Please cure the plague that fills my tank!

[Kennedy008]

Hello all.

I've been running my tropical fish tank since Christmas. No problems, until a week ago. I introduced a modest shoal of 6 Cardinal Tetras. Within a few days one disapeared, vanished! The others started to develop these white spots, I paniced, turned the temp to 30C, treated them with meds and removed my snails. The spots spread, claiming 4 of my 6 Cardinal Tetras, one remains, one is still missing. Further to this, my 6 Rummy Nose Tetras started to become infected, 3 of their lives have been claimed. My worst fear is that my Celestial Pearl Danios will face the wrath of this hideous plague. At the moment they show no sign of weakness, if anything, they seem stronger than ever. The snails I removed have died. They couldn't take it. Some baby snails I missed are still in with the infected. I hear the meds will kill them, but they're growing on the toxins. Are they mutating?

Can anyone tell me if this disease is limited to tetras? I don't want my spritely Danios to fall, my heart will break. I also have danio size brown fish with bright blue eyes. I forget their name. They seem fine... Although two are missing. ****.

Will I lose everything? What can I do to put an end to this plague? Someone help. Please.

 

[jcolon]

to AA!

Sorry to hear about your fish

Is your tank cycled? I'm guessing yes because it sounds like you already ha 6 Rummynose tetras in your tank and they are notorious for dying in un-cycled tanks with bad water quality. Cardinals are sensitive and very prone to illness when introduced to a new tank. Cardinals do best in an established tank with good water parameters. Unfortunately, since Rummynose tetras aren't any hardier than Cardinals, they can also come down with illnesses quickly ... at least that's what I found with mine.

Not much you can do now except ensure your tank is cycled, do some PWC's and monitor your CPD's. Moving forward, fish like Cardinals and Rummynoses benefit from an extensive drip acclimation process. You may also want to consider setting up a new stock QT tank.

 

[LyndaB]

Did you cycle this tank? If so, how? If not, please read this: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Rummies are extremely sensitive fish and do best in an established tank (6 months or older).

Your tank has ich, from what you've described.

Turn the temp up to 86 F

Do gravel vacs every 2-3 days to remove ich spore from substrate

Add an airstone to increase oxygenation

Maintain this schedule for a minimum of 2 weeks

Add 1/2 dosage of aquarium salt (1 flat tablespoon per 10 gallons)

 

[Kennedy008]

Thanks for two very detailed responses!
Indeed the tank was cycled correctly, I'm certain that whatever it is has come in with the Cardinal Tetras because my Rummynoses were more than fine before. Ich sounds like it, it's just heart breaking watching my fish die away. Fingers crossed for the Danios!
I've always got an airstone going. But I'll certainly do the gravel vac regularly for the next week.
WHEN this passes, how long would you recommened waiting before introducing new fish?
I'll do level tests this evening and re-post but they're always looking good.
Just before this started one of my snails died... Do you think he could have poluted the water?
Many thanks again to both of you!
Matt

 

[jcolon]

As LyndaB said, you're dealing with ICH which Cardinals and Rummynoses are susceptible to. Keep following her instructions and I would wait a couple of weeks before adding any new stock to your tank.

In all honesty, to protect your CPD's, consider setting up a new stock QT tank. Hopefully you'll catch any diseases and treat them separately from your main tank.

Good Luck!

 

[KaylNeko]

With ich in the tank, don't separate the CPD's. They more than likely have it. Just treat the tank--there's no point in trying to treat them separately.

Good luck, kennedy.

 

[Kennedy008]

Thanks again all. Here are my water readings...
NO3: 10
NO2: 0
GH: 16
KH: 6
PH: 6.9

Anything look according to my scales that should be fine?

 

[Patrice]

Everything looks ok for you. i have the same ich on tetra now. I remove my snail and shrimp in a small tank with sand . Put my terra and pleco in a 5 gallons and added de 1/2 med. Add med for 1 weeks even if it say one day . Keep it there for 3 weeks. The main tank has nothing in it, so i heat the tank to 30c. Snail and shrimp stays in a 1.5 g for 4 weeks.

 

[Kennedy008]

Hey guys, one last question. I've come to the end of the 6day med course now. The fish don't have spots anymore but a couple don't look well, do you recommended starting the course again?

 

[LyndaB]

I thought you were using the heat method?

 

[Kennedy008]

I did both :-/

 

[Patrice]

At the same time? that's not recommended.

 

[Kennedy008]

Well crap. The guy in the shop who's usually very helpful said turn the temp up to speed the process of the infection and the meds to kill it mid cycle.

Well, it's looking like my GPDs will survive, one rummynose is left, looking strong, one cardinal tetra minus a rear fin... I'm not holding my hopes up for him.

That's 13 dead so far.

 

[LyndaB]

There's a very high percentage of cases of ich cured simply by using the heat method.

Meds are actually the last thing you want in your tank.

Right now, clean water and heat are your best friends.

 

[Zaedon]

With a serious infestation using meds + heat works fine. I would generally do 80 to 84 degrees F. The med you choose to use is really up to you as there are many effective meds for ich. Aquarium salt is fine as it will improve gill function and promote slime coat growth as well. I have never heard that heat + medicines is not recommended. I have always been told the exact opposite by every LFS around. In fact there is lots of information on the web that would tell you to adjust your heat up to 84 degrees while treating with meds.

 

[LyndaB]

The point, really, was not to never use meds. But if you can cure your tank/fish using a natural method without putting any chemicals into the tank, that seems to be the preferred method.

The lfs will always advise you to use meds because they sell meds.

 

[Patrice]

I do use heat. But if i use med, i put the the temperature around 26 °C. Then for 1 week, add the med 1/2 dosing. or i stop 3 days after you don't see anymore ich.

The point his, to kill ich in the right phase. So logic said, accelerating it and med, will accelerates the phase.

The question i am wondering is how long do the med keep working so that it has time to take affect.

And for precaution( ich can adapt to med), heat treatment at 30°C can be added alone. For what i read, 3 days is good.

I am reading a lots of lost if you add ich remove and 80°F heat in the same time. Even 2degree every hours. I would never bring the temperature to 30°C in one day at least . So med could be added first. Then gradually add heat.

Of course, this is all my speculation from added information from others sites and opinions from some of you.

I would find it interesting to know others people success story.

 

[Kennedy008]

Thanks for the post Patrice.

I'm fairly certain I've now defeated ich. I used a 6 day course of meds and turned the temperature gradually to around 30°C.

So that method works. But how well is questionable. I lost a lot of fish, 10 various tetras and 3 small bright blue eyed fish that I forget the name of.

I was pleasantly surprised that my Celestial Pearl Danios came off unscathed, in fact I never saw a single spot on them. does anyone know if they're particularly hardy?

 

[LyndaB]

It's possible they've had it before, so were stronger than the others going into it. Of course, there are some fish that just don't seem to get it and others that are ich magnets.

Unless you don't catch the ich until really late in the game, and your fish are covered with it, there's really no reason to lose any fish.