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Post by firehamster on Sept 22, 2008 1:52:30 GMT -5
Over a period of several months I went throught like 20 placos. Every 2 to 3 inch pleco I brought home a few days later would get uncurable ick. And I do mean uncurable. Nothing would get rid of it I wound up losing them or having to get rid of them cause they gave them to my fish. I cured my other fish but the placos would never cure. I have been with out any placos in I say 6 months because every single one I buy gets sick on me and refuses to get better. My water conditions are just fine no problems they are well for a placo yet I cant keep one in the state of Wi. LOL before when I lived in NC I had placos that would not die for nothing and became mamoth monsters lol here I cant keep a placo if I wanted to and I need them desperatly. Any one els ever see any thing like this before this is geting old. I got algea growing so bad I almost have to scrap my tanks every few days now. And that is getting old to fast. LOL Please help.
Fire Hamster
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Post by eve on Sept 22, 2008 11:59:42 GMT -5
have you tried a bristlenose pleco yet?
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Post by Carl on Sept 22, 2008 12:38:27 GMT -5
As Eve noted, have you tried diffent species of Plecostomus such as the Bristlenose? Or maybe Oto Catfish? Plecs can be difficult to treat for ich due to sensitivity issues with medications and problems with mucous coat generation which is so important to natural resistance to ich. That said I have seen both failures and successes in treating Plecs with difficult cases of Ich. Here are a few key points that serarate the successes and failures: *The Ich was simply caught too late for success *The slime (Mucous) coat is weak on the Plecs. This MUST be improved, and proper mineralization such as calcium, magnesium and salts are important for this. Although salts can be hard on Plecs, I have used salt at 1 teaspoon per gallon with success and there are university studies to back up the use of salt for limited periods for Plecs and other members of ther extended "fish family" *Choice of medication; make sure to use an effecive treatment for Ich such as SeaChem ParaGuard. Also Quick Cure (although harsher), and Medicated Wonder Shells (which are safer, but quite as strong). *Water parameters; This is a VERY important and often missed aspect of Ich treatment, especially when sensitive fish are involved (like Clown Loaches, which can be one of the most difficult fish to treat for Ich). If you ammonia/nitrites are high, this will make treatment nearly impossible. Also many aquarists do not realize that pH and Calcium levels have a direct impact on how effectivee AND how toxic a medication such as Malachite Green can be (especially those who do not understand how Malachite Green works). Your pH should be over 7.2 and you MUST have a GH over 100 (200 is better) for Malachite Green based treatments to be their most effective (and least toxic). I would recommend reading this article as well: Aquarium Ich; Treatment, Prevention, LifecycleCarl |
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Sept 22, 2008 14:18:20 GMT -5
Wow, firehamster! 20 plecos in 6 months?? I hope you are exaggerating.... If not, I would certainly stop buying plecos from wherever you have been shopping.
Treating a tank for ich is as simple as raising the temperature of the water to 86 and keeping it there for 10 days. Using this method eliminates any problems with certain fish being sensitive to medications. You can add a little salt to the tank, that always helps inhibit ich too.
The ich parasite cannot and does not reproduce at temps over 85 degrees. So you will not get any new parasites. The life cycle of the ich parasite is 7 days. So you keep the temp up for 10 days and all of the little ichies will perish of "old age."
I have treated tanks many times with this method over the years and it has always worked for me. I have not had an ich outbreak in in my species or community tanks in years. The only place I see it now is in my quarantine tank when I purchase an already infected fish from a retail or wholesale outlet.
Be sure to add an extra air stone when raising the temperature, warm water holds much less oxygen than cooler water does.
Another benefit of the heat treatment is that you do not have to remove the carbon from your filter during the treatment.
Also, heat does not kill off your beneficial bacteria like some medications.
8 (John)
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Post by bikeguy33 on Sept 22, 2008 17:26:30 GMT -5
wow...that was great john....i have never treated ich by temp alone.what a great idea for the more sensetive fish....
