- 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?
- 51-60%
- How frequently do you change your water?
- Every week
- 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.
Hey guys
I broke the cardinal rule of fish keeping when I got back in and skipped the quarantine process. Shame on me, but lesson learned. About a week after purchasing a nice geo from the LFS I went back and that entire system was either covered in ich or just not looking well. I'd seen the geo flash a few times but nothing major, so I hoped maybe it was a minor situation - but then the fin clamping started. Uh oh. Then the Fast breathing. UH OH. Started to notice some goldish looking specs on the fins and knew it was no bueno and cut the lights off.
At this point the buenos aires tetras were flashing and my Delhezi that I've had for a long time was gasping which broke my heart.. The geo was pretty listless and I more or less knew he wasn't gonna make it.
I had to leave for a week for business and unfortunately "sorry I've got to watch after my fish tank" isn't an acceptable reason to miss work. I did a 50% WC before I left, bumped the temp and salted it and covered the tank with a towel to keep out light. I told my girl to check the tank daily and while there wasn't really much she could do to check for dead fish so they didn't decompose and hurt the others (which she was real thrilled about).
No surprise, the Geo passed a few days after I left, she was upset but I had kind of braced myself for that. I got back on Saturday and started to check the fish out - the Delhezi is eating well and no longer gasping and the tetras are doing their usual tetra things but missing a few scales. I went ahead and did a large water change and removed and boiled the driftwood.
The tank is still covered with a towel to keep out light, but I'm trying to figure out how to proceed. Obviously the Oodium isn't gone, but I don't want to over medicate if the fish are doing well either, and moving them to a hospital tank and doing the copper thing is something I'd really like to avoid if possible. Had to do that once back in my saltwater aquarium days and it was no fun/nerve wracking.
Should I run a course of Rid-Ich or General Cure in the main tank as a precaution? Or should I continue to do sizable water changes every 2-3 days and keep the tank covered for a full 2 weeks while maintaining temp and salt? No matter what I've learned my lesson and all future fish will go through the QT process - I won't be impatient anymore.
I broke the cardinal rule of fish keeping when I got back in and skipped the quarantine process. Shame on me, but lesson learned. About a week after purchasing a nice geo from the LFS I went back and that entire system was either covered in ich or just not looking well. I'd seen the geo flash a few times but nothing major, so I hoped maybe it was a minor situation - but then the fin clamping started. Uh oh. Then the Fast breathing. UH OH. Started to notice some goldish looking specs on the fins and knew it was no bueno and cut the lights off.
At this point the buenos aires tetras were flashing and my Delhezi that I've had for a long time was gasping which broke my heart.. The geo was pretty listless and I more or less knew he wasn't gonna make it.
I had to leave for a week for business and unfortunately "sorry I've got to watch after my fish tank" isn't an acceptable reason to miss work. I did a 50% WC before I left, bumped the temp and salted it and covered the tank with a towel to keep out light. I told my girl to check the tank daily and while there wasn't really much she could do to check for dead fish so they didn't decompose and hurt the others (which she was real thrilled about).
No surprise, the Geo passed a few days after I left, she was upset but I had kind of braced myself for that. I got back on Saturday and started to check the fish out - the Delhezi is eating well and no longer gasping and the tetras are doing their usual tetra things but missing a few scales. I went ahead and did a large water change and removed and boiled the driftwood.
The tank is still covered with a towel to keep out light, but I'm trying to figure out how to proceed. Obviously the Oodium isn't gone, but I don't want to over medicate if the fish are doing well either, and moving them to a hospital tank and doing the copper thing is something I'd really like to avoid if possible. Had to do that once back in my saltwater aquarium days and it was no fun/nerve wracking.
Should I run a course of Rid-Ich or General Cure in the main tank as a precaution? Or should I continue to do sizable water changes every 2-3 days and keep the tank covered for a full 2 weeks while maintaining temp and salt? No matter what I've learned my lesson and all future fish will go through the QT process - I won't be impatient anymore.
