Flashing/No Symtoms

Cathy G

Cathy G

Bolivians Rock
Jan 15, 2006
720
0
16
Wisconsin USA
www.cathygeier.com
What do you all do when you bring a new fish home, watch him very closely and see flashing? There is no sign of ANYTHING, he looks like a clean fish. He doesn't flash all the time, but enough to cause me wonder if there is anything going on I should deal with. I am taking these steps - do you think I should do anything more?

PraziPro is in his tank water - this should cover many external parasites, flukes, etc.

He is eating mysis shrimp laced with Metronidazole and garlic.

Water is clean (0,0, 10) and I am doing frequent changes...

I know that there are many many opinions about ich and it's ability to live in a dormant stage on a fish. Is this rumour or truth? I've also heard that there is NOTHING you can do to kill off the ich while it is on the fish, is this true? If there is ich in a dormant stage inside this fishes gills, is there anything I can do now? Or do I have to wait until it erupts?

Thanks for all the advice that is so freely given!
(I hate to admit this, but this fish is a male blue ram about 1.5 inches. I bought a big one figuring he has lived longer therefore must not be horribly infected with anything).

Cathy G
 
Ich while visible on the fish is in the cyst stage and is not treatable in this phase. the ich will sliff off and drop to the bottom of the tank..when it is released it will increase in numbers. eventually hatching to the free swimming stage..it is in this stage the ich is treatable..
there are a lot of treatments..including adding salt to the water..2-3 tbl spn per 5 gallons has been recommended but I see that this varies a bit. also you will want to raise the temp..this will foce the ich to speed up it's incubation cycle (heat can also kill ich 86 degrees is considered a killing temp for ich) you should keep the salt for 14 days (ich cycle) and readd if you continue water changes(recommended) eg remove 5 gallons add 5 gallons treated with salt..
I avoid table salt there are other salts with no iodine or anti caking agents..tho I have also heard that the iodine is not present in a dangerous concentration in table salt. as far as the ich being dormant on the fish..I doubt it..tho there are some fish more suseptible to ich.

you can use chelated copper(copper safe) but I would not recommend using it in anything but a quarantine tank or hospital tank..copper is dangerous to some fish and invertibrates.
 
i don't think it's ich if there aren't any visible signs of white specs

it sounds to me as tho you're doing a good job on a general treatment and you should continue unless you see ich develop

my guess would be that the change in water chemistry was inicially different enough from what he was used to that it caused some irritation and will subside within a week or so- continuing the treatment you are using will help to prevent any possible secondary infection from the stress of adjusting to a new home

don't worry about something until you have evidence to give you real cause

right now he's got gill irritation and you are treating it

good job. -Kyle
 
If you don't see white spots, you don't know if it's ich. you're being proactive so keep it up and keep an eye on the fish.
 
Both fish are flashing now - I put in Stress Coat and am still keeping up with water changes. This morning I notice some red patches on one of their sides. I haven't seen ANY white dots, and I've been looking. So, I assume it is a scrape - I saw the fish flash against a rock yesterday.

They have finished the course of Metronidazole that I always give new fish, and they finished their PraziPro.

Other than Stress Coat and clean water, are there anyother suggestions?

Thanks all,
Cathy

A couple of weeks ago, I changed a water source and the new stuff I found out had lots of phosphate in it. Would that bother the fish?
 
Rams flash sometimes to impress a mate. Doesn't mean anything. Careful of adding medication that may not be needed, it causes the fish a lot of stress. My male and female ram "flashed" for weeks until they got to know each other, now no more flashing. Platies flash as well for no reason.
 
Cayhy G...can you explain in more detail what "change water source" and "lots of phosphate" means?


Thanks.
 
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