- Have you tested your water?
- Yes
- If yes, what is your ammonia?
- 0
- If yes, what is your nitrite?
- 0
- If yes, what is your nitrate?
- 20
- If I did not test my water...
- ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
- Do you do water changes?
- Yes
- What percentage of water do you change?
- 41-50%
- How frequently do you change your water?
- Every month
- If I do not change my water...
- ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
Howdy,
I just got some 2'' gulpers 4 weeks ago. They arrived with high ammonia in the shipping water but seemed to do fine once acclimated. Fins were a bit torn and I thought some had ammonia burns on their skins. Fast-forward 2 weeks and the fish appear fine. Check out my thread -->here<-- A few days later, two of them developed white patches on their skin (decidedly not ich. Not spots but patches). I separated these two and transferred them into a 10 gal hospital tank.
Rookie mistake: I should have not put the fish straight into their dedicated 75 gal tank (albeit a species tank) when I received them. They should've gone into one of my smaller tanks for quarantine and observation.
Anyhow, starting on November 6th, I treated the hospital tank as well the main tank with 7 tablespoon salt/10 gal to nuke whatever it is (I know, hefty dose). The fish in the main 75 gal are all fine, growing, eating like champs. Looks like they didn't get whatever the two others have. Today I changed 90% water to cut down on salt content. After all, the Orinoco River has been reported at a conductivity of 6-10 mS/cm ... I figure chronic high salt isn't good for them.
The two others do eat, but not much, and they remain sickly. After salt for 6 days didn't have much of an effect, I started the 10 gal tank on melafix + pimafix. That was 5 days ago. I figured it might not help, but at least it's also not expected to hurt. I did that in addition to the salt that was already in the water. The patches have morphed into welts or pimples. Still not like any ich I've ever seen. And besides, I know to be wary of ich meds with catfish. Today I conducted a 90% water change to cut down on salt (10 days are enough) and only resumed treatment with melafix + pimafix (hence the foam in one pic - I am aerating well)
Here's what the fish look like, one looks better than the other.
I'm at my wit's end. Considering salt dips. Open and grateful for others' thoughts.
This one here is doing much better, only some areas behind the mouth and behind the pectoral fins are affected. This gulper also has a malformation of the mouth (see thread linked above), it is missing the center bone section of the lower jaw.
Thank you,
HarleyK
I just got some 2'' gulpers 4 weeks ago. They arrived with high ammonia in the shipping water but seemed to do fine once acclimated. Fins were a bit torn and I thought some had ammonia burns on their skins. Fast-forward 2 weeks and the fish appear fine. Check out my thread -->here<-- A few days later, two of them developed white patches on their skin (decidedly not ich. Not spots but patches). I separated these two and transferred them into a 10 gal hospital tank.
Rookie mistake: I should have not put the fish straight into their dedicated 75 gal tank (albeit a species tank) when I received them. They should've gone into one of my smaller tanks for quarantine and observation.
Anyhow, starting on November 6th, I treated the hospital tank as well the main tank with 7 tablespoon salt/10 gal to nuke whatever it is (I know, hefty dose). The fish in the main 75 gal are all fine, growing, eating like champs. Looks like they didn't get whatever the two others have. Today I changed 90% water to cut down on salt content. After all, the Orinoco River has been reported at a conductivity of 6-10 mS/cm ... I figure chronic high salt isn't good for them.
The two others do eat, but not much, and they remain sickly. After salt for 6 days didn't have much of an effect, I started the 10 gal tank on melafix + pimafix. That was 5 days ago. I figured it might not help, but at least it's also not expected to hurt. I did that in addition to the salt that was already in the water. The patches have morphed into welts or pimples. Still not like any ich I've ever seen. And besides, I know to be wary of ich meds with catfish. Today I conducted a 90% water change to cut down on salt (10 days are enough) and only resumed treatment with melafix + pimafix (hence the foam in one pic - I am aerating well)
Here's what the fish look like, one looks better than the other.
I'm at my wit's end. Considering salt dips. Open and grateful for others' thoughts.
This one here is doing much better, only some areas behind the mouth and behind the pectoral fins are affected. This gulper also has a malformation of the mouth (see thread linked above), it is missing the center bone section of the lower jaw.
Thank you,
HarleyK
