What is in my tank?!?!?!

[AlonelyCody]

I have a QT tank that i have a black finned shark in right now, he has ick. I am trying to kill it with salt and i noticed on the filter intake that i have redish brown crystal looking things growing what is it. is it a type of algee? i have never seen it befor is it because of the raises salt content? will it harm my black finned shark or will it harm any of my fish?

Please Help!!

 

[madasafish]

Salt crystals, though small, grow on the filter outflow if you're dosing heavily with salt... If you have a fertilized substrate, the color of the crystals may be due to that... Or a red-brown rust algae may be growing under or on the salt crystals...

Have you thought about the high temperature Ich treatment instead of the salt? I hear it's much more effective.

 

[AlonelyCody]

i have thought about that. it is just i know that the black finned shar is a scaleles fish and the research that i have done on him says his max temp is 79 the tank is at 77 right now. I just don't want to hurt him.

 

[ferret]

Heavy salt will probably hurt him a lot more than higher than normal temperatures. He can survive much more than 79 degrees, its just not his prefered temperture or good in the long run. 1-2 weeks to kill ick at 86 degrees shouldn't hurt him

 

[AlonelyCody]

ok ....thanks....but i thought that the black finned shark could be converted to salt water i have seen some in salt water. :?