I introduced some new fish to my tanks on January 21st: 2 german rams, 3 panda cories and 1 rainbow platy. They were introduced to two different tanks, so as not to overload the current biofilters. One of those new fish (a rainbow platy) showed signs of ich the next day. When I bought it, I had avoided a tank that had ich, and was supposed to be "offline" from the other tanks. The tank I bought from looked healthy, and I was assured it was.
When I went back to the LFS, low and behold, there were signs of ich in that tank. The sales person suggested that there weren't enough spots to be ich, however. I chose to talk to the manager and found out how they treated sick tanks, and how they informed customers. Apparently, they don't close a tank off from selling the fish, but inform customers on an as needed basis...ie if you don't notice, and the sales person either doesn't notice or know of the illness, then they will sell you a fish. The manager said he would give me a new platy if it died...gee thanks, now what about all my other fish that have been exposed?
Of course, buyer beware, and I should have quarantined, so I've got myself into this mess. I started treating both tanks with higher temps and salt on January 22nd. Not surprisingly, all my fish have come down with ich. I thought, by now, that I would see more progress in the erradication of this problem. At this point, my two original platies have ich cysts on them, and both are getting ragged fins. One is especially infested. Both of my rams have a large number of ich cycts, and one ram is looking really ragged as of just today and the number of cysts is incredible. I lost one cory...looks like the fins are a bit split, but I don't know if he was like that before he died or after (I came home to a dead cory), but he does have some slight red streaking on one side of his belly. I noticed the streaks when he was alive last night. Another cory seems to be struggling to stay on the the gravel (he fights to keep his tail from floating.)
Anyway, my big question is, what is the secondary infection that's going on here? Are ragged, fuzzy fins a complication of ich? Is it a fungus or fin rot? Am I mistaking ich for velvet? Help!
BTW, both tanks these parameters:
82-84 degrees F
7.8 pH
0 NH3
0 NO2
10 NO3
~1 teaspoon salt per gallon (for treatment of ich)
20 gallon has:
2 platies
2 german rams
2 zebra snails
2 amano shrimp
10 gallon has:
1 platy (the agressive male who has been removed from the 20 gal)
2 cories (lost one of the original three today)
1 zebra snail
As an aside, I have since read/heard that this particular LFS has not had a good record with fish health (a number of aquarists are experienced dealth of newly acquired fish from there.) Even though my fish have been eating and swimming well since introduction, I have a feeling I'm going to lose them all.
When I went back to the LFS, low and behold, there were signs of ich in that tank. The sales person suggested that there weren't enough spots to be ich, however. I chose to talk to the manager and found out how they treated sick tanks, and how they informed customers. Apparently, they don't close a tank off from selling the fish, but inform customers on an as needed basis...ie if you don't notice, and the sales person either doesn't notice or know of the illness, then they will sell you a fish. The manager said he would give me a new platy if it died...gee thanks, now what about all my other fish that have been exposed?
Of course, buyer beware, and I should have quarantined, so I've got myself into this mess. I started treating both tanks with higher temps and salt on January 22nd. Not surprisingly, all my fish have come down with ich. I thought, by now, that I would see more progress in the erradication of this problem. At this point, my two original platies have ich cysts on them, and both are getting ragged fins. One is especially infested. Both of my rams have a large number of ich cycts, and one ram is looking really ragged as of just today and the number of cysts is incredible. I lost one cory...looks like the fins are a bit split, but I don't know if he was like that before he died or after (I came home to a dead cory), but he does have some slight red streaking on one side of his belly. I noticed the streaks when he was alive last night. Another cory seems to be struggling to stay on the the gravel (he fights to keep his tail from floating.)
Anyway, my big question is, what is the secondary infection that's going on here? Are ragged, fuzzy fins a complication of ich? Is it a fungus or fin rot? Am I mistaking ich for velvet? Help!
BTW, both tanks these parameters:
82-84 degrees F
7.8 pH
0 NH3
0 NO2
10 NO3
~1 teaspoon salt per gallon (for treatment of ich)
20 gallon has:
2 platies
2 german rams
2 zebra snails
2 amano shrimp
10 gallon has:
1 platy (the agressive male who has been removed from the 20 gal)
2 cories (lost one of the original three today)
1 zebra snail
As an aside, I have since read/heard that this particular LFS has not had a good record with fish health (a number of aquarists are experienced dealth of newly acquired fish from there.) Even though my fish have been eating and swimming well since introduction, I have a feeling I'm going to lose them all.
