jlindseyjr
Aquarium Advice Regular
Hi all,
I have a 20 gal setup since January. I can't seem to keep platies and guppys(mostly the females) alive for more than a couple months. They always succumb to the 'shimmy disease.' Water params are: Ammonia-0, NitrIte-0, pH-7.6. I don't have a NitrAte test, but I change at least 6 gal a week and vacuum well. I also have quite a large bunch of Java moss in the tank. I've read that the 'shimmies,' or livebearer disease is caused by a lack of electrolytes in the water. If this is true, would it be wise to supplement the water with something like Pedialyte, or just aquarium salt?
Second problem, I have about 15 fry in the tank, ranging in age from 2-10 weeks. I saw one last night that I hadn't seen before and the poor thing is deformed. She must have been hiding in the moss, because she's at least six weeks old and I'd never seen her before. Her body is kind of crooked, like a swayback horse and she has a white, cottony patch on her head, behind her eye. Is it possible she has both flex and mycobacter? She's the only affected fish in the tank. Should I put her in a 5 gal bucket and treat her with antibiotics?
Thanks
I have a 20 gal setup since January. I can't seem to keep platies and guppys(mostly the females) alive for more than a couple months. They always succumb to the 'shimmy disease.' Water params are: Ammonia-0, NitrIte-0, pH-7.6. I don't have a NitrAte test, but I change at least 6 gal a week and vacuum well. I also have quite a large bunch of Java moss in the tank. I've read that the 'shimmies,' or livebearer disease is caused by a lack of electrolytes in the water. If this is true, would it be wise to supplement the water with something like Pedialyte, or just aquarium salt?
Second problem, I have about 15 fry in the tank, ranging in age from 2-10 weeks. I saw one last night that I hadn't seen before and the poor thing is deformed. She must have been hiding in the moss, because she's at least six weeks old and I'd never seen her before. Her body is kind of crooked, like a swayback horse and she has a white, cottony patch on her head, behind her eye. Is it possible she has both flex and mycobacter? She's the only affected fish in the tank. Should I put her in a 5 gal bucket and treat her with antibiotics?
Thanks