Ich??

[Jharvey]

1. I have a Cardinal tetra that has a white spot. It looks small and hard - about the size of a pinhead. Is this ich?? I have never seen it before!

2. tank parameters - (ammonia - 0, nitrites - 0, nitrates - 0 (recently did several large water changes), temp - 72, pH - 7.5)
3. 29gal high tank established for about a year
4. Aquaclear 50 HOB filter
5. In total I have three neon tetras and three cardinal tetras that are all fully crown (about 1"); and just today I added three baby panda cories (about 1/2" each)
6. Last PWC and vacuum was 4 days ago. I removed about 5 gallons. I do this once weekly. (But, as I said, the week before I did big water change - about 50% and another couple of bigger ones (25-30% a couple of weeks prior)
7. I've had these fish for around 10 months.
8. Before this afternoon (when I added the three panda cories) I have not added anything new to the tank in the last month. I did have a molly die with fin rot a couple of weeks ago and prior to her death I had tried using KANAPLEX to treat the whole tank (three doses, 2 days apart each, as per directions on the bottle).
9. I have been feeding them Omega One "super color flakes"

Help!

 

[Potluck]

Pics would be very helpful for a proper diagnosis, any new additions recently (fish /plants /anything)
Edit I just woke up and just read you added cories, alough seeing ich that fast would be rare it still could be, also with you doing so many big water changes im worried about a mini cycle seeing as you say your nitrates ate zeros.

What test kit do you use?

 

[Jharvey]

Well, I just got him into a quarantine tank and now the white spot appears to have fallen off. Is that possible? I was able to see the spot on his right side but looking through him I could even see it when looking at his left side.

I mentioned in the post above that the only new things that have happened recently are: 1) My molly had fin rot and I treated the whole tank with kanoplex (but she didn't survive); 2) I just added three baby panda cories a few hours ago. No other additions to the tank (no fish, plants, decorations, etc.).

 

[Jharvey]

I use the API master kit.

 

[Potluck]

Well, I just got him into a quarantine tank and now the white spot appears to have fallen off. Is that possible? I was able to see the spot on his right side but looking through him I could even see it when looking at his left side.

I mentioned in the post above that the only new things that have happened recently are: 1) My molly had fin rot and I treated the whole tank with kanoplex (but she didn't survive); 2) I just added three baby panda cories a few hours ago. No other additions to the tank (no fish, plants, decorations, etc.).

Yeah i apologize I edited it after I wrote it, seeing ich after 2 hours would be rare, what test kit do you use to test your water? Yes if the parasite (ich) couldn't attach fast enough and you netted him to quarantine then yes it could have fallen off.

More info on the tank please

 

[Jharvey]

Info on the quarantine tank? It's a 5 gal tank with a tetra whisper HOB filter.

I'm using filter media that I had stuffed in my aquaclear 50 with some of the biofilter material from my 29gal tank in the hopes that that's enough to instacycle the QT.

If it fell off when I netted him... do I return him to the main tank? Do I treat the main tank in some way prophylactically? Or just watch everyone and cross my finters...

(Thanks so much for your quick replies!)

 

[Potluck]

Info on the quarantine tank? It's a 5 gal tank with a tetra whisper HOB filter.

I'm using filter media that I had stuffed in my aquaclear 50 with some of the biofilter material from my 29gal tank in the hopes that that's enough to instacycle the QT.

If it fell off when I netted him... do I return him to the main tank? Do I treat the main tank in some way prophylactically? Or just watch everyone and cross my finters...

(Thanks so much for your quick replies!)

Info on the main tank, size, what fish and how many, are any fish showing signs of being sick?

 

[Angellove78]

I'd worry about the cycle too. No nitrate? If you have no nitrate the tank is not cycled. Beside that, if you added them and then did all the water changing, most likely stressed everyone out in the tank. 2. Your tetra could have had it and you didn't see it till you added the others. 3. Might not even be ich. Imo, I'd Slow down and just watch them for a few days and test the tank daily. With no water changes to see the true levels. And I'd put the little guy back in the tank. Cause if it is ich and it fell off it's in the tank already and you'll have to treat it anyways. Stress causes alot of things and when netting fish your just stressing them out more along with moving them. Imo.

 

[Jharvey]

Info on the main tank, size, what fish and how many, are any fish showing signs of being sick?

None of my fish appear sick - they all are acting healthy so my only sign of a problem is the white spot that fell off.

