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Typed this up for another group, thought I'd share here as well.
Well, with bloat and ich running rampant, I thought it would do us all some good to touch on this topic a bit. This happens a lot when the weather is colder, as the change in water temp can stress fish badly.
One way to prevent this is to condition your water in a large tub, say a rubbermaid or a brute can, to let the water get closer to room/tank temp. Also, it will allow you to remove all chlorines/chloramines before adding the water to your main tank. If you're not able to prevent bloat/ich, the most important parts in beating these issues are being prepared and catching them early. Keeping your parameters pristine will significantly lower the chance of your fish succumbing to these diseases and will also make treatment/recovery infinitely easier.
Bloat: Keeping epsom salt in your tank is a great preventative method, and also works wonders once the bloat has set in. Be sure that you're not feeding a high-protein diet to fish with long digestive tracts. Foods containing metronidazole and garlic are highly effective in early treatment, but as bloat progresses you may have to resort to the powder form of metro. In the later stages of bloat, you will most likely have to resort to clout, a much more "hardcore" medicine. Look for early signs, such as lack of appetite, hanging alone near the bottom/top of the tank, heavy breathing, and stringy white poop. Most importantly, be prepared before-hand.
Ich: Quarantine tanks and pristine, stable parameters are the best methods of prevention. The main giveaway for Ich is the archetypal white spots on the gills and body, but symptoms can also be similar to those for bloat, with the addition of scratching against your substrate/decor. Understanding the life cycle of Ich is important in treatment, so I'd advise looking into that (http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2160&aid=2421). Step one in treatment is to slowly raise your temp up to 80+, as this severely shortens the life cycle. Adding salt is also effective, but remember to increase your oxygen levels as salt will deplete the oxygen in your tank. Keep in mind that meds will only be effective in the second and third stages of its life cycle. Exercise extreme caution when combining increased temp, addition of salt, and addition of meds, as you will see very low dips in oxygen levels. It has been claimed that Ich cannot live above 85F, but I've personally had Ich live at up to 86F. Worst case scenario, some effective medications are formalin and malachite green (will stain silicone/decor). Always remove carbon when using these meds, and be sure to follow all instructions to the T.
I hope this helps some of you dealing with these diseases. If you have any questions, if I missed anything, or if anything is incorrect here, please do not hesitate to ask questions or set me straight
Well, with bloat and ich running rampant, I thought it would do us all some good to touch on this topic a bit. This happens a lot when the weather is colder, as the change in water temp can stress fish badly.
One way to prevent this is to condition your water in a large tub, say a rubbermaid or a brute can, to let the water get closer to room/tank temp. Also, it will allow you to remove all chlorines/chloramines before adding the water to your main tank. If you're not able to prevent bloat/ich, the most important parts in beating these issues are being prepared and catching them early. Keeping your parameters pristine will significantly lower the chance of your fish succumbing to these diseases and will also make treatment/recovery infinitely easier.
Bloat: Keeping epsom salt in your tank is a great preventative method, and also works wonders once the bloat has set in. Be sure that you're not feeding a high-protein diet to fish with long digestive tracts. Foods containing metronidazole and garlic are highly effective in early treatment, but as bloat progresses you may have to resort to the powder form of metro. In the later stages of bloat, you will most likely have to resort to clout, a much more "hardcore" medicine. Look for early signs, such as lack of appetite, hanging alone near the bottom/top of the tank, heavy breathing, and stringy white poop. Most importantly, be prepared before-hand.
Ich: Quarantine tanks and pristine, stable parameters are the best methods of prevention. The main giveaway for Ich is the archetypal white spots on the gills and body, but symptoms can also be similar to those for bloat, with the addition of scratching against your substrate/decor. Understanding the life cycle of Ich is important in treatment, so I'd advise looking into that (http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2160&aid=2421). Step one in treatment is to slowly raise your temp up to 80+, as this severely shortens the life cycle. Adding salt is also effective, but remember to increase your oxygen levels as salt will deplete the oxygen in your tank. Keep in mind that meds will only be effective in the second and third stages of its life cycle. Exercise extreme caution when combining increased temp, addition of salt, and addition of meds, as you will see very low dips in oxygen levels. It has been claimed that Ich cannot live above 85F, but I've personally had Ich live at up to 86F. Worst case scenario, some effective medications are formalin and malachite green (will stain silicone/decor). Always remove carbon when using these meds, and be sure to follow all instructions to the T.
I hope this helps some of you dealing with these diseases. If you have any questions, if I missed anything, or if anything is incorrect here, please do not hesitate to ask questions or set me straight
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