Loaches Online Forum

Hi,

I'm not going to be much help describing the problem, I know you're going to ask for a photo....and I'm USELESS at doing this!!

But.....I added some sand to their tank about a week ago and a couple of days later I noticed that Peter had what looked like grains of sand on top of his head.

I looked again today, and I'm afraid it looks a little worse. He tends to be quite shy, so I don't get to see him out at the front every day I'm afraid.

It really does just look like grains of a very pale/white'ish sand. Peter is a pale Loach [my other one is very dark] and I wasn't too worried when I first saw it...but now I am.

I read that Melafix is OK to put in their tank, so [having none in at the moment] I've put several drops of Tea Tree in .

I hope I've done the right thing.

I look forward to any ideas that anyone has please??

Thanks,

K-K x.

EDIT: Just read on a previous post about salt - I didn't think you could put salt in with Weather Loaches....I have Pond Tonic Salt that I use in nearly all the rest of my tanks....but never in with the Loaches. Can I use/will it be of any help at the moment? Again - thanks x.

EDIT x 2!: Well....I went to sort out some frozen food and found a bottle of Melafix! So....I've added a teaspoon and got a better look at Peter....I'd call it 'wart-like' - it looks dry [if that makes sense].

I do a 25% water change every week [I'll do it twice weekly now] and I tested the water for :

Nitrite : 0 ppm.

Nitrate : 5 ppm.

Ammonia : 0 ppm - although it does look slightly as ' A trace' - but mine always does. When I move the Ammonia Alert around to check, it always shows as 0 ppm.

Just getting a little worried, so I thought I'd better give a bit more information!!

I have Mickey [he's about 6 years old] - we adopted him in the tank he's still in. He was with a rather large Black Moor, who now lives with some of our other Fancies in a 500 litre. We bought three more, to keep Mickey company, but two escaped -we've since moved them out and taken the filter box out [one got trapped in that, and the other used it to get out of the tiniest hole just above the box], and then put them back in. The only survivor of these three is Peter, he must be about one I would think.

They live in the Juwel 120 that Mickey came in, with a Tetra-Tec 700 external filter and a small internal [as back-up]. They also have a dual out-put pump, two caves, other smooth stones [they like to wind themselves around!], moss balls and plants. I feed them JMC Cat Fish Pellets, Hikari Wafers and each evening a little frozen food or peas.

I now use a plastic Chop Stick every other day to 'fork-out' the sand [we had problems with their previous sand].

I hope I've given enough information.

Thanks...I do hope somebody can help, K-K x.

Sounds like Ich.

Salt can kill Ich, Melafix or Tea Tree oil will not.

Melafix is the version of Tea Tree oil that will mix with water. Tea Tree oil sold for other purposes may or may not mix with the water.

Read the items at the top of this forum about Ich.

Hi Diana, thanks for that.

I've got an Anti White Spot treatment in [we bought a goldy who, two days later, showed signs of Ich]....it worked for him/her....that was a couple of months ago and I cleaned everything in a mild solution of Miltons.

I'm always really wary of medications - I've nearly lost two fish using them [and a smaller dose than recommended].

It doesn't say anywhere that I can't use it for Loaches....but I'll wait until the morning and ring an Aqautic Centre and make sure first.

In the directions from Graeme, he says NOT to add salt though. I assume this piece of advice still stands?

Thank you...I wouldn't have thought of Ich...it looks totally different to the Goldies 'white spots'.

The only reason I keep the bottle of Tea Tree in was from a piece of advice from a Fish Forum.....I didn't realise it may not be suitable - we live and learn!!

Thanks again,

K-K x.

What is the active ingredient in the White Spot treatment? And what concentration?
Goldfish vary from quite tolerant of meds (the wild type of Gold) to more sensitive (Fancy golds).
Most Loaches are quite sensitive. I know people on this forum have used Rid Ich by Kordon successfully for Ich on Loaches.
Compare the ingredients and % with the product you have on hand.

The issue of salt is controversial. It seems that even 'salt sensitive' fish can handle low levels (enough to kill Ich) for short time, as long as the level is raised slowly. For example:
1 teaspoon per 10 gallons on the first day, added slowly, spread out over several hours.
1 teaspoon per 10 gallons on the second day, added slowly, spread out over several hours.
1 teaspoon per 10 gallons on the third day, added slowly, spread out over several hours.
By the end of the third day the dose is 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons, which is enough to kill Ich, but seems to be accepted by most fish.

Do plenty of water changes. Emphasize vacuuming the floor of the tank. Ich falls off the fish to breed, and lands on the substrate and other surfaces. Vacuuming will not remove them all, but can remove quite a few, hopefully before they breed.

Ultra Violet sterilizer will kill Ich, if all the water in the tank goes through it often enough so the Ich is killed before it lands on the fish. A good water flow pattern is easier in a bare bottom tank. This is easier for vacuuming, too. You can add salt with UV, but not other meds. UV can break down some meds.

Hi,

I am trying to post a photograph of Peter.....and I'm totally lost as to how to do it!! I've got my camera plugged into the computor, but I just can't see how to do it!!

Is there anybody around who can help me please?

The 'growth' looks bigger I think....it looks a bit like a wart.

Thanks. K-K x.