Need some quick advice

[Menagerie]

Hey, what salts should I be using to dose my tank?

Aquarium salt

I've seen where some continued this for several weeks. How long can my fish take this environment?

Continue to treat the tank for an additional two weeks with heat and salt. Make sure the fish gets lots of oxygen and they will be fine.

 

[Jchillin]

Thanks Menagerie...I gonna replace the charcoal tonight. How much more salt do you recommend over this two week period?

 

[Menagerie]

Just keep with the 1 TBLSP per gallon for the next two weeks. Keep an eye on the fish--if they look stessed, post and we will figure it out.

 

[Jchillin]

Is that daily? Of course I will post...where else can I go for the excellent advice?

 

[Karensqua]

This is an old wives tale but it works; if you keep your aquarium at 80 degrees or above all the time you will never have ich. I have been doing this and I have never had an outbreak of ich, and I have 3 tanks. Hope this helps.

 

[Jchillin]

Is that daily? Of course I will post...where else can I go for the excellent advice?

This is the question I need answered. Is it daily (1 tbls) per gal.?

 

[Menagerie]

This is the question I need answered. Is it daily (1 tbls) per gal.?

No, just add the saltonce. If you do a water change, add back what you took out.

 

[Jchillin]

(Sigh) Over the past four days I've lost an angel and a black tetra (the one mentioned above). I'm not exactly overwhelmed by this because I did expect the tetra to go. It seems that there are no cysts on any of the remaining fish ( ) but I can see them on the plants and rocks (artificial, not live). Tomorrow is cleaning (substrate) and water change day and I'm looking forward to it. Will keep updates coming.

 

[Menagerie]

Over the past four days I've lost an angel and a black tetra

:?

but I can see them on the plants and rocks

I don't think you can see the cysts. Can you post a pic of the tank and try to zoom on the cysts?

 

[Jchillin]

I don't think you can see the cysts. Can you post a pic of the tank and try to zoom on the cysts?

Here's the pic...the cysts can be seen on the heater. What do you think they are?

 

[Menagerie]

Do your fish look like the ones pictured in this article?

 

[Jchillin]

No...there are no cysts on any of the fish. FYI the pic was taken after water change...water level was below the heater.

 

[Menagerie]

But did any of the fish look like that before?

 

[TankGirl]

I don't think what you are seeing are ich cysts. The cyst form is present only when it is attached and feeding off a host (fish) and when they become adult they break out and fall to the aquarium floor, and multiply, where I am sure you can't see them with the naked eye. What you have could be snail eggs, if you have snails, or fish eggs, for that matter.

Illuminum - did you decide to go ahead and add salt? What's the status of your treatment?

 

[Jchillin]

But did any of the fish look like that before?

Absolutely...the sharks (both) and two of the three tetras (one RIP). Since I began the treatments, the cysts are completely gone from the fish!

I don't have any snails...I don't think the fish are breeding already (way too young ??). I guess anything is possible. Since there were soooooo many of them...I assumed they were cysts. Any chance of them being O2 bubbles?

 

[TankGirl]

Absolutely could be O2 bubbles - this will be especially true right after a water change.

 

[Jchillin]

Thanks TG...was worried there but I've been watching it carefully and they do disappear gradually. To think after all that has been done to still have em' ugh!

 

[Jchillin]

****Update - Fish are doing well. One question (which may sound silly): I've noticed the water level dropping since the treatments began. I assume it's due to the salt and high temp. Please tell me I'm right...Thanksgiving dinner prep is riding on this!

 

[TankGirl]

Oh yes, absolutely - the higher temp of the water, plus what I must assume are dryer conditions in your home due to heating and general lower humidity, will cause evaporation to speed up just a bit. I notice it every year about this time in all my tanks.

 

[Jchillin]

Thank TG...you saved me from a life of drudgery next week! Science rules!!!