need help, somethin's wrong!

[illuminum]

Alot of my fish are swimming really close to the water return where the current is strong. It's as if they're anxiously waiting for something to come out of the return. Water params seem ok... What's wrong?


BTW, this tank suddenly came down with ich. I'm slowely raising the temps and I'll treat with rid-ich.

First I need to know if rid-ich+ affects my snails or plants.

Any advice?

 

[Melody]

maybe O2???

I had an ich problem a long time ago and raised the temp (alot faster then I should have I found out later) I came home about 5 hours later to find ALL fish gasping for air, I put an air stone in and started dumping water out of a cup, back into the tank for about an hour... they all made it ok... but still really scarey!

 

[Toirtis]

Sounds like they may be suffering from the lowered dissolved oxygen levels caused by the warmer water (the formalin in the rid-ich will also lower DO levels). I would suggest adding some oxygenation ASAP.

Rid-ich will affect certain more sensitive invertebrates, but I am not certain as to which snails may be included.

 

[Melody]

oh wow... I was right! yippie!!!

 

[FawnN]

For more O2, add an airstone and if you have an HOB, lower the level of the water in your tank so that you create a bigger splash at the surface. I suggest you always do that if you ever need to increase your temp.

As for Rid-Ich, I've known lots of people that have left their bottom dwellers, inverts and plant alone with treating and they all came out fine. Just remember not to overdose.

 

[illuminum]

What would cause the sudden drop on O2? I recently did a water change and actually put the air stone in the buckets for a few hours. The new water was the same temp as well so that couldn't be a problem either. Also, I haven't added anything new in the tank.

What I'm doing right now is I'm lightly medicating the tank with ridich and slowly raising the temp of the tank. I took the three zebra snails out and have them in a bucket with some driftwood, a heater, and my only air pump so somewhat curtulate the water. Should I take the air pump and use it in the tank, or leave it in the bucket with snails for circulation?

 

[Toirtis]

I would buy another air pump and airstone....only $6-$10.

 

[hashbaz]

What would cause the sudden drop on O2?

Increasing the temperature of water decreases the solubility of gases.

Warmer soda loses its fiz, and a warmer tank loses its oxygen.

 

[Menagerie]

Read the FW ich article in the Articles section and go with the natural way. Most plants can stand some salts--all my plants made it along with cory cats and a pleco.