and how about the nitrites? the nitrates? and I assume that spot is too big to be ich by how you're posting. it could be a burn.
Dead Balla gourmi and Clown Loach
- Thread starter Newbie101balla
- Start date
yea he keeps on rubbing his now on the glass........i havent tested for nitrates yet bc i dont have a nitrate test kit
the white spot on the snout sounds like Columnaris, also known as "mouth fungus" but it's actually a bacteria. you could treat with antibiotic, but a safer and more effective solution is to just do more water changes. if you keep the water meticulously clean, e.g. no ammonia, no nitrite, the Columnaris will usually clear up on its own in a couple weeks or so. the fact that you have some ammonia gives me an idea that you most likely have nitrite.
it doesn't sound like you followed my advise of reading some of the articles we have on this forum. they really will help answer many of your basic questions. if you had read them, you would know about how to prevent disease and NOT to add any more fish when your tank is not done cycling.
i'm really sorry to sound preachy, but a lot of your questions would be answered in those articles.
it doesn't sound like you followed my advise of reading some of the articles we have on this forum. they really will help answer many of your basic questions. if you had read them, you would know about how to prevent disease and NOT to add any more fish when your tank is not done cycling.
i'm really sorry to sound preachy, but a lot of your questions would be answered in those articles.
A pleco in a 75, huh? Even in that size aquarium it would be cramped as all hell when it hits full size... they get 18-24" long, and some species can get even larger than that. A 75g tank is typically 48" long by 18" deep and 20" high... there isn't even enough room for the sucker to turn around without bending in half. Seriously, I personally don't view plecostomus as aquarium fish... I firmly believe they're best suited for large heated ponds. (or aquariums over 500g maybe... they're at least big enough that if it thrashes its not going to immediately hit the glass)fishcatch22 said:
If you're adamant about getting a pleco Newbie101balla, do some research. Do NOT get a common pleco, but rather, get one of its relatives. The Gold Nugget Pleco doesn't get nearly as large (usually 9-12"), and is quite the attractive pleco. (for that matter, zebra plecos, though expensive, are beautiful, and only get 4" or so) Do some more research on how to properly set up your aquarium too... a healthy aquarium doesn't have fish dying left and right and the remainders with bacterial infections. (especially because most fish require stricter water params than the ones you already have, and they're not doing so well in that water)
Wow...
Not all plecs get big. Once you have your tank straightened out and no more inflections, look for a bristlenose pleco. They stay in the 4" to 6" range. Perfect for the smaller tanks. Not all plecs eat meat. Most plecs do require soime kind of driftwood to aid in their digestion, so you will need some for your tank. Golden nuggets are nice...but pricey. With your success rate at the present, I'd stick to something a little more affordable.
Also, ich meds are toxic to clown loaches in regular strength doses. And it's not uncommon after using meds to treat for ich to have the fisn get secondary infections...which you have now. The frequent water changes are great. If you get ich again, look up Daveedka's ICh article on treating ich with salt and heat. That is the least stressful to the fish. I had ich once...and treatee successfully and didn't loose a fisn...and it was n th tank with the clowns.
Not all plecs get big. Once you have your tank straightened out and no more inflections, look for a bristlenose pleco. They stay in the 4" to 6" range. Perfect for the smaller tanks. Not all plecs eat meat. Most plecs do require soime kind of driftwood to aid in their digestion, so you will need some for your tank. Golden nuggets are nice...but pricey. With your success rate at the present, I'd stick to something a little more affordable.
Also, ich meds are toxic to clown loaches in regular strength doses. And it's not uncommon after using meds to treat for ich to have the fisn get secondary infections...which you have now. The frequent water changes are great. If you get ich again, look up Daveedka's ICh article on treating ich with salt and heat. That is the least stressful to the fish. I had ich once...and treatee successfully and didn't loose a fisn...and it was n th tank with the clowns.
thanksk for all the help guys i guess i still have a lot to learn i'll keep u posted on anything new that happens. But one last question is that should i have or set up a quarintine tank for my balla or any other fish if they get sick it seems like a good idea but how would i go along setting one of those up and how big do u think the tank should be?
Well, my quarantine tank is a 10g tank, but that one has kinda been taken over by feeders (ghost shrimp and guppies) for my knife fish and catfish. I might set up another 10g specifically for quarantine, but if the s*** hits the fan, I can always just toss the feeders in my 55 and put the ill fish into my 10. I'm willing to say that a 10g or 20g would be sufficient for a quarantine tank, but it kinda depends on the size of the fish... once my fish start getting bigger and I get my 125 (or 150) I might keep a minimum of a 29 on hand for a quarantine tank, possibly a bit bigger so as to not stress out the fish that are in quarantine. (if the s*** ever does hit the fan)
actually, I though the layout for a 75g was 5' long x 2' deep x 20" wide, but I guess that's more like a 100 something gallon. you're right. 4' isn't enough turning room.gatotsu77 said:
Last edited:
I wouldn't recommend any pleco for a smaller tank. I have been researching plecos for my 35G and I have found that even the smaller plecos have tank recommendations of minimum 30 G. For small tanks with smaller less agressive fish, shrimp such as ghost shrimp are good for algae, although you sill need to clean it yourself. There are also snails that will eat algae as well (but you have to be careful what kind or they can reproduce like crazy. As most of the folks have said though, the best algae control is to have a healthy tank and clean out yourself what does appear. Some tanks kjust have algae, I have a very bright house with a ton of windows, most of my tanks get too much light, it is a fact of life. Often the cause is a water imbalance, overfeeding or light or a combination thereof.
