cardinal disease - never ending drama

[finfan]

ok just when i thought i was home free with cycling done, i discover something else, few of my cardinals have this white line on their fins, mostly on top fins, it is not a white dot, but a white line (3 of them have it), there is another one with something on the bottom fin similar looking, now my old cardinals from 2.5 years ago don't have it (yet), and the glowlights don't seem to have it either, but it might be a matter of time, i put both pimafix and melafix from API and plan on putting them for a week (as instructed), but they also say remove carbon filter, i don't necessarily want to remove the carbon filter, should i just use them in a little heavier dosage because carbon filter is there and hope that they cure whatever it is that the cardinals have, ok these were also bought from fishgallery, i am almost starting to get disappointed at their livestock, anyway, the none of the fish are acting wierd or anything and they are also all feeding fine, any advise will be helpful, does this also mean my tank is now disease ridden forever?   :aua:

[eklikewhoa]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

You have to remove the carbon.

Carbon soaks in impurities....which will soak up meds as well...if you just does heavier you will just saturate the carbon rendering it useless so you would have to replace it now....either way you will be digging it out.

An overdose of Melafix/Primafix sounds like a good way to wipe out your tank of disease.....and fish.

Have a picture of this white line? could it be from fin nipping or is it more like fin rot?

[finfan]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

ok i will try to take picture, they move around so much, its hard to take a pic

should i not use pimafix and melafix together?

if i remove the cartridge, what should i put in there as filter media?  

i have always had this carbon filled filter media and don't know what else will work

i don't want my bio-wheel to become the filter

[eklikewhoa]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

Primafix and Melafix can be used together and I think that's how it was meant to be.

Carbon is chemical media....get something like sintered glass or ceramic balls/rings which is Bio-media...I never use carbon and that's been like 10+yrs since I have touched the stuff.

There are tons of things to use a media....sponges(no mildew inhibitors) just about anything.

The Bio-wheel is a poor filter to begin with so I wouldn't want to rely on it either...a matter of fact I have a few HOB's and those wheels made it to the trash a long time ago.

[finfan]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

ok will see what i can find, what is a "HOB"?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

Hang On Back

[Zulaab]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

Finfan,
Melafix and Primafix can be used together.  Melafix is an anti bacteria, and Primafix is a fungal remover.  Both contain things that assist fish in healing.  Melafix is made from the Melaluca tree which heals wounds, like aloe does on a burn.  It is a natural anti bacterial plant.  If you ever have a problem with a fish that has gotten beat up, melafix is one of the best things you can give a fish because it aids in the healing process

PS.  Like EK said.. remove the carbon from your filter.   If you don't have a separate for your carbon and filtering, I would recommend you get some pads and separate the two, so when you have this problem you can leave the filtering pad in and not the carbon.  Like Ek said, you can add all the medication you want, but the carbon will soak up the medication.

[finfan]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

thanks for all the info.

the cartridge for eclipse system 2 are already filled with carbon, so i will have to go get some pads from petco/petsmart and then put that in and remove the entire cartridge, there is no way to remove the carbon from the cartridge unless i cut the foam and then i won't be able to use it later, i hope this does not screw up the cycling or the fish, i hope fish are not dependent on the carbon filtering

[sproett]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

I have an eclipse and I just slit the filter cartridge and dump the carbon out.  I pack it with gravel, those ceramic things, whatever.  You can still use it like that if you are careful not to dump it out when installing.  Works for me.  I took out one of my eclipse intake tubes and inserted the tubes for a canister filter there instead.  So the tank is 1/2 eclipse 1/2 canister filter.  Eventually I'd like to get another canister and not use the eclipse at all.  
Carbon isn't neccessary, I don't use it in any of my tanks.  I've been keeping fish for 11 or so years and I used it at first but got tired of having to replace it so often.  I think it's a money maker and that's why it's recommended so much by lfs, etc.  Replacing filter cartridges every 3-4 weeks costs a pretty penny.  I re-use mine by rinsing in dechlorinated water and replace when the water flow is reduced and rinsing doesn't help much.

[finfan]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

ok that is good information, well, i went to petco before i read sporetts post (barely made it before 9, i was getting the looks from the employees), bought some "fluval" foam, which were the shape/size of my eclipse, i took the existing cartridge and put that in, it fits in nicely, unfortunately, i will lose all the bacteria that was already in the existing cartridge,

i also bought these "aquaclear" filter insert ammonia remover "formerly aquaclear 150", would it help to put that in there if i slit and throw the carbon out? or are these ammonia remover inserts also bad for other things

i have the receipt, can return all items except the foam which is already in the water now

[finfan]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

also, ek where do i get "sintered glass or ceramic balls/rings"?

same question for sproett, where do i get "gravel, those ceramic things"?

are these available in petco/petsmart?  what are they called? brand?

what should i ask for in the store, if i can't understand that i am getting the right thing

[finfan]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

update - ok now i slit the cartridge, took all the carbon out (maybe a few particles left - hopefully that won't make a difference), then i put the cartridge back in again and put the foam thing on top of that, this way, i can change one at a time and not both, and hopefully won't lose most of the bacteria

my questions above are still my questions, this was just an update

[Somefishguy]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

Y can buy a pack of the cermic glass at petco. Just look for the aquaclear filters and they have one that is a pouch filled with the cermics cylinders

[Zulaab]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

You can get it at Petsmart.  Look for a yellow box carton named Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Ammo-Chips.  Its the size of a 1 liter Tropicana orange juice.   You will find it among the filter media area.  It will be located together with two other products (red Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Ammo-Carb and blue Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Activated Filter Carbon).  Obviously you want the yellow, because the other two products contain Carbon in it.

[Mzungu]

Re: cardinal disease - never ending drama

http://www.petco.com/product/4088/Hagen-Fluval-External-Power-Filter-Media.aspx

http://www.petco.com/product/102413/Hagen-Fluval-Biomax-Filter-Media.aspx

http://www.petco.com/product/102250/Eheim-Substrat-Pro.aspx

Those are some examples from Petco's site, just in case you're like me and remember better if you see what it looks like.  :)