Fish Lovers 2.0

[Dakotak]

How many gallons is your tank? : 10 Gallons
How many fish and what types are they? : Currently seven. 1 male elephant ear betta and 6 Neon Tetras
How long has it been running? : Um, a few weeks maybe?
Did you cycle it? : Of course!

Sorry, just wanted to fill out the form first! ^^
Well hello! My fish (mentioned above) have come down with Ick. x.x I keep a real close eye on my fish so luckily I caught it early. I first saw the white spots yesterday as well as some color loss. My betta has the worst of it though. As soon as I noticed it, I put the betta in a quarantine tank and the 6 neon tetras in another and have been changing the water like crazy hoping to help flush out the parasite a bit until I can get some treatment for them. Luckily we are going to the pet store later today. Gladly this morning when I took a look at them they have gained some color back, the Neon Tetras (who were acting a bit strange) were acting normally again and some of the white spots have even disappeared from my betta. I am relieved that there were no sudden deaths and it seems to be getting better but I know this is just the beginning.

And I know where the parasite came from because I keep their tank very clean and they were fine before I bought a Pleco. I made the mistake of not putting him in quarantine before adding him to the tank and not long after taking him out of the tank my other fish caught it. And here's the strange thing. Before I noticed my other fish getting the white spots, he was fine and swimming around happily (not showing any signs) before I left for school but when I returned home he was definitely dead :c It makes me feel bad that I didn't take the proper precautions and couldn't save him and now my other fish have to suffer for it. However, I know that common Plecos can grow to be 2 ft long and was trying to look for another home for him anyway (he was just a baby, only about 1.5 inches long).

I just wanted to know if any of you had any advice, think I'm going in the right direction since I don't have any treatment yet, or any recommendations...I really want them to survive this when I know it's not likely they pull though.

Also, I am looking into buying some snails to add to my tank (2 at most). And won't make the same mistake. They will be quarantined as well but I won't use treatment on them since some ick treatments contain ingredients that are harmful to snails.

Just so you all know, I do research whenever I'm thinking about adding to my tank (however the snails will be the last living addition).

Ugh, I hate ick. Hope they all heal up well fast!

I would put the betta back into his main tank and treat the whole tank and other fish at the same time. Ick can survive in the gravel and infect the fish when they are weak(like when they get stressed out) so if he has it the whole tank does.
I like to use salt for most things like this and raise the temp to 80F to speed up the parasites life and then the salt kills them and then you come and vaccume the gravel really well every day or every other day to remove the dead parasites. Normal aquarium salt is fine to use.

I like to QT snails for 2-4 weeks with daily water changes to flush out their shells of any nasties that might be in the water. It worked well for my snails.

[flyteck]

I don't know anything about goldfish, my specialty is guppies. Although I did have a 1 eyed ryukin once. He lived a happy life, he was smart too. I miss him. I gave my big tank away when he died. I tend to "rescue" deformed fish just to give them a better life and home cause I know the pet stores will just throw them away or kill them.

So far in my life I have rescued a 1 eyed Ryukin Goldie, a 1 eyed Black Popeye Goldie and a green Glowfish who's spine was deformed where it had a link in its back which made it look like a "Z". They lived happy, healthy lives for as long as I had them. I take them in cause no one else will and they turn out to live longer than at other of those species I have had. They were pretty smart too.

I do that too! I have a one eyed sucker fish, very healthy. The look the guy gave me when I said "I want the one eyed one!" was priceless. I still can't believe he caught him in the tank though, with 50+ other fish (all very fast and the same colour).

[Bettahorse]

How many gallons is your tank? : 10 Gallons
How many fish and what types are they? : Currently seven. 1 male elephant ear betta and 6 Neon Tetras
How long has it been running? : Um, a few weeks maybe?
Did you cycle it? : Of course!

Sorry, just wanted to fill out the form first! ^^
Well hello! My fish (mentioned above) have come down with Ick. x.x I keep a real close eye on my fish so luckily I caught it early. I first saw the white spots yesterday as well as some color loss. My betta has the worst of it though. As soon as I noticed it, I put the betta in a quarantine tank and the 6 neon tetras in another and have been changing the water like crazy hoping to help flush out the parasite a bit until I can get some treatment for them. Luckily we are going to the pet store later today. Gladly this morning when I took a look at them they have gained some color back, the Neon Tetras (who were acting a bit strange) were acting normally again and some of the white spots have even disappeared from my betta. I am relieved that there were no sudden deaths and it seems to be getting better but I know this is just the beginning.

And I know where the parasite came from because I keep their tank very clean and they were fine before I bought a Pleco. I made the mistake of not putting him in quarantine before adding him to the tank and not long after taking him out of the tank my other fish caught it. And here's the strange thing. Before I noticed my other fish getting the white spots, he was fine and swimming around happily (not showing any signs) before I left for school but when I returned home he was definitely dead :c It makes me feel bad that I didn't take the proper precautions and couldn't save him and now my other fish have to suffer for it. However, I know that common Plecos can grow to be 2 ft long and was trying to look for another home for him anyway (he was just a baby, only about 1.5 inches long).

