thatpurplebunny Posted December 17, 2007 Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 I noticed that my serpaes had kind of ragged fins/tails when I got them, and assumed that they'd been chomped by others. Though on closer inspection today it looks like one has an actual tear in it's dorsal fin, and after many hours of reading trough the 'disease' forum I'm thinking that maybe what I'm looking at is in fact fin rot (or perhaps I'm just paranoid, but please read on). I also noticed that one of my clown loaches has a similar white/raggedy edge to the tail that I'm positive wasn't there when I bought him just yesterday. So I mentioned to my daughter that I read about adding salt tonic to the tank and she offered me the last of what was in the container that came with her tropical tank (only 2 tablespoons), but I'm cautious to add it before I get some advice from here. It's probably not enough to make any difference given the ratio to water, but then probably wouldn't hurt either? If it's recommended I will definitely buy some and have it mailed out to me. Likewise I don't have a ph testing kit, so I really have no idea what is going on with the water (bad I know) - but I did a 20% water change today, and plan on doing that weekly (or more often). So any advice in regards to raggedy tail syndrome & salt tonic would be very much appreciated. And if you happen to have an opinion on what is the best (mail order - read TM) water testing kit is the best (ph/aquachem/master set) - well that would be helpful too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 17, 2007 Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 Welcome to The Fishroom and the joys of fish keeping. Keeping the water as best quality you can is the answer. Clown loaches need very good water conditions so if yours are not, they will be the first to show it with an outbreak of whitespot disease. They will look like they have been sprinkled with salt. The other fish may have fin rot or may just have been nibbled while in the shop tanks so I would not go adding anything to the water until things have settled down and you have a better idea of whether it is finrot or nibbles. You will be on bore or well water I assume and I also assume you are in or near Takaka? It would be interesting to check the pH of your tap water as I suspect it will be alkaline. Fish can cope with a wide range of pH generally speaking. It is pH swings they don't like as the new fish keeper tries to raise or lower it to match what the books and Net sites say are the "right" conditions. Don't do this! Keep up the regular water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatpurplebunny Posted December 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 Ok, thanks Caryl. I've just ordered a master test kit so I can see exactly what is going on in all the tanks, and will do the tap water too. I'm in Central Takaka, so yes, it comes from a pump station in a paddock just up the road. Plus I'll definitely keep a close eye on my loaches. Can you tell me how quickly the white spot spreads from "what's that dot on my fish's back?" to "that fish is in serious trouble!"? Just thinking that if they do someday succumb to it, maybe I should get the salt (which is kind of cheap) just to know I have some ready and available. Also (I hope you don't mind me picking your brain) do you think it would be a good idea to set up the 30ltr tank as a quarantine for new stock, or is that not really necessary? ~Clare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 17, 2007 Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 It always pays to have a quarantine tank but no need to keep it set up permanently. I like to have a spare internal filter in my main tank. This can be pulled out and added to a Q tank if required (along with water from the main tank) Whitespot spreads fast on clown loaches (within hours sometimes). They are also sensitive to medications so they must be used in half doses I think (don't have them myself). Have a read of this http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile13.html Might be something helpful here as well http://aquaweb.pair.com/forums/archives ... read=14781 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatpurplebunny Posted December 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 Cheers for the links I just took another look at the loaches and one definitely has three tiny white dots that weren't there at 7am this morning! So I mixed the little salt we did have with water from the tank and added it (it was the green variety so my water now looks hideous), turned the heaters up to 28deg - and ordered some salt that probably won't get here until Friday (fingers crossed that's not too late!). Poor tetras - I hope they don't mind the extra heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 18, 2007 Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 Salt shouldn't make the water turn green. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatpurplebunny Posted December 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 It seems to come in white or green - though I can't for the life of me work out why. This is the kind she had: http://www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=120&name=Aquarium+Science+Aquarium+Salt+Green+250g and there was only 2 tablespoons left, so I hate to imagine what it would do if I added the recommended amount for 130ltrs (6 tablespoons). I've gone from this: http://i8.tinypic.com/6y3ahzo.jpg To this: http://i15.tinypic.com/6xtqfdf.jpg *eek, I've read the rules and got the size right, but not sure how to get pics under the kb limit, so I'll only post image links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 18, 2007 Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 Can't help you there as I never add anything to my tanks if I can help it and have never used aquarium salts. Perhaps someone else has used them and can offer advice or comments. Note that raising the temp will not get rid of the whitespot, it justs speeds up their life cycle so helps get rid of it more quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatpurplebunny Posted December 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Noted The water looks much better now since I'm doing a water change every second day - complete with a gravel vacuum. I've also so far added half the salt as per the 2Tx20ltr recommendation, adding another T each day, and putting back what I take out with water changes - will do this up to 6 for my 130ltr tank, unless I notices changes in any of the fishes behaviours. And I have 2x Aqua One 100wat heaters set on 28, but the thermometer reads 30, so I'll just leave that as it is. I'm happy to say every fish in the tank looks happy and healthy! Only one spot left on each of the loaches, both swimming normally, interactive and sucking down blood worms with the rest of the community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz_Nomad Posted January 2, 2008 Report Share Posted January 2, 2008 Salt shouldn't make the water turn green. :-? Unless it's "medicated" and contains Malachite Green? Though I have never seen medicated salt before. Malachite Green - isn't that what's used for whitespot anyway? Was the salt sold as a whitespot specific medication? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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