please help...new at this and now fish is sick (my son is very sad)

[ssssmommy]

1.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]I have just one orange platy. He’s survived this long, and my son is really attached to him (named him Finn). We won him at a fair in May, and I had no idea what to do when we got him, so he’d been living in a goldfish bowl with q3 day water changes and no heater. Since he’d lasted this long, I thought maybe it was time to get a better home for him. So last week, I set up a 10 gallon tank, added a heater and a filter, let the water sit for a day, then acclimated him (I had him in the fishbowl, and added the tank water ½ cup at a time over several hours). I didn’t know anything then about cycling (but now I do have some idea), and he’s been doing ok.

A few days ago, we added a dalmation molly, who ended up dying a day later (ugh). Now two days later, my platy has white spots on its tail and body. From what I read, ich is small like salt, and these seem bigger, like coarse sea salt size. I’m thinking it’s the ich (maybe from the molly and the pet store) but I can’t be sure. The platy is still swimming around fine and is not ‘flashing’ on anything in the tank.

2.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Tank values, temperature is 78 F, pH has been staying about 7.4-7.6 range (I think my water is hard, and have been thinking about adding some wood/plants, but may hold off until the tank is fixed up).
3.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]It is a 10 gallon tank, the tank was set up on Friday (it’s now Tuesday). Fish were added on Saturday evening.
4.[FONT=&quot] Auqa Tech filter: AquaTech Power Filter - Walmart.com[/FONT]
5.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Right now, I only have an orange platy in the tank (about 2 inches long) and a blue snail 6.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]I haven’t changed the water since the tank was set up on Friday (it’s now Tuesday).
7.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT] I’ve been feeding him tropical fish flakes (since we’d gotten him) and since he’s in the new tank, I’ve been feeding him once per day (to avoid having the food sit at the bottom of the tank and add to the nitrate cycle).

Here’s what I was planning to do, and want advice.
1.[FONT=&quot] get a [/FONT]better more detailed water testing kit

2.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]I was going to add in one of those moss balls (they look like the size of spaghetti meatballs but are all green and fuzzy) and eventually some other plants
3.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Get some wood from the pet store (to help keep the pH down as my water from the township is also basic and hard) - need advice on what types

4.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Do a 2 gallon (20% water change) after gravel vacuuming (have to get one of those today too)

5.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Long term plan, I wanted to add a bottom feeding fish – when should I do this?

Questions
1.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Do you think it is ich? If so, should I raise the temperature to 80F (will my platy be ok if I do this?)
2.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Do I need to purchase medicine for the fish? Don’t really want to spend a ton on this, and if I do get medicine, I read something about removing a part of the filter???
3.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]All other advice is sought as I feel like I’m way over my head on this and really don’t want the fish to die (any my son to cry again – as he did over the molly). We actually had a fish burial with a grave marking and everything.
I've become really attached this little guy, and have been anxious about this all day (as I can't do anything until I get home from work)

 

[shellieca]

1. I have just one orange platy. He’s survived this long, and my son is really attached to him (named him Finn). We won him at a fair in May, and I had no idea what to do when we got him, so he’d been living in a goldfish bowl with q3 day water changes and no heater. Since he’d lasted this long, I thought maybe it was time to get a better home for him. So last week, I set up a 10 gallon tank, added a heater and a filter, let the water sit for a day, then acclimated him (I had him in the fishbowl, and added the tank water ½ cup at a time over several hours). I didn’t know anything then about cycling (but now I do have some idea), and he’s been doing ok.

A few days ago, we added a dalmation molly, who ended up dying a day later (ugh). Now two days later, my platy has white spots on its tail and body. From what I read, ich is small like salt, and these seem bigger, like coarse sea salt size. I’m thinking it’s the ich (maybe from the molly and the pet store) but I can’t be sure. The platy is still swimming around fine and is not ‘flashing’ on anything in the tank.

2. Tank values, temperature is 78 F, pH has been staying about 7.4-7.6 range (I think my water is hard, and have been thinking about adding some wood/plants, but may hold off until the tank is fixed up).
3. It is a 10 gallon tank, the tank was set up on Friday (it’s now Tuesday). Fish were added on Saturday evening.
4. Auqa Tech filter: AquaTech Power Filter - Walmart.com
5. Right now, I only have an orange platy in the tank (about 2 inches long) and a blue snail 6. I haven’t changed the water since the tank was set up on Friday (it’s now Tuesday).
7. I’ve been feeding him tropical fish flakes (since we’d gotten him) and since he’s in the new tank, I’ve been feeding him once per day (to avoid having the food sit at the bottom of the tank and add to the nitrate cycle).

