WHITE SPOTS.....!!!!

[fishmamma]

Sorry so long...ok, this tank is a newly set up planted tank (20 gal) there are 4 killi fish, 4 penguin tetras, 1 molly and added yestarday 2 mystery snails and one looks like 1 tiger shrimp but was sold as a red striped shrimp idk and the pic I took was not good enough for ID...sooooo the parameters are all good and the lighting is about 12 hours a day, the tank had been running over a year but just started adding plants...the bulb is a 15w floresent and there is no co2 running... ok so yestarday I noticed these little white spots on all the fish, at first I just thought they were bubbles but they are not....I also noticed one the the killies turning darker, which i dont think is a good sign....anyone..any.. info.....!!!! Sorry about picture quality...was the best I could get...

[ibz_rg]

Possibly an early stage of ick.

[bluehairman]

Possibly an early stage of ick.
Yup. Check your temperature, make sure your heater isn't broken.
If all is well boost the temp up a little bit (82-84F) and add some aquarium salt. Table salt is just as good if you don't have aquarium salt.
If the problem persists then you might have to use an ich medication.

[fishmamma]

Yup. Check your temperature, make sure your heater isn't broken.
If all is well boost the temp up a little bit (82-84F) and add some aquarium salt. Table salt is just as good if you don't have aquarium salt.
If the problem persists then you might have to use an ich medication.


how much salt for a 20 gal???...table salt that is ......:(

[dmopar74]

1 tbs per 5g, idk if this will affect the plants though.

[Finalfire9]

Raise the temp add a few tablespoons of salt and dont feed the tank. its ick

[fishmamma]

Ok this scares the crap out of me...but I added 5 TSP of table salt, not tbs it seems like so much....do i need to add a little more?? someone please tell me...should i see a difference in the morning?? or how long does it take to take affect..like i said i noticed it just yestarday..and im so stupid I had turned off the heater like 4 days ago or so cause with it on it was getting to like 85-86 degrees and i thought that was too warm..is it ok for it to be at that temp all the time.????

[Nemesis]

I would use aquarium salt to be safe. There has been alot of debating whether or not table salt is the same. Aquarium salt is pretty cheap too(around $3 for a small box, which would last you over a month), and it's made for aquarium use. 85-86 degrees is perfect to get rid of the ich. Continue with the heat and salt for at least a week after you no longer see the ich. After that 80 is a pretty safe temp. Make sure you have alot of aeration in your tank. Add an airstone if you don't already have one, and if you wan't lower the water so that your filter can create more air. Do a 40-50% water change once the treatment is finished to reduce the salinity in the water.

[LurkMcgurk]

ick most def. Use aquarium salt, and listen to nemesis

[fishmamma]

When can I feed them again??? And can I leave the lights on...for the plants???

[Natural_Born_Killer]

Fishmamma its going to be ok!

Just go down to your LFS shop and ask them for the aquarium salt and I'm sure it will all work out fine!

Sorry not much advice here, but giving you moral support!

[Nemesis]

I don't think you have to completely stop feeding them, just limit how much you give them. The last thing you need is an ammonia spike to stress the fish more. In most ich cases the fish lose their appetite anyways, and excess food will cause ammonia. If they do eat I would feed them very small amounts once dail, removing whatever they don't eat.

[bluehairman]

I would use aquarium salt to be safe. There has been alot of debating whether or not table salt is the same. Aquarium salt is pretty cheap too(around $3 for a small box, which would last you over a month), and it's made for aquarium use.
Where is this debate?
Table salt is NOT the same, but it's NOT harmful either.
If anything table salt is HEALTHIER than aquarium salt.
People freak out because "Oh no, table salt is iodized". It doesn't matter, every organism needs iodine to live in the first place, and the small amounts in table salt are no where near enough to cause any damage to your fish.
This "debate" is over.

[I'mHooked]

I have a ten gallon planted tank - I'm dealing with the same issue you are.

First of all, based on research I have conducted, salt will most likely damage your plants in some way, even in small doses. You have already added some salt, I wouldn't add more. Salt is beneficial in that it helps the fish build up their slime coat and fight off the parasite. However, it can damage some plants and invertebrates. There's a constant debate on whether or not to add salt, so you will have to make up your own mind on which route will be most effective for you.

Secondly and most importantly, ich is a VERY temperature sensitive parasite. Arguably one of the safer routes to handle ich is to raise the temperature of your aquarium to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. At 86 degrees F, ich stops reproducing. At 89.5 degrees it will die; however, this is a much higher temperature than many fish are used to and it can roast them along with the ich. Raise the temperature very slowly (think of when you acclimate your fish to a new tank) - raise the temperature one or two degrees every hour and watch the reactions of your fish closely. If your fish respond well to the temperature increase, keep the temperature at 86 degrees for 10-14 days. Do a 20% water change daily, as this helps to remove some of the swimming form of the parasite.

Regarding the lighting, there is also a debate as to whether or not to shut off the lights. Personally, I think changing the light cycle adds more stress to already stressed fish. Plus, your plants will thank you for the added light. :) It's really the temperature that we are focused on here.

After roughly 7 days, the white spots should no longer be present on your fish, but continue temperature treatment.

PLEASE avoid common pet store medications. They not only kill plants but can be harmful to fish.

Good luck to you with your tank. Remember, don't panic and be PATIENT!

-Any other questions, PM me.

[bluehairman]

Turning off lights won't stress the fish... Lower light levels lower stress on fish that are currently stressed. Adding salt will not harm most plants, unless you have some sort of odd plant. If you have some sort of odd plant that can't handle salt, I suggest you toss it.

[fishmamma]

Fishmamma its going to be ok!

Just go down to your LFS shop and ask them for the aquarium salt and I'm sure it will all work out fine!

Sorry not much advice here, but giving you moral support!

Thanks NBK it helps, never done this before..:(

[fishmamma]

Do I add the salt everyday or how do I do it..????

[bluehairman]

Do I add the salt everyday or how do I do it..????
Gradually add salt. Get the correct amount of salt per gallon over the course of 3 days.
Replace salt as needed for water changes. So if you change 5g of water put 5g worth of salt in.

[balrock043]

ICK IS THE CULPRIT! i just got rid of an ick outbreak in my cichlid tank.. tank buddies make a dissolving ick treatment for up to 80 gallons.. fun to watch too.. cleared it up in like, 3 days.. boost the temp up to about 82 degrees, follow the tank buddies directions, and you should be right as rain..