conniedearest
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Overview of current tank:
10 gallons, Freshwater, and 81 F Degrees.
Inhabitants: 1 Algae Eater, 2 White Skirt Tetras, 2 Neon Tetras, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 1 Balloon Belly Mollie (Male), 2 Fancy Guppies (1 male, 1 female).
Plants: 1 live plant (unsure of what it really is, since a friend gave it to me from her tank).
Problem:
I suppose, I'll start when I had my first fish die. I initially had two Balloon Belly Mollies, the other was a female. She died about a week and a half ago. I'm not sure how it happened or the exact details other than I found her corpse stuck on the filter. When I scooped her out, her fins had been nipped at, and it looked like rigor mortis had set in her eyes. Shortly, I flushed her down the toilet. I only owned this female mollie for about 10 days.
Five days later, I noticed that there where tiny white spots on some of my fishes fins and tails. Those that were infected included 2 White Skirt Tetras and 2 Neon Tetras. I started the treatment immediately by raising the temperature, removing the carbon from the filter (Tetra PF 10), and adding Ich drops with the proper instructions from the bottle. Every two days, I repeated the drops. The infection hasn't spread anywhere that I've noticed but has mostly disappeared from all except from one white skirt tetra. He has a white spot on his back dorsal fin, which was there from the initial infection, and that has not yet disappeared. About three days ago, I saw my male mollie rub himself against the decor, which made me repeat the dose of ich, but he hasn't had any visible signs of ich. Most of them have been acting normally as well when treatment was started. Also, after 48 hours from initial treatment, I added more drops, waited another 48 hours, and did a 25% water change with a "stress relief dechlorinator." I also purchased an air pump because I read somewhere that aeration can help with the healing process?
Today, my female guppie as I noticed also started rubbing herself against the gravel and certain decor, which prompted me to add more anti-ich drops (it was at the 48 hour mark again). She is the only one that's been acting differently. She's been hiding in certain corners (particularly behind the thermostat) and hasn't really been all that sociable, except for during feedings. The male is most likely always with her, so when she's hiding, so he is. However, I'm also under the suspicion that she's possibly pregnant too. To me, she's been bigger than normal (almost looks bloated) and her gravid spot is very visible. She's a blondie, so her gravid spot is bright red with some dark areas in it. Also, two days ago, she had her fin nipped by one of the others...not sure who, but my suspicion is under one of the white skirts or the gourami. But it has pretty much healed since then (much to my surprise how quick that was).
Lastly, the newest symptom that I've seen, is the female guppie's feces. It's stringy and white, not like the others. The only other fish that I've seen that has had white feces is the algae eater, but it's not stringy. It's just white and thick, but I assumed that would be normal for the algae eater, since all he does is eat algae? But I haven't noticed any abnormal behaviors from him. He goes to work, hides somewhere, or posts up somewhere on one of the tank walls.
For now, I have both the female and male guppie inside the tank but quarantined inside a fish net mesh box. I've only separated them for about an hour now? And, the female is much more active, probably because I stirred her up for the transition. At this current moment, she's currently chasing him.
I haven't tested the water levels yet because quite frankly, I'm not sure what kind of water testing kit I should get? I don't have a problem with spending a fair amount of money on it as long as I know it's going to work and be accurate. And, I have been feeding the fish tetra flakes and the guppies, sometimes, get guppy food. I give them the occasional freeze-dried blood worm, and algae pellets for the algae eater.
Okay, so basically, this is my current struggle. Where do I go about the treatment now? I read online that stringy, white feces is a sign of a internal parasitic infection? And, I also haven't added a new filter back in the tank yet. Where do I go from here? Is it okay to do that or should I wait until I start the treatment for anti-parasitic meds? Is this something even to worry about?
I apologize if I sound frantic! I'm currently in exam week in nursing school, and instead of studying, I'm sitting here and worrying about my babies, haha. Any tips and advice is greatly appreciated! I could use all the help I can get at this point.
