HELP! --- flashing fish / cuckoo catfish

[fishguy228]

so my fish are flashing or scraping there bodies on the rocks and have been seen resting on the bottom of my tank, also some have been exhibiting labored breathing what is this? and i have noticed that there are little white things on the back of my tank is this fish lice? also i have three cuckoo catfish would any of the medication kill them even if i do a low dose?

 

[Cleggat]

The little white things may be fish eggs?

 

[jsoong]

What fish, tank size, etc. Any spots, etc. you see on the fish? Waht had been happening in the last while ... ie new fish, cycling status, etc.

Flashing is usually external parasites .... If there are behavioral changes - ie the rapid breathing, lethargy - it will need to be treated.

1st thing to do is to do a big water change (say 50%) and a good gravel vac ... clean water never hurts, and the gravel vac will reduce parasite load.

Next you need to test the tank water parameters. Parasites usu. occurs when water condition had deteriorated. You have to correct that before treating.

I don't know enough about catfish to recommend meds, so someone will need to chime in.

 

[fishguy228]

ok so it is a ten gallon with three cuckoo catfish, and four african cichlids all at about an inch also i heard that synodontis catfish are scaleless? is that right?

 

[jsoong]

That is a lot of fish for a 10 gal. Is the tank cycled?

I would start by checking the water chemistry ... the most likely reason for the problem is poor water conditions, which needs to be corrected.

I will change the thread title to see if I can attract some catfish experts.

 

[fishguy228]

the tank is cycled with a filter from my 30 gal before it cracked. and i also have a second small filter in it too, but i will definatly check the water paremeters. but do you think this is fish lice? because the fish are definatly not old enough to spawn so what is that stuff on the back glass pane any ideas?