Ich Platy

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wfoxx3

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 24, 2012
Messages
23
I posted earlier to no response but I am assuming that my mickey mouse platy in 5 gallon tank has ich. She has 3 little whitish spots on her tail and is not eating and just sitting at the surface and bottom with fins clamped. She is not scratching on ornaments though but I still think it is ich. If I am wrong, what could it be?

But if it is, my question is best way to treat it as I have seen a lot of different opinions everwhere. And more importantly, my Ammonia levels have been up for a couple of days (.5 today before I did a change) Is it ok to treat for ich with the ammonia levels a little bit up?
 
Why are your ammonia levels rising? That alone will contribute to ich, which can be caused by stress, making the immune system of the fish weaker and thus allowing the ich to take over.

You can treat ich naturally by raising the temp slowly to 86 degrees F

Add an airstone to increase oxygenation

Do gravel vacs every 2-3 days to remove ich spore from substrate.

Maintain program until a week after you've seen the last spot on the fish.
 
Thanks for the response. I'm not 100 percent sure why my levels are rising, my tank is cycled and has been 0 for a while but I did a gravel vacuum the other day so that is the only reason I can think of and maybe killed off some of the bacteria?

I do not have an adjustable heater so I cannot raise the temperature manually. Is there any other way to treat with Ammonia levels raised or should I go out and get a new heater?
 
What test kit?

Get the ammonia down via water changes.

Test your tap water.

Get an adjustable heater.
 
API test tube kit. My tap water is good. I will get an adjustable heater. Should I add salt as well?
 
I'm concerned with the 0 nitrates. Do you bash the nitrate reagent bottle against a countertop or table to break up the crystals before using it?

You can use salt depending on what other species you have in the tank.
 
No I don't, the directions just say to add the drops. Why is 0 Nitrates a problem?
 
You should only have 0 nitrates if your tank is heavily planted.

Do me a favor, do that test again, but smash the heck out of the bottle first. Then shake it, then test.
 
I did an it says 0 but looking at the reading chart it only tells me if a certain amount are present and if it is that high then I would have needed to do a change a while ago. So Im guessing there is some Nitrate present but not enough to tip the scale.
 
I did an it says 0 but looking at the reading chart it only tells me if a certain amount are present and if it is that high then I would have needed to do a change a while ago.

I'm super confused by this sentence.

Once you're cycled, you strive for nitrate <20, however, 20 is considered safe. Your understanding is that it must be 0?
 
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