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Post by firehamster on Sept 22, 2008 20:17:48 GMT -5
I can not find bristlenose around my are. I can find all kinds from many stores I have tried 4 stores so far and not a pleco one is hanging in. LOL when I lived in NC I could not kill a pleco if I wanted to. Those things lived forever on me. Now I am clue less is to what to do. What els can I do besideds the insain numbers of scrubings and what not to get rid of this horibal algea.
Fire Hamster
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Post by murdock6701 on Sept 22, 2008 20:45:12 GMT -5
8, my man, you are a novel and sensible assett - makes great sense however, bear in mind that not all species are meant to bear 86 degrees for 10 days are they? wouldn't this chuck most live bearers? I increase water temps when I want breeding to occur, but not that high? wouldn't the stress of breeding impair the abilities of the raised temps to work? I'm new on this approach, just curious and concerned for it's affects on all fish - if I'm being ingnorant please Kick My Butt! no offense implied or taken, just trying to logistically figure this one out - makes perfect sense, just wonder how it applies to all species under all circumstances?
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Post by bikeguy33 on Sept 22, 2008 20:55:44 GMT -5
most cichlids can handle 86....not good for the long term tho....
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Post by Carl on Sept 22, 2008 21:16:24 GMT -5
I can not find bristlenose around my are. I can find all kinds from many stores I have tried 4 stores so far and not a pleco one is hanging in. LOL when I lived in NC I could not kill a pleco if I wanted to. Those things lived forever on me. Now I am clue less is to what to do. What els can I do besideds the insain numbers of scrubings and what not to get rid of this horibal algea. Fire Hamster Maybe consider the Oto Catfish or Siamese Algae Eater? Heat can and does work (I especially like it for fish that use electrical navigation such as Ghost Knives), but it is not without its drawbacks; *for one I have seen the Ich survive and come back after heat treatments *As already noted, without increased aeration, this can lead to severe oxygen depletion is fish that are already stressed by oxygen loss from the Ich parasite. This can become a real problem in planted aquariums where plants deplete oxygen when the lights are off (when CO2 is being used it is best turned off during this treatment). *I have noted fish such as Clown Loaches not survive the heat method while they have survived other methods The Aquarium Ich Article has a section about this method Aquarium Ich; Treatment, Prevention, LifecycleCarl |
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Sept 24, 2008 21:10:40 GMT -5
8, my man, you are a novel and sensible assett - makes great sense however, bear in mind that not all species are meant to bear 86 degrees for 10 days are they? wouldn't this chuck most live bearers? just trying to logistically figure this one out - makes perfect sense, just wonder how it applies to all species under all circumstances? Good point, that would make a great subject for further study by someone with more resources than I. I do not recall having treated livebearers with the heat method. My primary interest these days are the smaller cichlids of the rift lakes and the west African rivers. I would think, however that most tropical fish (even the Central and northern South Americans) could stand the elevated temp for the length of time it takes to end the ich life cycle. I actually have not had an ich outbreak in one of my species or community tanks in years. I have had a couple fish present while they were in my quarantine tank waiting to be put into one of the other tanks, but these were cured with the heat method before moving them. I have some mixed fancy guppies, maybe I will raise the temp in their tank and see how they fare at various temperatures and report back to everyone on the results. You guys won't turn me in to PETA, will you? As far as medications, I actually only use nox-ich as a net dip now just as a prophylactic measure. With lots of tanks it is cost prohibitive to have a different net for each tank. 8 |
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Post by firehamster on Sept 25, 2008 1:54:05 GMT -5
WAAAAA I have 6 tanks total and some how I think I have about 2 dozen nets lol I do not have a clue as to how I got so many. Me and siames algea eaters do not mix. LOL I have not ever seen an oto I will keep my eyes out cause this algea is driving me mad. I swear I feel like I clean my tanks daily just to get rid of it ack. LOL just cleaned them today. Now if I only had a way to get rid of that green icky stuff id be fine. I do not want to have to brake down and get algea destory I know what that stuff does. Not only does it kill the algea it also kills all your good bactira I cant have that either. ERRR. Looks like I got some fish hunting to do and some a chance to invint to news to kill algea.
