a red vein going from the dorsal fin to the caudal fin. There was and is also redness where the pectoral fins attach. (The labs were starting to breath heavier but were otherwise normal.) Since my test kits were old I threw them all out before the move. I was going to buy new ones in September. So I could only assume what's going on with the water. I guessed that despite my care with the media a mini cycle was taking place. A 50% water change seemed to help a lot. But now 1 angel has some ich on his face.
On the contrary, apparently the labs really liked this change because they've become far more outgoing than they were alone in the 29g with only a small pleco as a tankmate. Then this morning I saw the dominant male following the largest female all around the tank, periodically shaking/spasm-ing. An hour or two later I checked and I am 99% certain the female has a mouthful of eggs. Daddy has been working construction and made a nice hole under the bogwood by moving the flourite around. He makes sure everybody else stays away from said hole.
So my first question is, what is my best option to treat the ich? My second question is, what is the best thing to do for the new mommy? I'd like to avoid medication. I turned the temperature up from 78 to 80 degrees. I have a 15g long, 2 10g's, and the 29g that I could set up. They're not cycled so I'd maybe want to purchase some Biospira. Should I move Mom? Mom and dad? Will she drop her eggs if I move her? Should I move everybody but the 1 angel? Gah, I was so excited but now there's drama in fishytown. The only other tankmates are a bristlenose pleco and another small variety of pleco who's species has slipped my mind. Then there is a second, smaller male lab, and one teeny tiny female. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
