1. Describe the problem (behavior, physical symptoms, observations, duration, severity).
Included in treatments/environment.
2. Describe your fish (what kind, how many, what size, how old, how long you've had them).
Betta Community- 10 gallon, 5 bettas (4 f 1 m), 2- 3" less than a year old- I have had then 3 mos. 1 Mystery snail.
Goldfish tank 75 gallon, 6 goldfish (2 4" fantails, 2 2 1/2" fantails, 2 3" moors), baby to adolescent, I have had then 2 weeks. 2 mystery snails, 5 ghost shrimp. *note* my goldfish measurements include their tails- not just their body sizes. They are still pretty little guys.
ALL fish purchased from Walmart after seeing the horrid conditions they are forced in, and wanting them to have a better life. Snails and shrimp= PetSmart.
3. Tank setup (how long, cycled/uncycled, tank size, filtration, lighting, aeration, substrate, plants/decor).
Betta- 10 gallon- 3 mos, fully cycled, 15 gallon hob filter, airstone with 10 gal air pump + HOB filter, flourescent hood, aquarium gravel, plastic plants, & a large plastic rock decoration, with a few shale stones on top of substrate..
Goldfish- 75 gallon, 1 emperor 400 filter with amcarb in the extra media baskets, will purchase another in a couple of mos when the goldies grow too big for 1 filter of this size, cycled with filter media from betta tank and Fosters & Smith Colonize bacterial additive (have had no spikes with monitoring), Lighting is UV spectrum flourescent light bar over glass tank top, air= fusion 300 quiet power pump- will be replacing with larger in a couple of weeks, as it is too weak for tank but still providing surface breaking. Bubble wall along back, HOB filter, and an air stone toward middle of tank. Plastic plants. Aquarium gravel for substrate. Shale stone in tank, as well. & plastic decor.
4. Water conditions (water source, conditioners used, temperature). Tap water with Stress Coat, once a month Fosters & Smith Colonize, temp at 75 in goldfish tank, 78 in betta tank.
5. Water parameters (method of testing with results for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, KH, GH). 5 in 1 strips- never ammonia or nitrite, nitrate hard to tell exact # from strips, but not high. Last test Wed, ran out of strips... can tell you exact numbers after Sunday when I purchase a liquid test kit. Unable to test for other criteria listed. PH 7.4 at last check.
6. Care and maintenance (frequency of water changes, feeding, gravel cleaning, quarantine).
Water changes on 10 gallon were 25% daily while cycling for the first month and a half (I didn't know about the nit. cycle and had already added the fish- started with Tetra Start Zyme, never had spiking issues). Now fully cycled and stable. 25% weekly water changes with syphon, 50% change 1 time a month. Clean filter box in a bucker of tank water every 2 weeks- wipe down walls every week with a Mr Clean magic eraser that was never used before going into tank.
Bettas eat bloodworms and tetra betta pellets- about 4 total pellets per fish, and less than 1/4 total tsp blood worms. 3 cooked, skinned, and crushed peas added Tues & Thurs. They are fat & happy, but not a ton of scraps crudding up bottom.
Water changes on 75 gallon are 25% weekly- have been monitoring closely for spikes, and have had none... same practice as for 10 gallon maintenance.
Goldfish eat azoo 9 in 1 pellets and tetramin granules- about 1/2 tsp total of all pellet/granule food combined daily. Occasionally added blood worms (just a small pinch). 8 cooked, skinned, and smashed peas added Tues and Thurs, along with a little shredded and blanched spinach (1 total baby leaf).
