Its always something.

[CrashCourse]

Days like today just make me want to throw in the towel.
When I started my 10 gallon, I made just about every mistake I could have, and spent months trying to fix it, which eventually ended up with me upgrading to a 20L because my 10 was seriously overstocked and I couldn't get it to cycle for the life of me. For a while, I had both the 10 and 20 until I recently upgraded the 10 to a 29 that was given to me. The 10, I planned to keep for a hospital/QT tank.
Long story short, I've been battling some sort of tank ailment more often than not for MONTHS.

Just when it seems like everyone is finally settled and happy, I find a couple of ick spots on my angel's tail. No big deal, I've done this before. Immediately bump up the temperature, toss in some ich-attack. A day or two later, he's still got some spots, but it's not bad, and no one else has them. Figure it just takes time. He got a little worse before he got better, which wasn't too surprising. Last night he was down to 2 spots. Came home today expecting them to be gone, and instead he's covered, and now the other fish have a few spots too. I'm keeping the tank around 82-83, since that worked for me in the past, and I'm afraid of overheating the snail and the cory fry still in the breeder box. I'd planned to move the fry into a tank with the new eggs, but I don't want to infect that tank. Now I'm frustrated and trying to figure out what to do with a treatment resistant strain of ich before it kills all my fish.

Meanwhile in the 20, which has been doing great for a little while, I have an orange glofish that has looked full of eggs for weeks. I've read they can hold on to them until they feel the conditions are right, so I've been keeping an eye in her, but not too concerned. Doing my weekly water change , I see she looks bigger, ready to burst, and also looks like she has bruises and a white-ish patch of flaky-looking scales on her back. No idea what it could be. Parasites maybe? Internal bleeding? She immediately went into the hospital tank (that I was going to use for the fry), and I've been watching the 20 like a hawk to see if anyone else is showing symptoms. (Not so far).

And just as icing on the cake, when I set up the 2 gallon fry tank, I was halfway through before I realized I was out of outlets. I had to unplug the fan I sleep with every night just to be able to give them a bubbler and a heater that I'm not even sure is working right. A small concession, but my apartment is now sweater-weather just so I can sleep at night. Haha. And I just can't bring myself to just dump the eggs.

I'm just so tired of one problem after another.

 

[GulfShrimplet]

I'm sorry. Fish can sometimes be as much a pain as a joy.

Keep your head up! Take some slow deep breaths and pay attention to something else instead of worrying about them.

 

[calfishguy]

I'm sorry. Fish can sometimes be as much a pain as a joy.

Keep your head up! Take some slow deep breaths and pay attention to something else instead of worrying about them.

I know the feeling. My 55 leaked and the store didn't have the stand and sold the one I reserved. Meanwhile my 10 gallon had some major tail rot.

However look at me now my 55 is stunning IMO and my 29 will soon be just as nice.

Persistence is key. Keep your head up.

For the ick if you still have it raise the temp to 86-88.

 

[CrashCourse]

I'm trying. It's just frustrating.

What about the fry? Will they be ok at those temps?
I've kicked ich twice at 82 in another tank, because I had temperature sensitive shrimp. Seemed to work ok then.

 

[calfishguy]

I'm trying. It's just frustrating.

What about the fry? Will they be ok at those temps?
I've kicked ich twice at 82 in another tank, because I had temperature sensitive shrimp. Seemed to work ok then.

From what I have read at 82 the rich will simply colonize and reproduce faster. However at 86 the bacteria is killed. Try raising the temp slowly. If you see any change is behavior bring it back down. You could also try salt and more meds. But IMO temp is the best way

 

[CrashCourse]

That's awesome. I've been breeding what I was trying to kill.
It's on it's way up slowly. I'm just hoping I don't lose anyone.
Thank you.

 

[CrashCourse]

So my 100 watt heater apparently can't get the temp up past 82. I knew I should've gone with the 150 watt, but I didn't take into account ick treatments when I was calculating wattage...
Maybe I'll see if I can exchange it, but I'm betting I threw away the receipt.

 

[calfishguy]

So my 100 watt heater apparently can't get the temp up past 82. I knew I should've gone with the 150 watt, but I didn't take into account ick treatments when I was calculating wattage...
Maybe I'll see if I can exchange it, but I'm betting I threw away the receipt.

You could always purchase another small one like the one you have. This way if one brakes your still good and if one is stick on it won't cook your fish. I have a spare in my 55 that I use if ever I have to raise my temp higher than 84.

 

[CrashCourse]

You could always purchase another small one like the one you have. This way if one brakes your still good and if one is stick on it won't cook your fish. I have a spare in my 55 that I use if ever I have to raise my temp higher than 84.

I did end up picking up an extra 100 watt heater on my way home. Of course, by the time I got there the original heater was up to 84. :/ Anyway...
The poor angel looks pitiful. He's definitely worse today. I fed them some frozen beef heart, in hopes that extra nutrients may help him pull through. He still swims and eats normally, still chasing and popping bubbles like a fool. It's cute though, I've never had a fish so obsessed with bubbles. So there's still hope.

The one in the hospital thank though, she looks about the same. i tried to get pictures, but she's really skittish on her own. You can see the belly, but not the white scaly patch on her back. The bruises seem to be healing though. Any thoughts? Eggs? Parasite?

