Queen of Thorns
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
On June 21 I noticed one of my females shimmying. The next day, she had a faint grayish patch on her back next to her dorsal fin. Although I have been treating with Melafix since June 22, the patch has been spreading uncontrollably. The affliction is primarily on her right side, which appears somewhat swollen. She is still swimming and feeding well, but she is not nearly as active as usual. One of my males has developed a small grayish white patch on his back and another male has cottony tufts on his lips. Both males have displayed no change in behavior yet.
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: <5 ppm
Temperature: 80
pH: 7.0
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
29 gallon. Set up since 4/24/2005.
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
Aquaclear 70 (aka Aquaclear 300)
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
5 Boesemani rainbowfish ~2"
1 rubbernose pleco ~2"
1 bronze cory ~2.5" (soon to be transferred to 35 gallon hex)
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
My last water change was yesterday. I do daily 10 gallon (30%) water changes. I usually vacuum a portion of the gravel with each change.
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
I've had the cory since time immemorial. I've had the rubbernose pleco since 5/21/2005. I added three rainbowfish on 6/10/2005 and two more on 6/17/2005. I floated the (very large) bag in my tank and added a little tank water every five minutes for half an hour. Then I removed the new fish with a net and added them to my tank.
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
I added some bacopa and hornwort last weekend.
9A~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
I rotate through a few things... TetraMin tropical granules, Tetra freeze dried bloodworms, NutraFin spirulina algae flakes, crushed up Top Fin algae thins, live mosquito larvae, shelled peas, and sometimes some cucumber or zucchini for the pleco.
On June 21 I noticed one of my females shimmying. The next day, she had a faint grayish patch on her back next to her dorsal fin. Although I have been treating with Melafix since June 22, the patch has been spreading uncontrollably. The affliction is primarily on her right side, which appears somewhat swollen. She is still swimming and feeding well, but she is not nearly as active as usual. One of my males has developed a small grayish white patch on his back and another male has cottony tufts on his lips. Both males have displayed no change in behavior yet.
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: <5 ppm
Temperature: 80
pH: 7.0
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
29 gallon. Set up since 4/24/2005.
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
Aquaclear 70 (aka Aquaclear 300)
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
5 Boesemani rainbowfish ~2"
1 rubbernose pleco ~2"
1 bronze cory ~2.5" (soon to be transferred to 35 gallon hex)
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
My last water change was yesterday. I do daily 10 gallon (30%) water changes. I usually vacuum a portion of the gravel with each change.
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
I've had the cory since time immemorial. I've had the rubbernose pleco since 5/21/2005. I added three rainbowfish on 6/10/2005 and two more on 6/17/2005. I floated the (very large) bag in my tank and added a little tank water every five minutes for half an hour. Then I removed the new fish with a net and added them to my tank.
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
I added some bacopa and hornwort last weekend.
9A~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
I rotate through a few things... TetraMin tropical granules, Tetra freeze dried bloodworms, NutraFin spirulina algae flakes, crushed up Top Fin algae thins, live mosquito larvae, shelled peas, and sometimes some cucumber or zucchini for the pleco.