7. Environment (treatments attempted with results, medications used, fellow tankmates).
Goldfish added to 75 gallon after establishing tank with bacterial additives and cycled filter material from cycled 10 gallon- everything went GREAT for the first week. 1 moor broke with a grey patch on tail... Bettas + snail moved TEMPORARILY from 10 gallon to 75 gallon to make 10 gallon a hospital tank- all decor also removed. Next morning, grey patch behind eye of 2nd moor. Also moved to 10 gallon. Looks like Costia. Treated with Jungle Ick Guard (victoria green & nitromersol), moor 1 received 1st dose the first day of QT, then 25% water change, and 2nd dose with addition of 2nd fish 24 hrs later. (I realize now moving bettas was a mistake. I am extremely inexperienced... I am purchasing another 10 gallon tank so I can have separate communities and a hospital tank as soon as I can. Everyone in 75 is getting on PERFECTLY- if there had been any issues, they would have been separated immediately. I already made the mistake, and am trying my hardest to do things right. Frankly, I feel like an idiot. Please don't slay me- I am just learning, and trying my best... which is why I am here for help, as I don't know what to do.). Also added theraputic level of jungle aquarium salt to 10 gallon tank, as instructed on salt package. Continued water changes, and ick guard doses, as instructed on bottle for a total of 5 doses. Upon 5th does, moor 2 started showing respiratory distress within 10 min of adding chemical- removed to temp storage with water from 75 gal (also at same salinity- more on that to come) while I did a 75% water change, replacing salinity, and a theraputic dose of stress coat conditioner (2 caps per 10 gallons). Moor 1 seemed aggitated, and a little weak for 24 hrs after, a little hard breathing (mouth movements like when eating)... has since returned to pretty much normal. Activity, appetite, respiration, & alertness for moor 1, at this time, all= good. Moor 2 was gasping at surface when first distressed, is no longer doing that. Still has hard breathing (like the same mouth movements as when they are eating), seems weakened- goes back and forth between trying to chase reflection on glass for a little while, to just kind of sitting and hanging out in middle of tank (no clasped fins, and maintaining upright balance, unless tail is caught in bubbles from airstone, then tips forward, but corrects self quickly. Easily pushed down by filter return- no real tumbling, just rides the wave down, and then back up in the center, but doesn't try to fight against it)- goes between seemingly alert, and looking around a little, to possibly sleeping- a lot of sleeping? Shows some interest in looking at food, but doesn't really want to eat. 3 days since last meal, that I am aware of. Seems to be turning more metallic orange, was always a bit of orange show-through, but I think she used to have more black. It has been 3 days since last dose of Ick Guard, 25% water changes DAILY, with conditioners and maintaining sailinty levels. Also running carbon in filter. Thought I started seeing grey film developing again behind eyes when water temp was at 78, bumped it up to 84 over 24 hours- grey gone, no increase to breathing distress. No surface gasping. I tried adding 1 dose of melafix to water today to see if it would help- IMMEDIATE respiratory distress in moor #2- taken out and placed in temporary holding with water from brita filter while I did a 50% water change, and added reconditioned water with same salinity. After going back- they seem like they were before, as described above. No additional distress. Moor 1 seems pretty much normal- moor 2, same activity level as described and still mouth movements like when eating when breathing. No surface gasping.
75 Gal tank- 24 hrs after moor 2 was moved to QT/Hosp, other goldies started flashing. Inverts in tank, so no Ick Guard- raised temp to 85-86 over 48 hrs, and increased salt to 1 tbsp per 5 gal simultaneously. No signs of stress- good activity, alertness, appetites. No patches or respiratory issues. Treatment began 6 days ago. Still some flashing in goldies occasionally, but less... no one has broke with illness at all, only a little flashing- NOTHING from bettas at all, completely normal. 15- 25% water changes every other day, siphoning gravel maintaining salt content and using stress coat conditioner as instructions dictate. Is it ok for them to still be flashing occasionally after 6 days?
8. Other details relating to the problem (anything else you feel is relevant).
I have ordered some Methylene Blue, and am awaiting its arrival (will be a few more days), as I have read that it can help with both costia, as well as respiratory issues- NOWHERE local carries it. Had planned on dosing the moors with it- do you recommend this, or should I just leave them be? I am worried about the prolonged heavy breathing and lack of appetite in moor 2, and want to help, if I can... what should I do? I added some Fosters & Smith bacterial additive at the end of treatment with Ick Guard, as I have read that it may have knocked my bacterial colonies. I have not seen any spikes, but was unable to test today. No spikes as of Wed. (did a 50% water change today and 25% yesterday, though).
If you have or can obtain photographs to show us how the affected fish appear, please include them.
I can try, if you think this will help- just let me know!
Thank you so much for helping me... I am so new to this, and really want to give these guys a better life. I think I totally screwed up- is there any way I can repair this damage? HELP! :'(
Included in treatments/environment.