10 gallons, Freshwater, and 81 F Degrees.
Inhabitants: 1 Algae Eater, 2 White Skirt Tetras, 2 Neon Tetras, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 1 Balloon Belly Mollie (Male), 2 Fancy Guppies (1 male, 1 female).
Plants: 1 live plant (unsure of what it really is, since a friend gave it to me from her tank).
Problem:
I suppose, I'll start when I had my first fish die. I initially had two Balloon Belly Mollies, the other was a female. She died about a week and a half ago. I'm not sure how it happened or the exact details other than I found her corpse stuck on the filter. When I scooped her out, her fins had been nipped at, and it looked like rigor mortis had set in her eyes. Shortly, I flushed her down the toilet. I only owned this female mollie for about 10 days.
Five days later, I noticed that there where tiny white spots on some of my fishes fins and tails. Those that were infected included 2 White Skirt Tetras and 2 Neon Tetras. I started the treatment immediately by raising the temperature, removing the carbon from the filter (Tetra PF 10), and adding Ich drops with the proper instructions from the bottle. Every two days, I repeated the drops. The infection hasn't spread anywhere that I've noticed but has mostly disappeared from all except from one white skirt tetra. He has a white spot on his back dorsal fin, which was there from the initial infection, and that has not yet disappeared. About three days ago, I saw my male mollie rub himself against the decor, which made me repeat the dose of ich, but he hasn't had any visible signs of ich. Most of them have been acting normally as well when treatment was started. Also, after 48 hours from initial treatment, I added more drops, waited another 48 hours, and did a 25% water change with a "stress relief dechlorinator." I also purchased an air pump because I read somewhere that aeration can help with the healing process?
Today, my female guppie as I noticed also started rubbing herself against the gravel and certain decor, which prompted me to add more anti-ich drops (it was at the 48 hour mark again). She is the only one that's been acting differently. She's been hiding in certain corners (particularly behind the thermostat) and hasn't really been all that sociable, except for during feedings. The male is most likely always with her, so when she's hiding, so he is. However, I'm also under the suspicion that she's possibly pregnant too. To me, she's been bigger than normal (almost looks bloated) and her gravid spot is very visible. She's a blondie, so her gravid spot is bright red with some dark areas in it. Also, two days ago, she had her fin nipped by one of the others...not sure who, but my suspicion is under one of the white skirts or the gourami. But it has pretty much healed since then (much to my surprise how quick that was).
Lastly, the newest symptom that I've seen, is the female guppie's feces. It's stringy and white, not like the others. The only other fish that I've seen that has had white feces is the algae eater, but it's not stringy. It's just white and thick, but I assumed that would be normal for the algae eater, since all he does is eat algae? But I haven't noticed any abnormal behaviors from him. He goes to work, hides somewhere, or posts up somewhere on one of the tank walls.
For now, I have both the female and male guppie inside the tank but quarantined inside a fish net mesh box. I've only separated them for about an hour now? And, the female is much more active, probably because I stirred her up for the transition. At this current moment, she's currently chasing him.
I haven't tested the water levels yet because quite frankly, I'm not sure what kind of water testing kit I should get? I don't have a problem with spending a fair amount of money on it as long as I know it's going to work and be accurate. And, I have been feeding the fish tetra flakes and the guppies, sometimes, get guppy food. I give them the occasional freeze-dried blood worm, and algae pellets for the algae eater.
Okay, so basically, this is my current struggle. Where do I go about the treatment now? I read online that stringy, white feces is a sign of a internal parasitic infection? And, I also haven't added a new filter back in the tank yet. Where do I go from here? Is it okay to do that or should I wait until I start the treatment for anti-parasitic meds? Is this something even to worry about?
I apologize if I sound frantic! I'm currently in exam week in nursing school, and instead of studying, I'm sitting here and worrying about my babies, haha. Any tips and advice is greatly appreciated! I could use all the help I can get at this point.
