cjsans
Aquarium Advice Regular
My 12 in. Placo is covered in fungus and has stopped eating. Even the eyes are hazed. (All bottom feeders stopped eating)
Let me start from the beginning. Last month my 125 gal. tank was coated in Black Beard fungus. All plants were dead and even my rocks and plastic flow tubes of my Tidepool filter system were covered in the stuff. We drained the tank, (well water with hardness level too high to measure), baked the rocks, took all substrate out, removed the flow tubes and wiped down the tank. It was refilled with spring water and plants were added. I got the temp stabilized at 77, acclimated my fish to their new, clean home and all seemed good for several days. My pH is now 6.2, nitrates 40, (over 200+ before), hardness 75, alkalinity between 0-40 and chlorine 0. I kept the temp probe in at all times and checked the tank several times a day. I added a Betta, 3 Clown Loaches, (making a total of 5), 4 Glass Cats, (tot. of 6), 4 Gouramis, 7 Neons, and 6 Cardinals. Then Neons and Cardinals started to disappear. I checked the filter and found 2. I was down to 4 Neons left. No other bodies were found. Last week I checked the water temp and it read 68. I raised it back up to 77 and next day I saw my Polk-a-dot Cats (scaleless) and all my Loachs had Ick. I got some Ick Guard and gave a 1/2 twice to a 10 Gal. tank after 25% water change. Only 1 Polka dot survived. Then I saw a Glass cat, Gourami, Red Tail Botia, and Placo had it as well. I put a 1/2 dose in the 125 gal tank and 24 hrs later I saw no improvement, plus the Placo was covered in fungus and did not touch the algae tabs I put in the night before. Also the shrimp pellets I put in were all fungus balls floating around the tank. My Betta was also dead and transformed into a fungus ball. I can't really see the 6 in. Botia or the ~8 in. Polka-dot cat clearly. They're in the rocks. All I know is that they're still alive. Two days ago I got Mardel and added a tsp. to the water after 24 hours of Ick Guard, BUT I didn't do a 25% water change first, so I did the water change and left it as is over night. I don't want to add a fungicide to the mix. Do I just add another tsp. of Mardel?
What a nightmare. Three of those fish are ancient. To say I'm frustrated doesn't begin to to cover it. I've had aquariums all my life (including salt) and NEVER had such a mess. Any input is appreciated. (Sorry for the length of this)
Let me start from the beginning. Last month my 125 gal. tank was coated in Black Beard fungus. All plants were dead and even my rocks and plastic flow tubes of my Tidepool filter system were covered in the stuff. We drained the tank, (well water with hardness level too high to measure), baked the rocks, took all substrate out, removed the flow tubes and wiped down the tank. It was refilled with spring water and plants were added. I got the temp stabilized at 77, acclimated my fish to their new, clean home and all seemed good for several days. My pH is now 6.2, nitrates 40, (over 200+ before), hardness 75, alkalinity between 0-40 and chlorine 0. I kept the temp probe in at all times and checked the tank several times a day. I added a Betta, 3 Clown Loaches, (making a total of 5), 4 Glass Cats, (tot. of 6), 4 Gouramis, 7 Neons, and 6 Cardinals. Then Neons and Cardinals started to disappear. I checked the filter and found 2. I was down to 4 Neons left. No other bodies were found. Last week I checked the water temp and it read 68. I raised it back up to 77 and next day I saw my Polk-a-dot Cats (scaleless) and all my Loachs had Ick. I got some Ick Guard and gave a 1/2 twice to a 10 Gal. tank after 25% water change. Only 1 Polka dot survived. Then I saw a Glass cat, Gourami, Red Tail Botia, and Placo had it as well. I put a 1/2 dose in the 125 gal tank and 24 hrs later I saw no improvement, plus the Placo was covered in fungus and did not touch the algae tabs I put in the night before. Also the shrimp pellets I put in were all fungus balls floating around the tank. My Betta was also dead and transformed into a fungus ball. I can't really see the 6 in. Botia or the ~8 in. Polka-dot cat clearly. They're in the rocks. All I know is that they're still alive. Two days ago I got Mardel and added a tsp. to the water after 24 hours of Ick Guard, BUT I didn't do a 25% water change first, so I did the water change and left it as is over night. I don't want to add a fungicide to the mix. Do I just add another tsp. of Mardel?
What a nightmare. Three of those fish are ancient. To say I'm frustrated doesn't begin to to cover it. I've had aquariums all my life (including salt) and NEVER had such a mess. Any input is appreciated. (Sorry for the length of this)