2. Describe your fish (what kind, how many, what size, how old, how long you've had them).
Betta Community- 10 gallon, 5 bettas (4 f 1 m), 2- 3" less than a year old- I have had then 3 mos. 1 Mystery snail.
Goldfish tank 75 gallon, 6 goldfish (2 4" fantails, 2 2 1/2" fantails, 2 3" moors), baby to adolescent, I have had then 2 weeks. 2 mystery snails, 5 ghost shrimp. *note* my goldfish measurements include their tails- not just their body sizes. They are still pretty little guys.
ALL fish purchased from Walmart after seeing the horrid conditions they are forced in, and wanting them to have a better life. Snails and shrimp= PetSmart.
3. Tank setup (how long, cycled/uncycled, tank size, filtration, lighting, aeration, substrate, plants/decor).
Betta- 10 gallon- 3 mos, fully cycled, 15 gallon hob filter, airstone with 10 gal air pump + HOB filter, flourescent hood, aquarium gravel, plastic plants, & a large plastic rock decoration, with a few shale stones on top of substrate..
Goldfish- 75 gallon, 1 emperor 400 filter with amcarb in the extra media baskets, will purchase another in a couple of mos when the goldies grow too big for 1 filter of this size, cycled with filter media from betta tank and Fosters & Smith Colonize bacterial additive (have had no spikes with monitoring), Lighting is UV spectrum flourescent light bar over glass tank top, air= fusion 300 quiet power pump- will be replacing with larger in a couple of weeks, as it is too weak for tank but still providing surface breaking. Bubble wall along back, HOB filter, and an air stone toward middle of tank. Plastic plants. Aquarium gravel for substrate. Shale stone in tank, as well. & plastic decor.
4. Water conditions (water source, conditioners used, temperature). Tap water with Stress Coat, once a month Fosters & Smith Colonize, temp at 75 in goldfish tank, 78 in betta tank.
5. Water parameters (method of testing with results for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, KH, GH). 5 in 1 strips- never ammonia or nitrite, nitrate hard to tell exact # from strips, but not high. Last test Wed, ran out of strips... can tell you exact numbers after Sunday when I purchase a liquid test kit. Unable to test for other criteria listed. PH 7.4 at last check.
6. Care and maintenance (frequency of water changes, feeding, gravel cleaning, quarantine).
Water changes on 10 gallon were 25% daily while cycling for the first month and a half (I didn't know about the nit. cycle and had already added the fish- started with Tetra Start Zyme, never had spiking issues). Now fully cycled and stable. 25% weekly water changes with syphon, 50% change 1 time a month. Clean filter box in a bucker of tank water every 2 weeks- wipe down walls every week with a Mr Clean magic eraser that was never used before going into tank.
Bettas eat bloodworms and tetra betta pellets- about 4 total pellets per fish, and less than 1/4 total tsp blood worms. 3 cooked, skinned, and crushed peas added Tues & Thurs. They are fat & happy, but not a ton of scraps crudding up bottom.
Water changes on 75 gallon are 25% weekly- have been monitoring closely for spikes, and have had none... same practice as for 10 gallon maintenance.
Goldfish eat azoo 9 in 1 pellets and tetramin granules- about 1/2 tsp total of all pellet/granule food combined daily. Occasionally added blood worms (just a small pinch). 8 cooked, skinned, and smashed peas added Tues and Thurs, along with a little shredded and blanched spinach (1 total baby leaf).
