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Aurora_Bell · Jun 7, 2011, 10:24 AM

I am pretty sure my fish have Ick, they have the white salt like spots all over them, and have recently lost 4-5 fish in one day! Including my beautiful year old angle fish. :( I have done a 20-25% water change last night and have treated the water with mela fix, and other water treatments (cycle and the nutrafin aquarium water treatment). My Gourami's are laying on the bottom of the tank with enlarged eyes. I have put some peas in the tank, as well as some aquarium salt and melafix, but I will not be able to get to the pet store until tomorrow at the earliest. I don't want to loose any more fish! Is there anything else I can do?

losttherace · Jun 7, 2011, 03:15 PM

http://www.savemysickfish.com/diseases/

Aurora_Bell · Jun 7, 2011, 03:37 PM

Thank you for the link, it was very helpful.

GZDZ · Jun 8, 2011, 09:23 AM

Super ick if you used salt, otherwise aquarisol. Ick has a 5-7 day life cycle and as the cysts are born the 7 day treatment kills all of them. Raising the temp quickens their life cycle. 85 is recommended.

Aurora_Bell · Jun 8, 2011, 03:02 PM

I've used salt and it turns out probably too much, AND I have read most fish don't like ANY salt, such as Angel fish :( So I'm probably the reason he died. Do you know if Gouarmi's and platy's like salt?

GZDZ · Jun 8, 2011, 06:03 PM

They will probably tolerate it better than angels and tetras. Do water changes to get the salt down.

Aurora_Bell · Jun 14, 2011, 04:05 AM

So I am pretty sure my Ich is gone, I am now down to 3 fish :( Can I use the same carbon that I took out? It's BRAND new and was only in the tank for about a week, if that. My water has VERY high levels of iron, what should I do o neutralize this for the fish?

GZDZ · Jun 14, 2011, 05:22 AM

Yes you can keep the carbon. Did you test the water for iron? Normal iron levels will be detoxified with a water conditioner that also removes metals. The use of Reverse osmosis is the best but of course the most costly.

Aurora_Bell · Jun 14, 2011, 11:23 AM

I've never had the water tested, but I know there are high iron levels due to the condition of my toilette bowl and other appliances. What do you mean by a water conditioner? Like the normal conditioner that I use to treat the water before water changes?

Aurora_Bell · Jun 14, 2011, 11:24 AM

How do you do a reverse osmosis?

GZDZ · Jun 14, 2011, 06:05 PM

Yes, the label should state it detoxifies metals. It's the regular water dechlorinator. You would have to buy a reverse osmosis unit.$$$$$ I'm too cheap to buy it myself, never used one in all these years. Just use the water conditioner, you'll be fine.

P.S. The calcium build up in you faucets etc comes from HARD water. Not sure if your iron would be high.

Aurora_Bell · Jun 14, 2011, 06:12 PM

It's like rust and stuff in the toilette bowls. When I pour a glass of water, it's brown. It's been tested for harmful things and it's potable I am pretty sure it's rust. I'll attach some pics later.

GZDZ · Jun 15, 2011, 05:26 AM

Is it well water or municipal? Is there a filter in the water line,if not, that might be all you need.

Aurora_Bell · Jun 15, 2011, 04:44 PM

It's well and the well is only 2 years old. I was pricing out water softeners and filters, but they are fairly expensive for a student. I don't think there is a filter in the water line.

GZDZ · Jun 15, 2011, 06:57 PM

I'm not that versed on wells. But if you are getting brown water it may be dirt. Maybe the well needs to be drilled deeper?
I would have a whole house filter installed in the water line. Once installed, all you do is change the filter cartridge every so often. Depending on how much it's filtering out. Check them out at Lowe's o Home Depot.