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  L# Bubbling Treasure Chests a Death Trap...
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SubscribeBubbling Treasure Chests a Death Trap...
davyboy
Fingerling
Posts: 24
Kudos: 27
Votes: 10
Registered: 17-Jan-2011
male canada ca-alberta
Okay I'm going to start off by saying that my tank is now sick due to one of those treasure chests that bubble air throughout. It had a tendency to 'bounce' slightly whenever it was full enough with bubbles to open the lid and release them. My danio's liked it and would swim into or around the bubbles playfully when they floated to the surface, and my fiance loved it as they (her parents many many years ago, they recently gave us their fish stuff) had it set up and she loved the chest. So I gave in and put it in for her, and kind of enjoyed watching the danio's play around with it. Well recently three of my fish mysteriously vanished, a guppy female, a gold danio, and a zebra danio. Well two days of searching later the gold danio magically re-appeared at the morning feeding time. The third day the zebra danio appeared stuck in the top of the filter water (which he wasn't before as I had pulled out the filters and checked them and it wasn't there before). And on day four I finally got fed up and pulled all the ornaments out with the intent to search the bottom and vacuum my gravel as it was about time to do so. Well when I pulled up the chest, the female guppy had managed to swim under the chest as it 'bounced' opening up to let the bubbles up and couldn't get herself out. She had slowly managed to rot under there for FOUR days before I found her, and now my male swordtail got sick (started seeming depressed and swimming slower and eventually bolting to the top of the tank a few times before just floating dead), and now I've done a few partial water changes to clean out the water and one of my danio's has a moderate-bad case of ich.

Now comes the question, my water levels have been tested and all been good. I've dealt with ich before sometimes successfully, sometimes... With not so desirable results...

I've always had about a quarter to a third of the recommended amount of aquarium salt as a 'preventative measure' in my 'main' tank. I've got two 20 gallon filters on each side of the tank and a 100W heater in the middle back. It is a 29 gallon tank which is (general measurements) about 2.5' left to right, 1' front to back, and 1.5' bottom to top. I've now got an long air stone in the rear left side partially covered in gravel. I've recently bought copper to treat diseases, and am wondering what else people would recommend. I don't want a disaster again.

Right now I've started slowly increasing the temperature a degree every 6-12 hours, and am up to 82 degrees, (for the purpose of it makes the ich go to the stage where it is treatable faster.

P.S. if pictures of my set up are desired, let me know.
Post InfoPosted 18-Jan-2011 19:45Profile PM Edit Report 
FRANK
 
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Registered: 28-Dec-2002
male usa us-colorado
EditedEdited 18-Jan-2011 21:58
Hi,
It sounds like you are treating the tank correctly
for Ich. That is, you have increased the tank's
temperature, have increased the air flow into the tank
and thus the oxygen level and circulation. What you did
not mention was if you had removed ANY carbon from the
filters. Carbon will adsorbe the copper from the medication thus removing it from the water.

If you have removed the carbon and done all the other
things then all you have to do is continue to medicate
the tank for "at least" the length of time recommended
on the bottle.

You may want to also be sure the the filter intakes have
something (generally a plastic tube, closed at one end,
with small slots in the sides at the lower end of the
tubes) to prevent the fish from entering the filter
while allowing the water in. If you are going to have
guppies, you will also have to wrap a small thin sponge
around the slots to keep the babies out of the filter.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Post InfoPosted 18-Jan-2011 21:57Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
davyboy
Fingerling
Posts: 24
Kudos: 27
Votes: 10
Registered: 17-Jan-2011
male canada ca-alberta
Thanks frank, I do have the slotted ends on the filters so that fish cannot swim in, and I plan to put a cover on the ends when the guppies start to mate (most likely once the tank is healed). On this topic however, what kind of sponge would you recommend for this and what size (thickness)?

As for removing the carbon, it is removed and sitting waiting to be put in once treatment is completed.

Well if I just have to wait the time on the treatment (8 drops per 10 gallons the first day, repeat two days later, and let sit for 14 days); then I've just got another 15 days of waiting

That makes me a sad panda, my fish are sick and probably miserable, poor things...
Post InfoPosted 19-Jan-2011 01:29Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
FRANK
 
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Hi,
"They" make a thin foam sheet or patch that varies from
a quarter to an eighth of an inch thick. I'd get a piece
that is big enough to cover tube from above the slots down to the bottom of the slots. Wrap it around once with a
little overlap and then secure it with a couple of zip
ties. You will have to snip the ties off every week or
two to rinse off the sponge and then replace it.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Post InfoPosted 19-Jan-2011 06:58Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
davyboy
Fingerling
Posts: 24
Kudos: 27
Votes: 10
Registered: 17-Jan-2011
male canada ca-alberta
EditedEdited 19-Jan-2011 19:12
Okay thanks, I'll try to find some of that.

