Balas

[vaquero]

Ok I really need help here. I know I have been talking about ICH for a little while now, but I need serious help. Again for the third time, I look into my tank after i get home from work, feed the fish and looking at two of my 5 balas they seem to have white spots all over them from fins to mouth. So As any fish handler would do, I take them out of the tank, put them into a bowl tank and look at them under normal and florescent lighting, and NO friggin spots! I have still been for a week now(on Thursday) treating the tank with high(85-86)degrees and salt to treat for what I thought was Ich. No other fish shows any sign of it. And I am also using a magnifying glass to look at them up close. Please tell me what is going on. The spots do not look like air bubbles either. My water tests fine, it is clear as can be but I am really freaking out here. What pray tell is going on with my Balas????? This I noticed on the fish last Wednesday so I have been treating ever since then.

 

[vaquero]

AM I JUST STUPID!?? And can't tell the difference between air bubbles and Ich????? I swear it's not water bubbles, I am willing to sacrifice the two balas to science and keep them out of the tank permanently. I don't want any problems with the other fish. If they die then at least I can move on and stop worrying about it.

 

[GodFan]

Ok I really need help here. I know I have been talking about ICH for a little while now, but I need serious help. Again for the third time, I look into my tank after i get home from work, feed the fish and looking at two of my 5 balas they seem to have white spots all over them from fins to mouth. So As any fish handler would do, I take them out of the tank, put them into a bowl tank and look at them under normal and florescent lighting, and NO friggin spots! I have still been for a week now(on Thursday) treating the tank with high(85-86)degrees and salt to treat for what I thought was Ich. No other fish shows any sign of it. And I am also using a magnifying glass to look at them up close. Please tell me what is going on. The spots do not look like air bubbles either. My water tests fine, it is clear as can be but I am really freaking out here. What pray tell is going on with my Balas????? This I noticed on the fish last Wednesday so I have been treating ever since then.

Well the tank is too small for them as they grow. I dont know if they are old enough for that to be an issue though. Maybe the lighting out of the tank isnt good enough to see the spots?

 

[vaquero]

Well the tank is too small for them as they grow. I dont know if they are old enough for that to be an issue though. Maybe the lighting out of the tank isnt good enough to see the spots?

The Balas are only 2" long and I will be getting a new bigger tank as they grow, it'd just the current problem.

 

[GodFan]

ok well they arent being bullied?

 

[vaquero]

One has had some fin nipping but that could be from the Albino tiger barbs I had or from other barbs but I'm not home all day to watch them. I did just put a brighter light above them and the spotting shows up, not as much as in the tank, but it does show up. I am really stumped to tears on this.

 

[GodFan]

One has had some fin nipping but that could be from the Albino tiger barbs I had or from other barbs but I'm not home all day to watch them. I did just put a brighter light above them and the spotting shows up, not as much as in the tank, but it does show up. I am really stumped to tears on this.

Sounds like the light in the tank is just bright enough to see it. They could be getting bullied by the gouramis or angelfish. How big are they?

 

[vaquero]

angels are 1" small Gouramis are 1 1/2"

 

[vaquero]

so leave them out? i don't have another tank to put them in

 

[GodFan]

I am not sure. Its hard to really tell if bulling is the problem.

 

[vaquero]

I think these balas are going to die. I don't have a "hospital" tank, only a fish bowl. I can't put them back into the tank knowing something is wrong with them. I can't add air to the bowl as I have no extra air stone or pump. I am in a quandary here but as quoted from Spock "The needs of the many, out number the needs of the few". I am a good christian and feel really bad here as I think all creatures deserve to live no matter how mean or nasty they are, or what is wrong with them if treatable. I will wait to see what happens.

 

[GodFan]

I would put them back in the tank. It seems to be a mystery. How about some pics?

 

[vaquero]

I mean no other fish look like them. Pictures i don't have but i could try once they return to normalcy if i put them back in the tank. you think this is a good idea?

 

[GodFan]

I mean no other fish look like them. Pictures i don't have but i could try once they return to normalcy if i put them back in the tank. you think this is a good idea?

Yea I do. If you put them in just keep up the ich treatments until you can rule it out completely. Otherwise they will die.

 

[vaquero]

ok here are some pictures of the one with the fin nips and spots picture dont show them all

 

[GodFan]

Are they acting wierd? Those spots almost look like reflection on the shine of the fish. But it is hard to tell on a pic...

 

[vaquero]

not shine i wish! they are spots! This one does spend more time alone but other than that no, no weird behavior

 

[GodFan]

Is he the only spotted one?

 

[vaquero]

my balas (2 of them) do swim (or stay in one spot) with there heads pointing up towards the top but not at the water line gasping for air or anything. I have an air stone (12") and double filter top fin 60. I just don't know.

 

[vaquero]

he is the one with the most spots another one has fewer spots...but still spot all the same.