 

[calfishguy]

I did end up picking up an extra 100 watt heater on my way home. Of course, by the time I got there the original heater was up to 84. :/ Anyway...
The poor angel looks pitiful. He's definitely worse today. I fed them some frozen beef heart, in hopes that extra nutrients may help him pull through. He still swims and eats normally, still chasing and popping bubbles like a fool. It's cute though, I've never had a fish so obsessed with bubbles. So there's still hope.

The one in the hospital thank though, she looks about the same. i tried to get pictures, but she's really skittish on her own. You can see the belly, but not the white scaly patch on her back. The bruises seem to be healing though. Any thoughts? Eggs? Parasite?

Yeah that's a pretty bad case of ick. Did you add salt.

 

[CrashCourse]

No salt because I have cory fry and a snail. I've been using Kordons ich attack, which I've had success with before, and have recommended. I'm just now wondering if its getting old and less effective. Or I've been reading more and more lately about different strains of ick that are harder to treat.

Luckily, no one else is as bad off as he is. One or two other fish have a couple small spots, and others don't have a single spot. It's odd how bad he is in comparison. I'm really hoping the extra heat will help, and quickly. I don't know how long they can last when they're so covered.

 

[DavidAl]

Hello CrashCourse,

I'm afraid your user name may have something to do with all of this...

You're on the right track; keep it up. Bump the temp up to 86, as previously suggested. I have eradicated ich with heat and water changes alone. Gravel vacs are extremely important. Part of the ich's cycle is to multiply within a cyst, usually on the substrate. You can get rid of a large portion of this parasite before it is even free-swimming, which is the only stage any meds will work. Don't worry about losing eggs. If there's ich in this tank the fry won't survive anyway. Heck, the warmer water will only cause the eggs to hatch quicker!

Keep it up and keep us posted.

David

 

[Teakwood]

No salt because I have cory fry and a snail. I've been using Kordons ich attack, which I've had success with before, and have recommended. I'm just now wondering if its getting old and less effective. Or I've been reading more and more lately about different strains of ick that are harder to treat.

Luckily, no one else is as bad off as he is. One or two other fish have a couple small spots, and others don't have a single spot. It's odd how bad he is in comparison. I'm really hoping the extra heat will help, and quickly. I don't know how long they can last when they're so covered.

I suggest putting the snail in a bowl during treatment. Might be semi-inhumane but I had to move my snails to do a treatment for something can't remember what now... I think I was using a de-wormer as preventative maintenance. As long as you Change the water everyday it should be fine for a bit. At least then you can safely add salt while treating the tank.

 

[Teakwood]

And I second the egg thing. They will lay again and cory fry(I've had them for 3 egg laying rounds) can be touchy, at least they were for me
: / good luck!

 

[Scottyhorse]

I'm sorry about all this

Anyways, you could always pick up one of those rubbermaid storage tubs from walmart, and stick the fry and snails in there. Even a 5 gal shoe tub would work, and you could float it in the tank so you don't need to get another heater.

For that glo danio, I don't know what to tell you. I know from breeding goats they will get HUGE before kidding, so I would wait a few more days and see what happens. Maybe add a little salt in the tank to help with any stress she may be having and give her some good food.

 

[Chronos313]

I had a case of ich and I had snails in my tank and they had no issues with the temp at 90, that's only because we didn't have heat control in my apt cuz it was boiler heat. As long as the temp is gradual they will adjust. Definitely gravel vac every day or two. A few gallons here and there. I never use meds other then melafix and that is a rare thing. As for the fry, I would say bite the bullet and wait for a respawn

 

[CrashCourse]

Thanks guys.

Hello CrashCourse, I'm afraid your user name may have something to do with all of this... David

Ha. I always joke about how my random thought that I'd like to have a few fish has turned into my crash course in marine biology. Still pretty new, less than a year in, but I've learned a lot.

The eggs have already hatched, these guys are actually a few weeks old, and starting to get big, which is why I'd be so sad to lose them now. They were from my very first spawn. So far, they seem to be doing ok. If I can get them past this, I'll move them into a fry tank once everything has cleared up. They're floating in a breeder box now.

I did end up putting some salt in with the danio the night I moved her over. Are you supposed to redose the salt? Or only with water changes?

The snail seems ok too so far. It's been a slow increase, I'll just keep watching, and move him if I need to. I'll do a gravel vac when I get home this evening as well.

I'm most worried about the angel. I've never had a fish so covered. He acts ok, I'm hoping he'll hang on long enough for the treatment to take effect.

 

[CrashCourse]

The temp has been sitting at 87 now for a day or two, but the ick seems to be getting worse instead of better.
There are still some fish with no spots at all, but the ones that had them, have a few more, and the angel looks absolutely awful.
I don't know what else I can do for them.

 

[calfishguy]

The temp has been sitting at 87 now for a day or two, but the ick seems to be getting worse instead of better.
There are still some fish with no spots at all, but the ones that had them, have a few more, and the angel looks absolutely awful.
I don't know what else I can do for them.

Its normal it will usually get worse before better. If its not better in 36 hours than dose meds.

 

[CrashCourse]

I know it can get worse first, but it's been 83 or above for a few days, plus using ick attack, which has worked wonderfully for me in the past. I just feel like it should at the very least be on a decline by now.
I've never lost a fish to ick, but I've also never had such a hard time with treatment either.