Sick zebra danio

[majortank]

So everything was going swimmingly until I decided to add a bamboo shrimp. I have a 10g set-up with 5 zebra danios 1 planted java fern. The tanks about 3 weeks old. I knew I shouldn't have gotten that shrimp, but it was on sale and im cheap. Within 10 mins of introducing him (and after a 25% wc) one of my danios was bottom up on the top of the tank and now, two days later, another danio has a white film on the back end of it and its fins are disintegrating. All the other danios show no signs of sickness though.

I dont have another tank to put the sick one in (budget is a little tight)... What should I do? Best I could classify it as was Ich. I've been raising the temp of the water slowly (i've heard you can make temp about 85 and add some salt to the water). Is this a good idea?:help::help::help:

[majortank]

I also should add that i've been testing water daily and they look OK. Ammonia is a little high (.25, or on my test its listed as alert) but nitrite/nitrate are good and PH was at 7.5 last i checked. I've been doing 15-25% water changes every other day.

[jpappy789]

I wouldn't be doing that unless you know 100% it is ich. Otherwise you may be adding unnecessary stress to ill fish. Do you see the white spots? If no your description doesn't sound like ich to me but I am horrible with fish diseases. What are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate readings?

edit: .25 ammonia is not good. Do as many wc's possible to get that down. Where your nitrites at 0? Nitrates under 40 ppm?

[Lupin]

Your case involves finrot and swim bladder damage. Do you have pics? Your shrimp cannot be the culprit at all since your danio fell ill after you did a water change. Was there a difference in the temperature between the tank water and water from the tap? Your case is not ich. A temperature change can damage the fish's body system resulting in its belly up phenomenon. Usually, only euthanasia is the best option once the internal organ is damaged.

[majortank]

Its more of a white film thats covered the back half of the danio. No real spots. And its fins are getting worse by the minute. He just sits near the top of the tank, no real appetite.

I dont have an exact reading on nitrate/nitrite i'll get those this evening. But when I tested both looked good. The tank is obviously still cycling thouhg.

[jpappy789]

Its more of a white film thats covered the back half of the danio. No real spots. And its fins are getting worse by the minute. He just sits near the top of the tank, no real appetite.

I dont have an exact reading on nitrate/nitrite i'll get those this evening. But when I tested both looked good. The tank is obviously still cycling thouhg.

That's your main problem. Poor water quality makes fish susceptible to diseases. I doubt the shrimp had anything to do with it. That is for sure not ich. Lower the temp and DO NOT add any salt to the water. DO more water changes.

[majortank]

Anyone have any suggestions for making the wc easier on the fish. I have a gravel vacuum. But how do I make the clean water temp the same as the water in the tank?

Thanks for your help guys I appreciate it.

[Lupin]

A heater is needed to put temperature on equal level.

[jpappy789]

I now use a digital thermometer to get the water to the right temp but I used to just do a "feel" test. Not the best but it hasn't failed me yet, well it did one time but I'm not going to talk about that...

[majortank]

So is there any hope for the sick danio? Do I need to seperate him (ive heard that can add more stress and make it worse)? The water temp has been steady at about 77 for a day or so and he's been getting worse... Can he get the others sick?

[jpappy789]

Fin rot can be taken care of with extra clean water and wouldn't require QT. The white film could be some sort of bacterial infection but I can't give you anything 100%. Best thing might be to move it to keep anything from spreading.