HELP!

[cjack]

Ok so i just noticed that my two D. Microlepis (3" and 3.5") have some werid stuff on them. If looks like they are shedding their scales.

Tank conditions:
3 Clown loaches and 6 otocinclus as tankmates
20 gallons, upgrade coming soon so dont rip me a new one
water parameters check out fine
Planted tank with sand bottom, air pump and Ehime 2215
78-80 degrees F
Eating krill (mysis shrimp and bloodworms if clowns dont get them first)
The heater is uncovered and the clowns popped the suction cup off the back of the tank

I did add a baby arowana last weekend, and my biggest dat ate it. I had the aro quarentined for two weeks medicating and feeding, and it was in great shape....except for getting eatin.

If anybody has any experience with their Dats "shedding" please HELP!!

I will try to get pics as soon as possible

 

[BushFishRox]

tank could be too small causing aggression and could be scrapes and such?

 

[cjack]

i dont know, because these two have been together since September at least. And there was a little aggression at first, but that stopped...and i havent seen any agression lately. But i will definitialy watch.

 

[KenyanSandBoa]

I would definitely do a water change and treat with aquarium salt. You could also increase the temp a bit...that will help.

What are the water parameters?

 

[cjack]

ok, so i just went to the LFS and talked my boss. He thinks its parasitic.

Water parameters:
Nitrate - 40ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Hardness (GH) - 150-300 ppm
Alkalinity - 0-40
pH - ~6.8

I'm gonna start using salt and hopefully that will help

 

[cjack]

ok so two water changes later, dats still have string-like things coming off of them, clown loaches seem unaffected (just knocked on my desk), and im treating with formalin and salt.

any ideas as to what this is?? the thing looks like those white, dried noodles that you get at some Cantonese resturants, just shorter

 

[jlnguyen74]

Could be ammonia burn. Just do 25%-30% water change every 2-3 days, and add salt

 

[cjack]

Could be ammonia burn. Just do 25%-30% water change every 2-3 days, and add salt

i dont think i understand where the ammonia would be coming from though. Because there are no (0) nitrites, the stage right after ammonia...so i would have thought that there would have to be some sign of nitrite, but yeah i will definitialy do the water changes.

Also, do you think that doing small, say 10%, water changes daily would be better/worse/same as doing 25% every few days?? just wondering because for the tetras and danios it is better, but for some other more delicate fish it adds unneccessary stress.

thanks for the info in advance

 

[cjack]

ok, im pretty sure that came out wrong. i didnt mean for that to sound as d-bagish as it did.

the only thing i would like to know is if it is better for dats to do more small(10-15%) water changes, or fewer larger(25%) water changes

 

[KenyanSandBoa]

ok, im pretty sure that came out wrong. i didnt mean for that to sound as d-bagish as it did.

the only thing i would like to know is if it is better for dats to do more small(10-15%) water changes, or fewer larger(25%) water changes

I would do frequent small water changes. If there is to be any sort of chemical swing, it would happen due to a large water change.

What type of salt are you using...and what dose?

What are your parameters at after all of the recent water changes?