7. Environment (treatments attempted with results, medications used, fellow tankmates).
Goldfish added to 75 gallon after establishing tank with bacterial additives and cycled filter material from cycled 10 gallon- everything went GREAT for the first week. 1 moor broke with a grey patch on tail... Bettas + snail moved TEMPORARILY from 10 gallon to 75 gallon to make 10 gallon a hospital tank- all decor also removed. Next morning, grey patch behind eye of 2nd moor. Also moved to 10 gallon. Looks like Costia. Treated with Jungle Ick Guard (victoria green & nitromersol), moor 1 received 1st dose the first day of QT, then 25% water change, and 2nd dose with addition of 2nd fish 24 hrs later. (I realize now moving bettas was a mistake. I am extremely inexperienced... I am purchasing another 10 gallon tank so I can have separate communities and a hospital tank as soon as I can. Everyone in 75 is getting on PERFECTLY- if there had been any issues, they would have been separated immediately. I already made the mistake, and am trying my hardest to do things right. Frankly, I feel like an idiot. Please don't slay me- I am just learning, and trying my best... which is why I am here for help, as I don't know what to do.). Also added theraputic level of jungle aquarium salt to 10 gallon tank, as instructed on salt package. Continued water changes, and ick guard doses, as instructed on bottle for a total of 5 doses. Upon 5th does, moor 2 started showing respiratory distress within 10 min of adding chemical- removed to temp storage with water from 75 gal (also at same salinity- more on that to come) while I did a 75% water change, replacing salinity, and a theraputic dose of stress coat conditioner (2 caps per 10 gallons). Moor 1 seemed aggitated, and a little weak for 24 hrs after, a little hard breathing (mouth movements like when eating)... has since returned to pretty much normal. Activity, appetite, respiration, & alertness for moor 1, at this time, all= good. Moor 2 was gasping at surface when first distressed, is no longer doing that. Still has hard breathing (like the same mouth movements as when they are eating), seems weakened- goes back and forth between trying to chase reflection on glass for a little while, to just kind of sitting and hanging out in middle of tank (no clasped fins, and maintaining upright balance, unless tail is caught in bubbles from airstone, then tips forward, but corrects self quickly. Easily pushed down by filter return- no real tumbling, just rides the wave down, and then back up in the center, but doesn't try to fight against it)- goes between seemingly alert, and looking around a little, to possibly sleeping- a lot of sleeping? Shows some interest in looking at food, but doesn't really want to eat. 3 days since last meal, that I am aware of. Seems to be turning more metallic orange, was always a bit of orange show-through, but I think she used to have more black. It has been 3 days since last dose of Ick Guard, 25% water changes DAILY, with conditioners and maintaining sailinty levels. Also running carbon in filter. Thought I started seeing grey film developing again behind eyes when water temp was at 78, bumped it up to 84 over 24 hours- grey gone, no increase to breathing distress. No surface gasping. I tried adding 1 dose of melafix to water today to see if it would help- IMMEDIATE respiratory distress in moor #2- taken out and placed in temporary holding with water from brita filter while I did a 50% water change, and added reconditioned water with same salinity. After going back- they seem like they were before, as described above. No additional distress. Moor 1 seems pretty much normal- moor 2, same activity level as described and still mouth movements like when eating when breathing. No surface gasping.
75 Gal tank- 24 hrs after moor 2 was moved to QT/Hosp, other goldies started flashing. Inverts in tank, so no Ick Guard- raised temp to 85-86 over 48 hrs, and increased salt to 1 tbsp per 5 gal simultaneously. No signs of stress- good activity, alertness, appetites. No patches or respiratory issues. Treatment began 6 days ago. Still some flashing in goldies occasionally, but less... no one has broke with illness at all, only a little flashing- NOTHING from bettas at all, completely normal. 15- 25% water changes every other day, siphoning gravel maintaining salt content and using stress coat conditioner as instructions dictate. Is it ok for them to still be flashing occasionally after 6 days?
8. Other details relating to the problem (anything else you feel is relevant).
I have ordered some Methylene Blue, and am awaiting its arrival (will be a few more days), as I have read that it can help with both costia, as well as respiratory issues- NOWHERE local carries it. Had planned on dosing the moors with it- do you recommend this, or should I just leave them be? I am worried about the prolonged heavy breathing and lack of appetite in moor 2, and want to help, if I can... what should I do? I added some Fosters & Smith bacterial additive at the end of treatment with Ick Guard, as I have read that it may have knocked my bacterial colonies. I have not seen any spikes, but was unable to test today. No spikes as of Wed. (did a 50% water change today and 25% yesterday, though).
If you have or can obtain photographs to show us how the affected fish appear, please include them.
I can try, if you think this will help- just let me know!
Thank you so much for helping me... I am so new to this, and really want to give these guys a better life. I think I totally screwed up- is there any way I can repair this damage? HELP! :'(
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