White spots on Oscar fin?
- Thread starter Murphster
- Start date
Ich!
The spots do appear to be spreading on the pectorals (thank you) and also I see a small spot on the fin behind the pecs. If it is ich, I have several questions maybe someone will help with.
I understand medicating can kill off the biological filter and cause the tank to cycle. True? If so, do I need to set up a hospital tank?
If I set up a hospital tank, is a 10g large enough for an 8" Oscar?
If I set up a hosp tank, how long medicating for ich before the fish is cured? In other words, how long will the fish need to be in the tank?
What is most recommended treatment for ich?
How is it likely he contracted it and how do I avoid it in the future?
A lot of questions and I appreciate your patience.
The spots do appear to be spreading on the pectorals (thank you) and also I see a small spot on the fin behind the pecs. If it is ich, I have several questions maybe someone will help with.
I understand medicating can kill off the biological filter and cause the tank to cycle. True? If so, do I need to set up a hospital tank?
If I set up a hospital tank, is a 10g large enough for an 8" Oscar?
If I set up a hosp tank, how long medicating for ich before the fish is cured? In other words, how long will the fish need to be in the tank?
What is most recommended treatment for ich?
How is it likely he contracted it and how do I avoid it in the future?
A lot of questions and I appreciate your patience.
It sounds like you have an Ich breakout. Depending on the other types of fish in your tank, I would raise the temperature to about 82 and start treating them with 'Ick Cure'. It comes in a small bottle and you add two drops per each gallon in your tank. You would have to take out the carbon in your filter though. I treated for a full 7 days, but my fish were much better within two days.
also u can try e.m tablets after u jack ur temp to 82, and yes take out the carbon.(i just lost a paroon shark to ick because i neglectied it 
)
)Thanks for the info. I probably should have posted this in the newbie section as I've never delt with ich before and I do appreciate the help. I've since gone back and read some previous threads concerning ich and see that increased temp and salt can be a remedy as some of you have mentioned.
I've also read that salt is really bad for Coreys and I have two of them. I also have a Pleco. Will salt in the concentrations required to deal with ich harm them? - Wait! Perhaps I can quarantine the Coreys and treat the main tank. Any thoughts from people who have dealt with this?
Thanks!
I've also read that salt is really bad for Coreys and I have two of them. I also have a Pleco. Will salt in the concentrations required to deal with ich harm them? - Wait! Perhaps I can quarantine the Coreys and treat the main tank. Any thoughts from people who have dealt with this?
Thanks!
Quarantining does no good once ich is introduced into the tank. It will attach to the gills out of site, and continue to live in the tank until stress allows it to get the upper hand again.
Pleco's and cories will do fine with salt for the time it takes to kill ich. IMO they will do much better with salt than with meds. Meds tend to be very hard on smooth skinned fish like cories.
Make sure ich is what you are dealing with. It looks like raised grains of salt on your fish. If it doesn't fit this description it isn't ich.
If it is ich read up on the life cycle and treat long enough to kill it off permanently, then use a q-tank for any new arrivals to prevent re-introduction later. Here is one article, there are many as well as a lot of threads here.
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml
Lastly, cories with an Oscar is a dissaaster waiting to happen. cories are hard to swallow, and when ( there is no "if") your Oscar tries to eat them it will most likely kill the cory and the Oscar both.
dave
Pleco's and cories will do fine with salt for the time it takes to kill ich. IMO they will do much better with salt than with meds. Meds tend to be very hard on smooth skinned fish like cories.
Make sure ich is what you are dealing with. It looks like raised grains of salt on your fish. If it doesn't fit this description it isn't ich.
If it is ich read up on the life cycle and treat long enough to kill it off permanently, then use a q-tank for any new arrivals to prevent re-introduction later. Here is one article, there are many as well as a lot of threads here.
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml
Lastly, cories with an Oscar is a dissaaster waiting to happen. cories are hard to swallow, and when ( there is no "if") your Oscar tries to eat them it will most likely kill the cory and the Oscar both.
dave
Yikes!
Thanks, daveedka. The cories are hold overs from a previous smaller tank and are very old. I knew there time would come with the oscar. What I didn't know is that it might kill the oscar as well! I'm very greatful for the tip. Perhaps I need to set up my smaller tank for the cories to live out the remainder of there days in peace. The oscar dosn't bother them at all now but I'm certain that will not remain the case.
As for the potential ich, these look more like odd shaped patches - sort of outlined, not a raised grain of salt. Any ideas?
Again, thanks so much for the advice on the cories.
Thanks, daveedka. The cories are hold overs from a previous smaller tank and are very old. I knew there time would come with the oscar. What I didn't know is that it might kill the oscar as well! I'm very greatful for the tip. Perhaps I need to set up my smaller tank for the cories to live out the remainder of there days in peace. The oscar dosn't bother them at all now but I'm certain that will not remain the case.
As for the potential ich, these look more like odd shaped patches - sort of outlined, not a raised grain of salt. Any ideas?
Again, thanks so much for the advice on the cories.