TheGaffer27
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey all - I posted originally as this thread below:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=2999
I was dealing with some cherry barbs scratching not long after putting some new fish into the tank. I resolved to dose with Melafix and salt for seven days, and raised the temperature to about 86 degrees. During that time, the cherries (all 5 of them) began to scratch more frequently, then less frequently, and in the last couple of days started to unclamp their fins a little. The rest of the fish, basically, were fine.
Yesterday, I did a 50% water change. The temperature is now lowered to about 80 degrees, and I've got activated carbon back in my Whisper filter to clean out the tank of the medicine. The inventory is the same, with one or two problems:
4 cherry barbs. My fifth, which is 3.5 years old, became listless and stopped eating. I've transferred him to a sick tank, where he appears ready to die.
I lost one of my 2 catfish, probably as a result of the temp. change; never really saw much in the way of problems with him - just woke up and found him dead (had him 2 mos.)
the gouramis, 6 tiger barbs, and 6 copper tetras are fine, eating.
Everyone left in the tank is eating, and I rarely, rarely see the cherry barbs scratch anymore. Their fins aren't pressed any more (partially due to restoring the old temp/salt content) and they look a lot more relaxed now, which is good. No ich spots ever developed on any of these fish.
So the question is, what's the next move? Keep monitoring? A little Melafix with replacement water here & there? As I say, once in a blue moon now, I see a cherry sort of "flash" around the tank, so I don't think they're perfect.
Any & all advice appreciated.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=2999
I was dealing with some cherry barbs scratching not long after putting some new fish into the tank. I resolved to dose with Melafix and salt for seven days, and raised the temperature to about 86 degrees. During that time, the cherries (all 5 of them) began to scratch more frequently, then less frequently, and in the last couple of days started to unclamp their fins a little. The rest of the fish, basically, were fine.
Yesterday, I did a 50% water change. The temperature is now lowered to about 80 degrees, and I've got activated carbon back in my Whisper filter to clean out the tank of the medicine. The inventory is the same, with one or two problems:
4 cherry barbs. My fifth, which is 3.5 years old, became listless and stopped eating. I've transferred him to a sick tank, where he appears ready to die.
I lost one of my 2 catfish, probably as a result of the temp. change; never really saw much in the way of problems with him - just woke up and found him dead (had him 2 mos.)
the gouramis, 6 tiger barbs, and 6 copper tetras are fine, eating.
Everyone left in the tank is eating, and I rarely, rarely see the cherry barbs scratch anymore. Their fins aren't pressed any more (partially due to restoring the old temp/salt content) and they look a lot more relaxed now, which is good. No ich spots ever developed on any of these fish.
So the question is, what's the next move? Keep monitoring? A little Melafix with replacement water here & there? As I say, once in a blue moon now, I see a cherry sort of "flash" around the tank, so I don't think they're perfect.
Any & all advice appreciated.
