Molly fish- White slime? D:

[Elocrocker]

Hi, I'm new to Aquariumadvice, but I've always followed some of these threads when trying to figure something out with our tank.
Our 55 gal tank has been established for around a year or more at this point. We have two black mollies, male and female, and a handful of guppies (they're hard to count).
Our female molly, we call her Mama, is 2-3 years old, and has reoccurring issues with white spots/patches on her body. They look slimy? Recently it got on her eye and looked like it might have been in or around her mouth a bit. The local pet store said it sounded like Ich, and so I've treated the tank with IchX. I did two nights of it while leaving the carbon filters out. She cleared up and I said cool, but. Sure enough, the spots came back, so I tried using Melafix instead, but I ran out of that, so I went back to the IchX the next day, buuut I ran out of that too. This is my first time using IchX, it's what the pet store recommended but I didn't buy a big enough bottle. I usually used Melafix any time we'd seen the spots come up before. What I've read online is that Ich is more granular? Tiny spots, vs this patchy slimy stuff. Maybe it's the same thing?

The IchX directions say to do a 1/3 water change before every dose, so we've done that, and treated the new water with Prime before putting it in the tank. I also used Stability in the tank after the second water change. I also removed the carbon filters for the time being. We use a MarineLand Bio-Wheel Penguin 350 filter. I think I need to change the bio-wheels. The packaging said they never needed to be changed, but the pet store said to change them every couple of months. I'm not sure what to do there?????

Just checking this morning, the ammonia level is at zero (the API testing kit had no color change- it stayed yellow), and the using the API test strips (5 in 1) the pH is around 8, the GH (hardness) is around 180. (We live in Michigan and the water is really hard unless you own a house with a water softener: we rent) The nitrite level had no color change, but the nitrate level is perhaps around 160?

Covid19 has caused the pet store we go to to close for the time being, so I'm not sure what to do now. Mama had cleared up again after the second dose of the IchX, but this morning it looks like there's another spot on her side. She knows I was watching her though and has been hiding, so I've been unable to get a picture of it.

I've read that increasing the temperature is effective, so I've increased it a little bit. It was already around 82? I'm not 100% because our thermometer broke. The heater has an indicator to say what temp you're setting it to, but I'm not sure how exact that is. She likes to hang out by the heater normally, so I don't think the increase in heat will bother her or any of the other fish.
She seems to be acting normal. She's always got an attitude and is the head of the tank, so that part hasn't changed. She could be pregnant and is also why she's hiding a bit and maybe why she's stressed out? We never really know with her because she's full grown and is always huge, plus she always eats her babes. The male in the tank is the only surviving molly we've had (his mom was a different female we had previously), but now the two are buddies.

We haven't cleaned the rocks in awhile, partly because of all the water changes recently with trying to treat the spots. We have a bladder snail infestation, but I don't know if that would be what causes her to get sick. They're just impossible to get rid of. (we've been trying)

I've heard mixed reviews about algae? I'd like to think it's normal and healthy, maybe just unsightly, but the algae is a bit overgrown right now.

Any beta that can be offered is appreciated. I care a lot and would really like to not lose her before her natural time if possible.

Thanks!

 

[Flyfisher]

Hi Elocrocker

You need to change some of the water . I suggest you changing only about 25% . Replacing with temperature matched and conditioned water.
Because the nitrates are so high I would suggest only 25% for fear of shocking the fish with a chance in parameters. Wait 2 or 3 hours and do another 25% . Wait 2 or 3 hours and do 30% ..Then tomorrow continue 30% water changes every 2 or 3 hours. Then test the water. A safe level for nitrates is around 40 ppm but some people keep fish at 20 ppm.
A normal weekly water change can be 45% , no more than50% at one time.
The bacteria live on hard surfaces not in the water.

Second point.
Ich looks like salt . Ich looks like a sprinkle of table salt.

Third point,
We do not replace cartridges for years. A bio wheel is just a fancy cartridge it should not need to be replaced until it is falling apart from rinsing each fortnight/ month in old tank water.

If these white patches are not the size of salt they are not ich.

 

[Elocrocker]

Thanks for such a timely response.

Is doing that many water changes okay? I understand needing to lower the nitrate levels so that makes sense. I just worry.

Should I put the carbon filters back in?

If the bacteria is on hard surfaces, then I should clean the rocks and ornaments too, I imagine?

 

[Flyfisher]

Have you read of the nitrogen cycle and the beneficial bacteria we all have in our tanks that eat ammonia?
Do not clean any rocks. You should be vacuuming up solids yes but not wiping bacteria away like it’s some kind of problem.

I have heavily stocked fry tanks that get multiple water changes of 40% up to 3 times per week. In a fry grow out tank it’s a hormone problem not a nitrates problem that needs to be removed,plus feeding 4 times a day there is left over food.
Yes water changes are quite safe.
In your case you need to do small changes because the parameters are very different from new water. A change in nitrates is a change in parameters.

 

[Flyfisher]

Carbon is not used by anyone in my local club on a permanent basis. Carbon can be used to remove medication and a smell they say. Total waste of space. Actually bacteria lives on carbon just like any hard surface but that’s beside the point.

 

[Elocrocker]

Flyfisher-
Okay, sounds good. I'll give that a shot today and see how it goes. Thank you!

As for the nitrogen cycle, I know the basics, I've just not been the best fish Mom lately with everything going on. #stress

You've been helpful though. Thanks, again.

 

[earhtmother]

Flyfisher is quite right, if it doesn't look like someone sprinkled her with salt it is NOT Ich. Sounds like Velvet or a similar bacterial disease.
Do you know the readings for your tap water as opposed to your tank water? If all you're adding at water changes is a water conditioner, not additional chemical adjusters, then multiple, temperature correct, water changes should not be an issue as long as you leave 4-5 hours between them. I am lucky enough to live on a well so I have changed up to 75% at once since it goes straight from tap to tank.