new white clouds-problems

Ponyta

Ponyta

AC Members
Dec 21, 2007
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Toronto, Canada
Hi,
I recently got some white cloud mountain minnows this Christmas about 6 days ago. Acclimation was ok and they initially didn't eat much, which I thought was just b/c of them being new, but now I'm starting to think there's something wrong...

18 gal tub
Temp 72F
pH 7.6
NH3 0.25 (from the tap) N02 0 N03 0
Problems:
I took a look today and one minnow's fins are ragged, a few have red lips :confused:. Also, about 2 of them are still not eating (I'm feeding flakes but they won't come up to the top to eat)..

Currently, they're in 0.3% salt solution, and getting daily doses of Prime (to detox ammonia). The tank's still uncycled (sigh) but I can transfer media from the goldie tank this week as I'm almost done treating them w/ med food.

So..what do I do at this point? Are they coming down w/ bacterial infections? And if so, whata do I treat them with?
:help:
 
My guess is that it is the uncycled tank that got them or a illness from the store. The Prime will detoxify it but when did you start to notice the ammonia? Is it possible that they were exposed to that level before you dosed Prime?

You should transfer media asap. The faster the tank is seeded the better.

Salt does not do a whole lot except with ick. It would help to have pictures of the sores to pinpoint exactly what treatments they need. I'm no disease expert but I'm sure someone else will help with that.
 
ragged fins is usually either fin rot or the fish setting up a pecking order in their school. white clouds are pretty tough fish, so it is probably a bit of aggression in their school. it should start to go away as they settle in and their heirachy is formed.

try feeding them some live foods such as brine shrimp to help with their appetites...
 
I noticed my White Clouds have a slight red tint on their mouths and the tips of their fins (except the tail) are white. I've had them for a couple months, they are healthy.
 
I've been aware of the ammonia in the tap water for a while now, so I've been overdosing prime ever since I got them. So red lips are normal? That's good..was afraid it was a symptom of something bacterial :eek:.
What about the ragged fins though? I've never seen any aggression, but then again I don't watch them all day :S. Should I just wait and see? It may be just me, but their colours seem to be fading compared to before :confused:
I have the tank (empty) set up w/ a filter now, was planning to add media and switch them over soon if there's no disease issues.

I've been feeding flakes so far. I don't have any live food, but maybe I'll try sinking foods tomorrow, as the ones that don't come up to eat keep nosing along the bottom during feeding time. :mad2:
 
it's not because the tank is uncycled. white clouds are super duper hardy fish.
the red lips are normal, it's a part of their coloration.
they are coldwater fish so you could drop your temp a couple degrees.
feeding them life food WILL MAKE THEM MORE AGGRESSIVE because that primes them for breeding and the males will start divebombing eachother during their displays.
don't mistake the females for faded color. males have darker color, females are more faded looking.
don't worry about ragged fins, they could look that way just when they're down (much like a betta's fins look ragged when not flared) because white clouds do flare.
 
and stop dosing so much prime! it does not remove the ammonia, it merely 'detoxifies' it. dosing prime every day is a terrible idea and a waste of prime if anything else. i would venture to say it's your prime that's hurting the minnows, because they are not sensitive to water conditions otherwise.
 
I am not going to go on a rant but just because white clouds are hardy does not mean that they are not affected by any ammonia present. The tank isn't cycled if they stop dosing prime the ammonia will become toxic again. If the OP does not do any water changes to keep that level down the fish will still be affected by the ammonia. I do agree that it is a waste of prime however they must either seed the tank asap or do daily water changes to keep the ammonia at or below .25 ppm.
 
Update:
Transferred the white clouds over to the tank today, added mature filter media. I also got to take a closer look at them, and I think there is something definitely wrong with one. :wall:

Symptoms:
-hovers near water surface in tank corner, isolates itself from rest of school, won't eat
-keeps on quivering fins, especially pectoral fins
-has tattered fins:-missing chunks on dorsal, anal fins and tail, a bit tattered edges on pectoral fins
-white smudge on left side (not fuzzy though)

It seems like I'm going to have to quarantine, but what meds should I use? All I have on hand is medicated food for my goldfish (medigold and metromeds, and a bit of melafix) And would I have to medicate the whole tank?
Thanks again for the help guys

:cry:

P.S. Digital camera is very bad, so can't post a pic (comes out all blurry)...so let me know if I need to add more info
 
quivering of the pectoral fins is a part of their displaying. my white clouds flare their fins, stay in place, and shake their pectoral fins rapidly.

although, i'll agree it has issues if it's doing all by itself with no other males or females in sight. have you tried feeding it in its own tank? these seem to be quick aggressive eaters and i've noticed if they're in the breeding mood the males will flare and rush eachother even while eating.
 
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