Here’s what I was planning to do, and want advice.
1. get a better more detailed water testing kit

2. I was going to add in one of those moss balls (they look like the size of spaghetti meatballs but are all green and fuzzy) and eventually some other plants
3. Get some wood from the pet store (to help keep the pH down as my water from the township is also basic and hard) - need advice on what types

4. Do a 2 gallon (20% water change) after gravel vacuuming (have to get one of those today too)

5. Long term plan, I wanted to add a bottom feeding fish – when should I do this?

Questions
1. Do you think it is ich? If so, should I raise the temperature to 80F (will my platy be ok if I do this?)
2. Do I need to purchase medicine for the fish? Don’t really want to spend a ton on this, and if I do get medicine, I read something about removing a part of the filter???
3. All other advice is sought as I feel like I’m way over my head on this and really don’t want the fish to die (any my son to cry again – as he did over the molly). We actually had a fish burial with a grave marking and everything.
I've become really attached this little guy, and have been anxious about this all day (as I can't do anything until I get home from work)

I wouldn't add anymore fish to your 10g at this point. When I fish IN cycled my 10g I was doing 50%+ water changes every 2-3 days & testing with the API master test kit daily. I would do about a 50% water change today because your ammonia is probably way too high. The liquid test kit should be your 1st purchase, I wouldn't worry about the Ph as its more important it stays stable rather than you trying to adjust it. If it is Ich the best treatment from what I've been told is to slowly raise the temp to 86 & lots of water changes. My 10g took 8 wks to complete its fish IN cycle.

 

[Oceangirl]

She could also add a little aquarium salt, if she has a friend or can find someone in your area that could give her a piece of filter media or some gravel. this may help her cycle a little faster. DONT USE PETSTORE FILTER MEDIA OR GRAVEL. they have tons of nasty stuff such as ich. a local aquarium club is good place to start. I would say to perhaps upgrade the tank too. The platy really needs a 15 or 20 gallon. Plus 1 fish in a 20 is easier than 1 fish in a 10. If you make a mistake, you have more room for error. Think about it this way, this is how I explained it to my husband.
If you fart in your closet with all the cracks and the door closed. There is alot, of nasty stuff in a small space and you are stuck in it. Now imagine the same thing, in a huge ballroom. You can barely smell it, the pollution is diluted, and you have more room to move. Plus the large tank is better easier to keep clean
IF you keep it understocked and keep up on weekly water changes.

 

[ssssmommy]

it's funny that you suggest to do a water change, because the lady at the pet store said not to change the water until next week...I'm still going to do it because I think it is the right thing to do.
she did confirm it was ich and gave me a dissolvable tablet (that turned my water blue).
I also bought some stress coat and stress zyme that was recommended to me to help the fish. There is so much misinformation out there. Thanks for your posts.

 

[JerseyGirl1385]

It really stinks that a lot of places ( like Petco/Petsmart) are giving a lot of misinformation.

Not only are we spending a lot of time and effort on these fish, but our money too.

For right now, combating the ICH is the most important. A lot of people on this forum, myself included don't do medication unless we can't get rid of it with the heat method and frequent water changes. ( I was mislead by a lot of employees at petco/petsmart until I found a local mom and pop shop that told me ABSOLUTELY no meds. Last ditch effort use the meds)

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_ich2.php
Here's a great article on ICH, it helped me out a great deal.

I'm so sorry you were mislead by the people at your store.
Don't hesitate to post a question here bc there are a lot of people who are willing to help.
No question is too small or stupid.

 

[ssssmommy]

the article suggests raising the temp to 85F, but all the articles I;ve read indicate that platys like to be at 82 max. My poor fish seems so stressed (darting around, clamped fins), he's swimming around all over the tank (not just at the top). I did a 25% water change yesterday (treated the water with stress zyme and stress coat). The temperature is fine. I put back in the carbon filter (to remove the medicine) because upon close inspection, it seems as there is no more ick on the fish. Any other advice?

 

[jlk]

I do have a question here. Are you 100% positive its an orange platy? I have been to a zillion fairs/carnivals in my lifetime and I have never once seen platies or any other type of tropical fish being given away. Its simply too cost and care prohibitive. They are ALWAYS common goldfish. Are you sure dont actually have a common goldfish?