I just wanted to know if any of you had any advice, think I'm going in the right direction since I don't have any treatment yet, or any recommendations...I really want them to survive this when I know it's not likely they pull though.

Also, I am looking into buying some snails to add to my tank (2 at most). And won't make the same mistake. They will be quarantined as well but I won't use treatment on them since some ick treatments contain ingredients that are harmful to snails.

Just so you all know, I do research whenever I'm thinking about adding to my tank (however the snails will be the last living addition).

What is the temperature in the tank? Ick exists in all aquariums in a dormant form, but it attacks the fish when their immune system is weakened by bad water conditions or stress. Higher temps should help bump out the harmful stage of the parasite along with your water changes, so I suggest turning up the tank heater if you can. You just have to figure out what caused the bad water quality and make sure it doesn't happen again. Is your tank cycled? Perhaps the cycle broke and the tank had an ammonia spike? Or maybe the heater malfunctioned and the water got cold? It could be a number of things. For now, keep up the water changes and bump up the temps. Add aquarium salt if you have it. Good luck!

Good luck!

[.Survivor.]

All I have to say about snails is watch out for worms. Those pesky critters carry them. Yes they definitely help with the cleaning if the tank, but if they have worms it a pain to get rid of.

I have had snails a few times an all except the last were fine. The last was fine too but after the quarantine tank and when I put it in with my fish....the next day...BAM! Little annoying white worms crawling on the tank walls, not the fish. Man....I hate those worms....pesky and almost impossible to get rid of.

Someone told me they were nematodes but I wasn't completely sure about that judgment. Anyone know for sure?

[Bettahorse]

All I have to say about snails is watch out for worms. Those pesky critters carry them. Yes they definitely help with the cleaning if the tank, but if they have worms it a pain to get rid of.

I have had snails a few times an all except the last were fine. The last was fine too but after the quarantine tank and when I put it in with my fish....the next day...BAM! Little annoying white worms crawling on the tank walls, not the fish. Man....I hate those worms....pesky and almost impossible to get rid of.

Someone told me they were nematodes but I wasn't completely sure about that judgment. Anyone know for sure?

Ah yes, detritus worms. My first tank had those. I didn't even have snails. Apparently, they are completely harmless (actually a tasty treat for fish that are small enough) and result from having a lot of detritus in your substrate. Unless you are talking about planaria? Also harmless.

[Dylan Klebold]

I want a small snail badly. Anyone know a breed that can go well with a red veiltail betta and is pretty easy to take care of?

[Autotomy]

All I have to say about snails is watch out for worms. Those pesky critters carry them. Yes they definitely help with the cleaning if the tank, but if they have worms it a pain to get rid of.

I have had snails a few times an all except the last were fine. The last was fine too but after the quarantine tank and when I put it in with my fish....the next day...BAM! Little annoying white worms crawling on the tank walls, not the fish. Man....I hate those worms....pesky and almost impossible to get rid of.

Someone told me they were nematodes but I wasn't completely sure about that judgment. Anyone know for sure?

Ah yes, detritus worms. My first tank had those. I didn't even have snails. Apparently, they are completely harmless (actually a tasty treat for fish that are small enough) and result from having a lot of detritus in your substrate. Unless you are talking about planaria? Also harmless.

Oh, those lovely worms. I have them in every aquarium, scaling the walls and squirming through the water. :L
They actually are bloodworms. When I was 5 I was super creeped out and thought they would kill my two beloved yoyo loaches. (who, by the way, have fallen on the grated concrete floor from 5 feet, fell on the pet store floor, survived camalanus worms, and 6 cases of ich and velvet and are living their lives out in a 125 gallon)

On inspection under a microscope, we found out they are bloodworms, or at least something like that. They are bright red under the 'scope and usually come from frozen/freeze-dried bloodworms.

[Bettahorse]

Maybe nerites? They come is different patterns and colors and don't get big.

[spiderfish]

Could someone help me with identifying a goldfish?
It was in a pet shop, and I didnt look at the label, or take a picture, so I can only provide a description. Sorry, I know it'll be hard, but Im only asking because one of them only had one eye, and I need to go back next week for more guppies, if its still there, I may have to get it.

Dorsal fin-less, similar shape to bubble-eyes but kind of bulkier. Deffinatly no head growth, dont think they had any kind of eye growths, double-tailed.


I'd greatly appreciate any help My google search hasnt been too helpful.

[flyteck]

Could someone help me with identifying a goldfish?
It was in a pet shop, and I didnt look at the label, or take a picture, so I can only provide a description. Sorry, I know it'll be hard, but Im only asking because one of them only had one eye, and I need to go back next week for more guppies, if its still there, I may have to get it.

Dorsal fin-less, similar shape to bubble-eyes but kind of bulkier. Deffinatly no head growth, dont think they had any kind of eye growths, double-tailed.


I'd greatly appreciate any help My google search hasnt been too helpful.

How big is it? It sounds like an oranda without head growth to me.
(the ones that don't have dorsal fins? Don't know the specific name).