RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 My poor ghost knife isn't so well. Hes still swimming around really fine and eating etc. But under his lateral fins he has white patches almost like flaking skin. And a patch further up his side as well. Water parameters are: Nitrate 0 Nitrite 0 pH 6. - 6.4 - which it has always been for the last year we have had him. Cant seem to get it higher and I would prefer it to be stable that up and down. Ammonia 0 - .10 I will try and get a photo I just need to recharge my battery All other fish are fine that I can see. I am about to do a water change just to be on the safe side. Then will put in some melafix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 what are the tank mates ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 2 Discus 1 GBA 1 Bristlenose 2 Synodontis 1 L066? Tiger Pleco 2 Lace Gouramis 4 Red finned tetras - Not sure their actual name they are rather big and like a diamond silver with red fins Tank is planted and about 286L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 i had a vermiculated syno strip the mucus layer off my bgk not saying it is so in your case just relating an experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Did they show signs of aggression before hand? My synos have their cave each and stay there really. Not sure if that would be the problem.. What kind of shape was the patches in or was it full body? Camera is nearly charged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 done after lights out started as patches then got worse, tried allsorts of treatment too late when i realised what was happening can you seperate fish out or put in its own tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Here are some photos. He also has a patch further down his body nearer his tail.. But this guy is not camera shy at all so when trying to photograph him its always his head area. Ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 just my opinion but that looks like mechanical damage of some description may have scraped it somewhere in tank or something else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Oh please now that I have photos if anyone can help. We dont wanna loose this guy. We brought him spur of the moment one day cause we were concerned ghost knifes as they got older would eat our tetras etc... He was about 10cm and now hes nearly 40cm now and has never hurt a single fish he is so awesome ... His name is Umaga - after his colours ha thanks to my partner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 It is slightly flaking aswell - the photo doesnt reall show it. Mechanical damage ummm could that be his tunnel he is in its ones of those big resin tree hollow things - well actually he takes up 2 of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 heater burn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Oh also to add... The photo makes it looks super white it is slightly white and then the outter area fades to a greyish white Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I dont think it would be heater burn - I have my driftwood set around it so my discus and Umaga cant get around the back to the heater. That is where the GBA hangs out With heater burn aswell would it have all those white lines spreading off it? I dont have another tank big enough for him to go in and I dont think it is contagious well atleast im hoping not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 the white lines look like scrape marks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 So... I thinki t maybe that too. What can I do to heal it faster? Melafix, stress coat, what else? Should I remove what could be scrapping him? In that case he will still need a tunnel so where can I get a nice looking one but without the edges? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Ok so its not my night with fish. I was doing a water change and thought I turned off the heater but I didn't flick the switch fully so it was still on. and we all know heaters without water smash. Which is what it did, it cracked I got it all out but I do want to know if there is anything in the heater that may have leaked into my fish tank. .... Ha its just one of those days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 So... I thinki t maybe that too. What can I do to heal it faster? Melafix, stress coat, what else? Should I remove what could be scrapping him? In that case he will still need a tunnel so where can I get a nice looking one but without the edges? water changes...a lot of water changes. and a small quantity of salt. do not add 2 table spoons per litre, or a standard measure like that. a small quantity will suffice. stress coat helps too. keep those filters running. do the white patches resemble a chemical burn... caused by say an overdose of flourish"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 It could possibly be flourish I have started using that the last couple weeks. But i just put the smallest amount on the area of concern. With flourish wouldn't it fray the fins first? His fins are fine theres just those patches. Im not sure if thats what Umaga has though? Maybe it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 nahh not with the ghosts... the exact same thing happened to my ghost... down to the tee... they are quite sensitive to flourish - but if you used the tiniest amount of flourish then it may indicate that his slime coat had deteriorated before hand for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Oh ok. It was used on the top of his cave though. I use the eye dropper thing out of my old testing kit. Ok so did your ghost live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 yeah.. he did the first time round... was completely covered in it... so i did water changes every day..(50%).. and i went though stress coat like it grew on trees... also medicated the tank with acriflavine and quinine so no infections would take hold.... it worked in the end... he died a year later cause of some weird mystery disease that I still haven't been able to figure out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 oh ok. So i've never put salt in my tank, how much should I put in? Will my other fish be ok with it? WHat kind of salt do I use? Thanks so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 i use rock salt or aquarium salt, and not the normal table salt.... some ppl say that iodised salt is fine for the aquarium - but i dont use it... better off using rock salt. in 286L id add a handful + a bit more or so of that stuff... I dont do accurate measurements .. sorry. but dont add something like 2tsp per liter - you only want to stimulate the slime coat to grow back. If anyone thinks im mistaken im sure they will correct me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 We are also going to buy him a new cave - not that the one he has is small but im sure he would appreciate a bigger one. Do I need to dissolve the salt first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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