mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello all,
I am having my first battle with ich. I got a neon goby for my new pico tank today and while acclimating saw what looks like ich. I cant get a clear picture, but would bet it to be ich. It looks like raised white bumps all over him. Hes not flashing, but did go carpet surfing while I was out getting another small tank for QT. (Hes still alive)
He didnt have ich at the LFS, but its showing up in the bag on him. QUICK huh? Good thing I saw it BEFORE putting him into the pico. (Hed be the only fish in there anyways, but still)
Now I know the usual treatment is copper, but also know people like to use hyposalinity. Hypo sounds a bit complex for me. I do have a refractometer, but heard hypo requires CAREFUL pH matching and whatnot. I cannot do anything other than control salinity.
Might a copper treatment be fine? Id hate to lose a fish during QT. Id also hate to screw up hypo and kill him!
The drawback to copper seems to be needing to constantly do water changes to keep ammonia out.
What would the pros suggest a newbie (to treating ich) do? I am surprised he has ich. Kinda ironic that a neon goby has ich and no one to clean him.
BTW-Is it me, or is my refractometer a POS? I have to calibrate it EVERY DANG TIME despite tightening down the set screw. I paid $50 for it too! I use the calibration fluid and adjust the calibration. I then tighten the set screw to keep the calibration set. I check it a few days later (when whipping up some salt water) only to find its deviated a bit.
Thanks guys!
Matt
I am having my first battle with ich. I got a neon goby for my new pico tank today and while acclimating saw what looks like ich. I cant get a clear picture, but would bet it to be ich. It looks like raised white bumps all over him. Hes not flashing, but did go carpet surfing while I was out getting another small tank for QT. (Hes still alive)
He didnt have ich at the LFS, but its showing up in the bag on him. QUICK huh? Good thing I saw it BEFORE putting him into the pico. (Hed be the only fish in there anyways, but still)
Now I know the usual treatment is copper, but also know people like to use hyposalinity. Hypo sounds a bit complex for me. I do have a refractometer, but heard hypo requires CAREFUL pH matching and whatnot. I cannot do anything other than control salinity.
Might a copper treatment be fine? Id hate to lose a fish during QT. Id also hate to screw up hypo and kill him!
The drawback to copper seems to be needing to constantly do water changes to keep ammonia out.
What would the pros suggest a newbie (to treating ich) do? I am surprised he has ich. Kinda ironic that a neon goby has ich and no one to clean him.
BTW-Is it me, or is my refractometer a POS? I have to calibrate it EVERY DANG TIME despite tightening down the set screw. I paid $50 for it too! I use the calibration fluid and adjust the calibration. I then tighten the set screw to keep the calibration set. I check it a few days later (when whipping up some salt water) only to find its deviated a bit.
Thanks guys!
Matt