Worried!! Plz help

[Mlani]

I'm going crazy with the possibilities running through my mind.. Two things happening in my tank right now.
First I went to do my routine water tests and found I have a major spike in my nitrates. So not cool! Don't know why. My ammonia is perfect ph is too. Don't understand that at all. Even did the tests twice just to be sure. So I did a pwc of 50% (I run R/O in my tanks) and I'm going to keep checking the nitrate levels. Probably do a 25% in another day? Or will that be too much?
Second I bought some cardinal tetras to increase my school four days ago and tonight I noticed white spots all over all of my fish except 3 raspboras. I'm worried my tank may have ich??
Tank is a 46 gal hexagon
Running whisper filter for a 60gal
Reverse osmosis water
I do regular testing and water changes
Homes
Three rams
One spotted cat
10 tetras
3 raspboras
Any input would be greatly appreciated as my husbands words of wisdom aren't cutting it right now. He says wait four more days and flush em.
I'm sick with worry, he doesn't get it. I don't want to lose all my lil fishies :-(

 

[Mlani]

I just realized I posted this in the wrong place, I'm sorry. I don't know how to edit it to move it now. I can't seem to find the options to do it on the phone ap?

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, you have ich. Thats usually easy enough to treat though with heat. It can certainly be dealt with. You may lose a few fish, but hopefully they all pull through. I recommend you raise the heat to about 86 degrees at the rate of about a degree an hour or so. Heat accelerates the ich life cycle, so it will look like its getting worse for a day or 2, then start to improve.
How big of a nitrate spike is it?

 

[absolutangel04]

Oh, and you can also do a salt treatment, but since you have a cory (I assume thats what the spotted cat is), then I suggest you try just heat first since its less risky for him. I have treated with justheat before, so have other people on here. If that doesn't work, there are a few medication options that will hopefully be ok for the residents, but might be hard on a few of them.

 

[Mlani]

Thank you I'll start raising the temp now. Should I be putting melafix or anything in there as well? The spotted catfish isn't a Cory I can't remember what it's real name is, sorry.( I do have a picture of it in my profile album) My readings from the tests are ammonia -0 ph 7.4 nitrate 80.

 

[absolutangel04]

Ok, well, I still recommend doing just the heat for now. Many other catfish react to meds like cories do. I am not positive, but I don't think melafix will help this situation any since its more of an anti-fungal/bacterial sort of thing.

 

[absolutangel04]

Do you have live plants btw?

 

[Mlani]

K I won't treat with melafix just with heat. How long do you figure I should have the temp raised? Until the ich is completely gone? A couple days after it's gone? Do you think I'll lose my rams? They're pretty sensitive that's why I've been so careful with this tank. I'm so angry at the fish store right now! I only have fake plants in there.

 

[Cornstar]

I kept mine at 86 for about a week after it looked like it was gone. Be sure to do a gravel vacuum cleaning since the spores fall down on the gravels

 

[Mlani]

I vacuumed it today when I did the pwc. I plan on doing it again tomorrow, I've turned the heater up one and will continue to raise it tomorrow through the day. I really hope I don't lose any fish over this.. I've really become quite fond of them. I'll leave the temp cranked for a week after the spots are gone and continue to do the water changes/ vacuuming every day too? Should I change the filters? Or will that send my tank into major shock? Thank you for the feedback I really do appreciate it.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, you should run it high for at least a week after the last visible symptoms are gone. Do not change filters. That just gets rid of beneficial bacteria that keep the tank cycled. The heat kills a certain part of ich's lifecycle thus halting the progress of the disease. I think it helps ot vacuum thoroughly, but thats not going to make or break this treatment. I really don't think you need to do a pwc everyday, but doing one every few days wouldn't hurt.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Melafix is a mild antibacterial med. It would be useless against ich since its a parasite.

 

[Mlani]

Thank you so much! I've never had ich before and was completely lost as how to deal with it. I certainly couldn't follow my husbands advice. I really hope my fishies pull through this. I'll keep you updated if you'd like and if anyone thinks of anything else please feel free to post. I need all the help I can get making sure all of these guys pull through healthy

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Here's a link that will explain what ich is so you can understand what you are battling.
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_ich2.php

 

[Mlani]

Checking that link out now. Thank you

 

[absolutangel04]

Good luck to you and your fish! Most of us on here have had ich at one point or another. Honestly, sometimes it is harder to rid of than other times. Hopefully this is an easier time.

 

[Mlani]

Oh my goodness! That link is awesome! Thank you! I've bookmarked it and will continue to refer to it as I go through the process of clearing my tank of this. I'm also thinking I'm going to be buying a small tank to start quarantining my lil friends before they go in the bigger tanks. Thanks again to everyone who has posted to help me out. This forum is really a mind saver.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yes, quarantine tanks are worth the money. If you have the space for one (even just a little 10g), I totally recommend it.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Oh my goodness! That link is awesome! Thank you! I've bookmarked it and will continue to refer to it as I go through the process of clearing my tank of this. I'm also thinking I'm going to be buying a small tank to start quarantining my lil friends before they go in the bigger tanks. Thanks again to everyone who has posted to help me out. This forum is really a mind saver.

Your welcome! And good luck!!!

 

[Mlani]

Just thought I'd share a little happy news! The nitrate spike, I must have caught it at just the right time. when I woke this morning I retested again to see if I needed to do another pwc and YAY! The nitrates are back in the "safe" zone. 5.0. Now to just continue with our battle against those lil parasites and wipe the lil ****heads out! upped the temp a little more, added some salt (dissolved first) and now to wait...this is the part I'm not good at. Lol!