One of my fish might have ick. I have high temps. Metro?

[Aneamals]

I bought 2 platies last Saturday from a messy lfs with beautiful fish. I was aware of their bad quality in fish care, but I just really wanted some of their gorgeous platies. I mentally prepared myself for possible diseases.

They were both from the same store but in a different tank, and the employee put them both in the same bag. I went home and acclimated them, and netted them into my prepared, cycled, 10 gallon quarantine tank. Now after almost a week, I've noticed very few, really tiny, white specs on one of my fish's tail fin and I think some more on the top fin. It's really hard to tell, they're so tiny and almost just look like bubbles or something, but they don't seem to come off. And, I don't know if it's just me, but he seems to swim closer to objects in the tank, like the beginning stage of flashing or something.

So in case he does have ick (or maybe velvet?), I have medicated fish food with metronidazole. Can I feed him this? My temp so far is about 84*F, so hopefully that will help. I plan to start feeding him metro on Sunday if he's sick, and possibly raising the temp about 2 degrees more.

I can only see the specs on one of the fish's, not the other one. Is it ok if the other one eats some metronidazole fish food too? He might catch ick too, anyway, right? And I can't prevent him from eating it, as they're both in the same quarantine tank together.

 

[Aneamals]

Might have ick? Does metronidazole work for ick?

I went to check on them again. They are both eating normally. The big one still has the same specks, so there is definitely something not right about them. It's got to be ick right? The little one still hasn't seem to have caught it, but it could be in his system. Tomorrow, I won't feed them at all, so on sunday, I will start feeding them the metronidazole fish food. And I'm thinking of buying a new heater that can change the temperature (the one I have doesn't have that option), so I will raise it to 86*F, or maybe 88*F for extra power? What do you think?

 

[dalto]

Ich effects the entire tank so I don't think medicated food will help. There are lots of ways to treat Ich, the easiest are simply with salt or heat.

If your tank is already at 84f then raising it a couple of additional degrees should get it done for most strains. That being said, I would definitely make sure you really have Ich before you do too much with treatment. There are other things that put spots on fins.

 

[aqua_holic]

Agreed, always best to post pics for verification, if you're even the slightest bit unsure.

 

[guppy44]

Okay there is stuff called ick out! Purchase that it will clear up the ick! Also add api stress coat because the fish are 100% stressed out ! Also pick up artemiss its 100% natural expellant for bacterial disease !! I only use api stress coat and the artemiss my fish have never had any problems !! Even when I buy them from a store if they are unhealthy them two products combined does the trick I haven't had one fish die on me !! Just follow directions and you will be fine !!


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[guppy44]

raising and lowering temp will put your fish in shock ! Don't do that !!! These two items less than 20$ and over night your fish are healed !!


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[aqua_holic]

raising and lowering temp will put your fish in shock ! Don't do that !!!

That's why you have to be smart and not try to instantly raise of lower the temp 10 degrees.

 

[guppy44]

That's why you have to be smart and not try to instantly raise of lower the temp 10 degrees.

Yes but it's not going to cure the sickness anyways so its not needed


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[aqua_holic]

Yes but it's not going to cure the sickness anyways so its not needed


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Yes, it does.

 

[dalto]

raising and lowering temp will put your fish in shock ! Don't do that !!! These two items less than 20$ and over night your fish are healed !! View attachment 255104

Putting aside the fact that we are not even sure if there is an issue or if that issue is really Ich, neither of those items appears to treat Ich. Just dumping random stuff in the tank to fight off problems is rarely a good plan.

Yes but it's not going to cure the sickness anyways so its not needed

Yes, it does.

+1, I have never been a fan of using meds on Ich because it is just not needed in most circumstances.

 

[guppy44]

It's 100% natural no dumping of anything it's to help the fish and my first response was ich out


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[Aneamals]

Ok, I won't use metro fish food then. For now, since I'm unsure, I will raise the temp slowly to 88*F tomorrow.
Let me try to post a picture of the fish soon. It's really stormy and dark today so I hope it works out!

Edit: It didn't work out. :I I'll try again tomorrow if the sky clears up. It's too dark for photos of moving fish.

 

[Delapool]

I have a note that in theory metro would work for ich but I've never seen it done.

 

[Aneamals]

Ok, I haven't been able to take any good pictures of the fish's fin specks today. I did buy a really neat heater and am raising the temp to 88*F from 86. I will try to take photos again tomorrow. I think the weather will be good and bright enough for decent photos.

The fish with specks, seems to look the same, the specs have not become any bigger or anything. And I still don't see any specks on the other fish.

 

[Delapool]

Sounds positive

 

[ppo8820]

Its ich. I am in the same boat. I have platys with the same thing and I am so frustrated. They seem to get it so easily, and I too fell victim to a large chain LFS, knowing all their tanks feed off the same water source. Now I am paying the price and I really want my angel fish to live. I am very attached to it. Ive turned my temp up starting tonight, added ich guard and some salt into the filter. I hope this works.

 

[dalto]

I am not confident from your description that you have Ich.

Can you post some pics?

 

[Aneamals]

I am not confident from your description that you have Ich.

Can you post some pics?

You mean me? Or ppo8820? Either way I plan on posting something, but it's becoming really difficult to get any good pictures haha.

 

[aqua_holic]

I think he means you. I feel the same way - would like to see a pic for verification.

 

[Aneamals]

Ok, I think you guys are right, I don't think my fish has ick. He doesn't flash, and the tiny specks don't spread or get any bigger. And he is doing perfectly fine, eating and active. But I do wonder what the specks are.
They are super tiny and not noticeable from a distance, they seem to be kind of transparent or whitish ,and only appear on the tail fin and top fin (fin on his back). And they are only like 3 or 4 specks. I think it would look more like the beginning of velvet, but it isn't spreading to anywhere else on his body. Any other ideas? (The fish is a male platy with yellowish fins, while his body is red with some black smudges.)
I've already rose the temperature to 88*F.

I'm going to post the best picture I could take soon, but it isn't good enough, kind of blurry and full of grain, and the specks aren't noticeable. :C But maybe you guys will see something I don't.