I use a cheap conditioner when i first let it sit. one that only dechlorinates and removes metals/chloramines. and then i dose the tank for the full 55 gals w stress coat after water change. may main reason for letting it sit is to get it close to tank temp. i keep it near my furnace which brings the temp to about 72 degress and to lose that cloudiness of new water
will stress cause flashing?
- Thread starter rjrevers
- Start date
there's no need to 'let it sit' since it serves no purpose. i'd just add the water straight from the tap and add a conditioner that takes of chloramines. personally, i'm not a Stress Coat fan ... it dechlorinates the water but that aloe crap is just marketing hype and probably costs more than a plain ol' water conditioner. aside from the bells and whistles which do nothing for your fish, all conditioners contain the exact same insgredient - sodium thiosulfate.
Scratching and flashing is the fish equivalent of a cough. It can be caused by many different things, many of which have already been mentioned. Even trace amounts of chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and nitrites will cause gill irritation. Heavy metals and ph changes have also been cited as possible causes. I wouldn't dose any medication just because I saw some of this happening.
BUT, it is a symptom of ich, gill flukes, and other diseases. If you have ich, you will see scratching and flashing before you see white spots.
I would just watch the fish closely for a few days before jumping to a conclusion. If it's a disease, it will get worse. If it's not, and assuming your water has tested fine, it should get better.
BUT, it is a symptom of ich, gill flukes, and other diseases. If you have ich, you will see scratching and flashing before you see white spots.
I would just watch the fish closely for a few days before jumping to a conclusion. If it's a disease, it will get worse. If it's not, and assuming your water has tested fine, it should get better.