2. tank parameters - (ammonia - 0, nitrites - 0, nitrates - 0 (recently did several large water changes), temp - 72, pH - 7.5)
3. 29gal high tank established for about a year
4. Aquaclear 50 HOB filter
5. In total I have 3 neon tetras and 3 cardinal tetras that are all fully crown (about 1"); and just today I added three baby panda cories (about 1/2" each)

 

[Jharvey]

Thanks. I know I'm panicking - I've never had any fish get sick and then get better so I was trying to stay ahead of it but you're right.. better to not make things worse!

I'll put the little guy back in the big tank so I don't stress him more and test my water daily.

Should I be adding any salt just in case? I know there are differing opinions about salt in freshwater tanks - especially with neons. Any benefit/detriment to adding the 1TBS/5 gallons that the aquarium salt containers list?

 

[Jharvey]

I'd worry about the cycle too. No nitrate? If you have no nitrate the tank is not cycled. Beside that, if you added them and then did all the water changing, most likely stressed everyone out in the tank.

My tank HAD been cycled... I've had these tetras (and the molly that died) for almost a year. And the water changes were a couple of weeks ago - not when I added new fish. And I never more than 50% in one week. Is that enough to ruin my tank parameters? I thought PWC of up to 50% were fine.

My nitrates (prior to the bigger water changes) were always hovering around 5ppm... is it not possible that the water changes reduced the amounts to below what the test measured without ruining the cycle?

(Just asking all if this so I can be better informed...)

 

[Angellove78]

If your at 5 on nitrate your OK. And as far as the water changes, your good on that too. I was just wondering. I'd just keep a close eye on them. I use salt. But you gotta be careful with it with some fish. Your tetras shouldn't mind it. But the Panda's might. You'll know if they start action weird. Like sitting around in one spot breathing hard. I also leave the lights off and take a flash light to check on them from time to time. Some people say to not use heat and salt. But I do that too. It speeds things up. I usually have ich gone in 3 days with this method. Along with vacuuming the bottom, wiping everything down, and 2-50% water changes as soon as I see no more spots. Then I do 1 more dose of salt. Just make sure you dissolve the salt in a bowl of tank water (stir it up) and keep it at the same temp.as the tank water. I float mine in the tank or add more tank water to it. Then add it slowly. Just watch your fish. If anything looks wrong than do alittle water change. Note:salt will not filter through and just go away. You gotta do 2-50% water changes at the end of the treatment. Hope this helps. You can do that now to be on the safe side and ahead on the game. Salt will do alot of good for them. Read the box. It's very true. Imo.

 

[Potluck]

I'd worry about the cycle too. No nitrate? If you have no nitrate the tank is not cycled. Beside that, if you added them and then did all the water changing, most likely stressed everyone out in the tank.

My tank HAD been cycled... I've had these tetras (and the molly that died) for almost a year. And the water changes were a couple of weeks ago - not when I added new fish. And I never more than 50% in one week. Is that enough to ruin my tank parameters? I thought PWC of up to 50% were fine.

My nitrates (prior to the bigger water changes) were always hovering around 5ppm... is it not possible that the water changes reduced the amounts to below what the test measured without ruining the cycle?

(Just asking all if this so I can be better informed...)

Yes you could of zeroed out the nitrates performing so many water changes, stop with the water changes but test daily or every other day to make sure those water changes didn't cause it to cycle (probably not/won't) but if it does which it probably won't you will need to do small water charges every day to keep your ammonia and nitrite at bay, after everything balances out start back up to doing 25-30% weekly, I would also add cheap activated carbon to the filter for 24-48 hours to remove the meds you used for fin rot if your not still treating, throw the carbon out after 24-48 hours.

Add the fish back into the tank, do light feedings for the next couple of days, keep stress to a minimal (tetras need schools of 6+) but don't add any until you see if you have ich, if you do you have to use a different treatment because of the cories, kordon makes a product called "ich attack" which is herbal that is safe for scaless fish and inverts, DON'T confuse with rid ich.

Monitor the fish over the next few days, look for signs (ich looks like your fish has been sprinkled with salt /sugar) and treat.


There's other methods for ich treatment with cories which more advanced hobbyists on here can help you with.


For future reference you should set up a cycled/heated /filtrated quarantine tank for new arrivals DO NOT ADD THE FISH STORE WATER TO YOUR TANK (sry that's important lol) and monitor them for 2-3 weeks before adding them to the main tank. sponge filter /air pump /small heater /bare bottom (you will have to cycle the quarantine tank before adding new arrivals to it)