missmountain
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2014
- Messages
- 6
Hey there,
This is my first post on here (hi!!!) and I'm hoping someone can provide me with some insight as to what's going on and if there's anything I can do in this situation I've apparently gotten myself into.
I recently set up a 25 gallon tank, intending to keep 2 small orandas after I cycled the water (and of course upgrading them to a bigger home as they grow). I am familiar with the cycling process -- never had a chance to do it myself, but I know how it works and was getting ready to start the whole thing, after having my tank up and running for a week or so. I was planning on cycling my tank with hardy tropical fish until the water was suitable for me to make the switch to the goldfish.
Yesterday, I went to the fish store, requesting said hardy tropical fish in order to do a tank cycle. The guy working said that with Tetra's Safe Start product, all I had to do was add it to the water and I could get my "real" fish right off the bat. I was hesitant since I hadn't heard of this product and I've been doing research for the past few weeks, and also wasn't planning on spending a ton of money, but I went against my better judgement and purchased the Safe Start and 2 small orandas. (The guy told me that cycling the tank with hardy fish was an outdated practice, and nowadays, people are using these new products to start their tanks instead)
Long story short, I am kicking myself now for buying into his hard sell and not sleeping on it or doing more research, which I normally would do.
Because now I have a sick fish. Ugh.
One of the Orandas seems fine and healthy so far. I know I have several weeks of vigilant water testing ahead of me and am working with another fish store (where I purchased the actual tank itself) to hopefully keep my tank up and running without having to start all over.
The other Oranda I got because he has those cute chubby cheeks, and while his tail looked ripped and kind of beat up, it was showing signs of new growth and he seemed okay otherwise.
This morning, I found 4 white spots on his wen, and what looks to be 2 on his tail (1 where his tail was torn). Thinking it was ich, I got some Quick Cure from the store, removed the carbon from the filter, and added it to the tank.
Later in the day, I was watching the little guys, and noticed one of the white bumps looked like it was oozing almost...and in front of my eyes, it detached and broke away! I was relieved because I assumed that it was Ich, and that the medicine must be working!
A couple of minutes later, I looked again, and the white bump was back. So...I guess this is some kind of regenerating white bump? They look like whiteheads.
His torn tail also seems to have gotten a little worse than yesterday...it doesn't look like fin rot to me, moreso that he must have gotten picked on in his previous situation and now the tail keeps getting caught on things and ripping further, maybe? Or maybe it's fin rot, what the heck do I know at this point? He is eating, swimming around actively, and generally looks to be in good spirits...for now, at least.
I realize this is a long post and I apologize for that. I don't have a water test kit yet, but was going to take a sample in to the fish store tomorrow for testing.
Can anyone help me sort out this mess I've gotten myself into? I am trying not to get too attached to these little guys just in case, but they really are awesome.
I wasn't planning on sick fish or spending a gazillion dollars on meds right off the bat, which is giving me a lot of anxiety. Part of me wants to take them back to the store and get my money back for now, and re-start the tank the way I was planning on, but I have no idea if that would even be an option, let alone a wise decision.
Help, anyone????
Thank you in advance,
-Severely anxious and worried sick new fish mom.
This is my first post on here (hi!!!) and I'm hoping someone can provide me with some insight as to what's going on and if there's anything I can do in this situation I've apparently gotten myself into.
I recently set up a 25 gallon tank, intending to keep 2 small orandas after I cycled the water (and of course upgrading them to a bigger home as they grow). I am familiar with the cycling process -- never had a chance to do it myself, but I know how it works and was getting ready to start the whole thing, after having my tank up and running for a week or so. I was planning on cycling my tank with hardy tropical fish until the water was suitable for me to make the switch to the goldfish.
Yesterday, I went to the fish store, requesting said hardy tropical fish in order to do a tank cycle. The guy working said that with Tetra's Safe Start product, all I had to do was add it to the water and I could get my "real" fish right off the bat. I was hesitant since I hadn't heard of this product and I've been doing research for the past few weeks, and also wasn't planning on spending a ton of money, but I went against my better judgement and purchased the Safe Start and 2 small orandas. (The guy told me that cycling the tank with hardy fish was an outdated practice, and nowadays, people are using these new products to start their tanks instead)
Long story short, I am kicking myself now for buying into his hard sell and not sleeping on it or doing more research, which I normally would do.
Because now I have a sick fish. Ugh.
One of the Orandas seems fine and healthy so far. I know I have several weeks of vigilant water testing ahead of me and am working with another fish store (where I purchased the actual tank itself) to hopefully keep my tank up and running without having to start all over.
The other Oranda I got because he has those cute chubby cheeks, and while his tail looked ripped and kind of beat up, it was showing signs of new growth and he seemed okay otherwise.
This morning, I found 4 white spots on his wen, and what looks to be 2 on his tail (1 where his tail was torn). Thinking it was ich, I got some Quick Cure from the store, removed the carbon from the filter, and added it to the tank.
Later in the day, I was watching the little guys, and noticed one of the white bumps looked like it was oozing almost...and in front of my eyes, it detached and broke away! I was relieved because I assumed that it was Ich, and that the medicine must be working!
A couple of minutes later, I looked again, and the white bump was back. So...I guess this is some kind of regenerating white bump? They look like whiteheads.
His torn tail also seems to have gotten a little worse than yesterday...it doesn't look like fin rot to me, moreso that he must have gotten picked on in his previous situation and now the tail keeps getting caught on things and ripping further, maybe? Or maybe it's fin rot, what the heck do I know at this point? He is eating, swimming around actively, and generally looks to be in good spirits...for now, at least.
I realize this is a long post and I apologize for that. I don't have a water test kit yet, but was going to take a sample in to the fish store tomorrow for testing.
Can anyone help me sort out this mess I've gotten myself into? I am trying not to get too attached to these little guys just in case, but they really are awesome.
I wasn't planning on sick fish or spending a gazillion dollars on meds right off the bat, which is giving me a lot of anxiety. Part of me wants to take them back to the store and get my money back for now, and re-start the tank the way I was planning on, but I have no idea if that would even be an option, let alone a wise decision.
Help, anyone????
Thank you in advance,
-Severely anxious and worried sick new fish mom.
