Cath

Would anyone have some?

Ok Shae I'm going with the salt Thanks again Cheers Cath

Actually Alan, that's a good point. I wondering whether it is just the temperature that kills because I know that white spot can only survive between a fairly narrow range of temp. It has all disappeared from the fish so far and all I have done is increase the temp to 29* (couldn't quite make 30. I also increased aeration. Today I will be able to get into town. I think I'll get a proper white spot medication. I have a feeling doing anything with salt might just require an expertise I don't have, however I have saved this advice and will use it in tanks I get in the future that are perhaps not quite so well planted! Thank you both of you, any advice is much appreciated! Cheers

I thought the betta we get here are nz bred! I've never had problems with them in a community tank - more a case of protecting them. However I have no idea about discus but can't see there would be a problem. They do well in a well planted tank at 28* Also have just recently learned the value of a little quarantine tank - having had an outbreak of whitespot from recently introduced plants! Good luck

OK thanks alanmin, I'll give it a go, slowing them up isn't a prob, the tank is a jungle! Cheers Cath

riiight so does this mean I'll be killing them all off?

this is so interesting - so does the salt actually kill the bug itself? Why do people use the chemical treatments over this? I have had the temp up for 48 hours so am slowly lowering it again as well, the fish all look good now but will still do the treatment Thanks so much again Cheers

Thank you both so much. I'll try the salt treatment since the water temp is up there and I really would prefer not to use chemicals. So far the fish are doing well and the white spot is not so prevelant so I am assuming the higher temp is working some. Cheers

ok the temp has been increased to 28* I've had it there for several days now I tried to get it to 30* but it wouldn't go any higher. IN a tank that is 80cm x 40 x 40 how much rock salt would you add - thanks in advance

I was given formalin by the LFS for white spot and as they had nothing else I took it but I want to check with you guys about its useage? Is this an ok thing to use? Will it kill the plants? Can I dose the whole tank with it etc Cheers

Thank you guys for your help here. I thought I'd try the temp thing but the thermometor seems to be one that only gets to 28* so there it is. I can't get into town till tomorrow to get more remedy but you can be sure I'll be hitting it hard when I do. IN the mean time no other fish have it yet and the rams, and the neons, apart from those horrid white spots, look full of life. There's no way I'll let this beat me, what a pain, now I realise the importance of a quaratine tank, I think I was very lucky with the fish shop in Masterton where they had a rigorous quarantine regulations and I never got anything bad from them.

Well there was me bragging about never having had to use chemicals and all of a sudden for the first time since having fish - over a year now- I got the dreaded white spot in 2 of neons and in my 2 beautiful rams! As soon as I saw it I borrowed some of the brooklends treatment from a friend, tossed 80 drops into my 80cm x 40 x40 tank watched it go dark and left it for 3 days at 29". Today I've cleaned the tank and done a water change. The white spot is still on the fish. They all look bright enough but how long does it take to dissappear and when should I dose the tank again. As the tank is heavily planted it's not feasible to take the plants out - I gather the bug harbours itself in the plants. Have I given them enough? Is there a more effective cure??? Can I have some chocolate now? Cheers and thanks in advance

Some things to remember about bettas is that A. they like a warmer temp than most community tanks - 28* and B. they like lots of plants and quiet tank mates. Cheers

Your six year old son is a genius! Where did you get him from? (just kidding) Glad to hear you have a nice big tank for them - always a relief to hear, poor old goldfish seem to suffer a lot through small tanks. Cheers

Thanks Vimmer, it's a sef portrait and alanetc that is the best advice I've read anywhere. Thank you for that I thought I was doing it right as have not lost any fish however it's good to get it confirmed by an expert :lol: Cheers

Hmmm am looking aghast at the list of chemicals you guys use. I started my tank with just plants for 3 weeks, then slowly added fish. I've never used chemicals of any type - admittedly I'm lucky because we have rain water here. The tank (80cm x40cm) is always clear - frequent water changes and the fish are very active (10neons, 10 glowlights, 2 rams, 2 bristlenoses, 4 corydoras, 10 danios - 5 longfinned zebras and 5 pearls) I am wanting to add 2 more rams and maybe a pair of fighters - would this be too much?

That's a great photograph - how did you take that? Have you got a decent sized tank for him? and is there room for a mate - he might be lonely in there :lol:

Hair nets have the added advantage in that if you need a new hairstyle, you can uplift the riccia filled hairnet and attach it to your head. Could be the new black...

I'm using a plain old hair net tied firmly over the riccia over a rock, it works a treat

I believe the main difference between Koi carp and goldfish is thet Koi s[peak Cantonese and Manderin, the common old goldfish just speak Manderin.

he he, I gather Alan means you can gather earth worms just after you've had a shower - it's to do with not offending their sense of smell.

I had a pair of fighters in my main community tank, they did brilliantly and got on very well with all other fish - including guppies and dwarf gouramis.

You could try some frozen bloodworms and also if you can get it live daphnia. I get mine from the horse trough and strain it through a sieve and wash it. All the fish love them.

How cool. I'm not sure about the dwarf cichlids all getting along together but I can't see why not however I know a planted tank looks great but I've seen some awesome Cichlid set ups using rocks and driftwood. Some of the sturdier grasses might work too.

I get daphnia live out of the horse trough (after rinsing it through a sieve. They go bezerk over it and boy are they just fat and happy! Also they eat flake goldfish food, bloodworms and really just about anything I put in the tank. However the daphnia is the thing - all the fish just love it! and it's fun watching them display the natural hunt and catch behaviour - wish I could say the same for my cats. (furry mamalian cats that is)