basics: 5 gallon aquarium
four months old, and chemicals are balanced except for lowish pH
three to four (depending on morbidity) one-inch fantailed goldfish
two small live plants
large river pebbles for substrate
noncharcoal filter
easyBalance once a week
partial water changes about every three weeks
many problems with walmart fantails and bladder problems
now, after the recent demise of another fish due to flotation problems, ich arrived on the fins of another walmart gold. i tried salt and finally got ich medicine (stores were closed when i noticed the white spots which, i guess, is an argument for having this stuff on hand which i now do). researched the internet and rang the one local "real" aquarist who is conveniently on holiday where it is warmer.
even internet advice is conflicting and incomplete. the ichy fish died in two days but it must have infected my tank and walmart graciously gave me a replacement who i would really like to keep healthy and alive along with the existing two.
i actually found sea salt at the grocery store. but how much, how often, and for what duration of time?
the same grocery store had hartz mountain's Wardley Ick [sic] Away. the instructions say one teaspoon per 10 gallons but i have a five-gallon tank and i know that you do not NECESSARILY halve the amount of treatment just because the patient (tank) is smaller. so again, the questions are how much, how often and for what duration of time? "Repeat every 24 hours until symptoms disappear" is not exactly a paragon of precision.
help appreciated. i really loathe killing fish.
isolde
four months old, and chemicals are balanced except for lowish pH
three to four (depending on morbidity) one-inch fantailed goldfish
two small live plants
large river pebbles for substrate
noncharcoal filter
easyBalance once a week
partial water changes about every three weeks
many problems with walmart fantails and bladder problems
now, after the recent demise of another fish due to flotation problems, ich arrived on the fins of another walmart gold. i tried salt and finally got ich medicine (stores were closed when i noticed the white spots which, i guess, is an argument for having this stuff on hand which i now do). researched the internet and rang the one local "real" aquarist who is conveniently on holiday where it is warmer.
even internet advice is conflicting and incomplete. the ichy fish died in two days but it must have infected my tank and walmart graciously gave me a replacement who i would really like to keep healthy and alive along with the existing two.
i actually found sea salt at the grocery store. but how much, how often, and for what duration of time?
the same grocery store had hartz mountain's Wardley Ick [sic] Away. the instructions say one teaspoon per 10 gallons but i have a five-gallon tank and i know that you do not NECESSARILY halve the amount of treatment just because the patient (tank) is smaller. so again, the questions are how much, how often and for what duration of time? "Repeat every 24 hours until symptoms disappear" is not exactly a paragon of precision.
help appreciated. i really loathe killing fish.
isolde