Fire Hamster
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Post by Carl on Sept 25, 2008 9:20:42 GMT -5
I wish you good luck! Here is a picture of an Oto Catfish:  Carl |
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Post by demfish on Sept 25, 2008 10:29:50 GMT -5
I love my Otto's! Make sure you get a least 2, but 3 is better.
Mystery snails are good also, and I think there kinda cute the way they cruise around the tank ;D I have a bunch wish I could send you a few. But have no idea on how?
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Post by eve on Sept 25, 2008 12:48:07 GMT -5
what kind of algae do you have in your tank anyway?
some other things i would like to ask:
♥ what fish do you have in your tank
♥ which plecos did you try
♥ what are the water parameters , pH out of the tab
♥ temperature of the tanks
♥ light cycle, how long on and how long off
♥ how do you put the plecos in, meaning how do you acclimate them
(john, 8 would you mind writing up your acclimatization article again for here? that would be awesome)
♥ where do you buy your plecos and how big are they when you do
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Sept 25, 2008 13:05:28 GMT -5
(john, 8 would you mind writing up your acclimatization article again for here? that would be awesome) Eve, I will post it as a separate item in General Discussion, you guys can move it to wherever you think it will do the most good. 8 John |
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Post by eve on Sept 25, 2008 13:48:42 GMT -5
(john, 8 would you mind writing up your acclimatization article again for here? that would be awesome) Eve, I will post it as a separate item in General Discussion, you guys can move it to wherever you think it will do the most good. 8 John thanks john, i'm sure someone will move it in the right location  |
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Post by firehamster on Sept 25, 2008 23:17:12 GMT -5
OK NOW IM PISSED I just spent 30 mins typing a post just to not be aloud to post it this is getting old to fast.
The run of the meal algea no clumps no hair no black no brown just the gree that grows on glass plants and ornaments. one tank 2 4/12 jack dempses mating pair even. just lost my cat lastnight. the other tank one jack one big blue guy one kribinsis and some torquos guy and a loach with a 20 some letter name. I have tried the run of the meal pleco and the sail fin pleco its all I can find around here. My ph I run from 7.5 to 8.0 water out of tap is 7.5. Temps are around 75 to 80. lights are from 11 am to 11pm. I get my plecos at aquotics unlimited 3 inches. I usualy leave my fish in the bag 5 mins add water and repeat for 20 mins. I do not know why this is happening to me. When I lived in north carolina I had no problems LOL. This is just redicules I thing wi. fish just dont cut it very well. I hope something starts working out for me i am so sick of this algea.
Fire Hamster
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Post by firehamster on Sept 25, 2008 23:19:44 GMT -5
BTW I forgot to mintion I do not put the fishes water in my tanks I know better. LOL not in a million years would I do so.
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Post by sammiesam on Sept 26, 2008 14:24:57 GMT -5
I was gunna say, maybe they're all dying because of the treatment you were using for ich. Plecos are sensitive, as already stated.
Warning with the otos, as much as I love them I lose them faster than I would a pleco, maybe its just me, but they are one temperamental fish to acclimate. They are usually in a very weak state when the pet stores receive them. I once got a batch of 7 of them and within two days I was down to 2. But once they get used to the tank and all the moving and all that fun stuff they are really easy to care for.
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Post by firehamster on Sept 26, 2008 20:15:27 GMT -5
I use quick cure. It has usualy not ever given me this kind of problem. It has not usually killed my plecos. I find it odd in Wi. I cant keep a pleco if I tried lol in North Carolina they were so hardy it was not funny I could not get rid of them if I wanted to. LOL what gives. It must be freak pleco city here.
Fire Hamster
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