Also sad news, three of my danio's and one of my guppies were belly up this morning
Post InfoPosted 19-Jan-2011 19:11Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Small Fry with Ketchup
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Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
davyboy,
Sorry you lost your fish It's always a hard thing to pull fish from the tank.
Have you noticed a rotten egg smell from the tank at all? The bubbles from the treasure chest can sometimes get trapped (this is true with all ornaments and airstones) causing an anaerobic pocket which is a death sentence for the fish. I've had it happen before unfortunately with a sand substrate in the tank.

Is the treasure chest still in the tank? or has it been removed. Since it's a piece your wife likes, maybe have it near the tank? That's what I did with the ceramic "no fishing" sign I had that broke. Glued it back and stuck it on top of the tank.

Thing with ich is that it's a result of stress, fish tanks are already a delicate balance, and the reason treatment sometimes does not work is that the balance is so delicate that the medication kills off some of the beneficial bacteria and a keeper may not realize and act accordingly. Might see about picking up some Cycle or similar for dosing after your round of meds. Keeping the surface agitation up (as has been discussed) is really important with the higher temps. I'd make an effort to study the tank before lights on in the mornings to make sure none of the fish are gasping at the surface. I've used a few different ich treatments in the past, most with excellent results. The one time I failed, I believe was due to already horrendous conditions (it was a used tank that I 'rescued').

Good luck and keep us posted.


^_^

Post InfoPosted 19-Jan-2011 23:24Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
davyboy
Fingerling
Posts: 24
Kudos: 27
Votes: 10
Registered: 17-Jan-2011
male canada ca-alberta
No I had never noticed a rotten egg smell at all, however the treasure chest has been taken out, and the air stone doesn't seem to be trapping air, however every two weeks the gravel will be vacuumed and the air stone rinsed with the systematic cleaning etc. This is another reason I prefer just gravel to sand.

As for the cycle stuff I do have and add every time water is changed (partially, something that I do every week regularly with a gravel vacuum every two weeks or every month) however as with having ich atm I've been doing about 4 gallons every second day to help pull out any free floating ich and carefully monitoring my ammonia and copper levels with the treatment.

Actually the strange part is that the only danio that is showing any symptoms of ich is one of the ones that hasn't died. The ones that died all had no symptoms.
Post InfoPosted 20-Jan-2011 01:23Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
davyboy
Fingerling
Posts: 24
Kudos: 27
Votes: 10
Registered: 17-Jan-2011
male canada ca-alberta
Just an update on the sick tank, the danio that is showing signs of ich has fewer and fewer white spots meaning that the ich is now between the tomont stage, and the theront life stage meaning the copper will start to take effect and begin to kill the ich.

Well thats about it for my update, all the other fish seem to be swimming around happily, going to do a test to see how much copper is in the water and do a partial water change tomorrow. My goal is to keep the copper concentration right on the safe level for the recomended time 14+2 days so for just over two weeks. Afterwards bring it down to half concentration for about a week (assuming there have been no signs of ich) and then slowly filter it out. Hopefully I won't loose any more fish
Post InfoPosted 20-Jan-2011 06:21Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Small Fry with Ketchup
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Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
Sounds like you totally have it covered.

If you don't have many live plants in the tank, it might be worth it to run ammonia tests just to make sure there are no ammonia spikes signaling a minicycle, although with the fact that you're dosing Cycle I don't really see it happening in your tank.


^_^

Post InfoPosted 20-Jan-2011 21:02Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
davyboy
Fingerling
Posts: 24
Kudos: 27
Votes: 10
Registered: 17-Jan-2011
male canada ca-alberta
Just an update on the fish situation.
No more deaths to report *gasp of relief*
Just did another partial water change a short while ago, cleaning all the gravel substrate and rinsing the foam filter from the filters (they gather a fair bit of stuff when all the gravel is disturbed).
The one danio showing signs of ich doesn't have a single white spot left on him, meaning its do or die time.
If everything has worked, then all the ich parasites will be dead, if not, then I'll have more fish to worry about, however everyone seems fine.
A few of the danio's seemed stressed slightly with the temperature at 82 degrees so I've dropped it to 81 and they all calmed down.
No fish scratching, and water is clear, all seem to be breathing easily, and none have lost their appetite.
Well it seems I can end my update on a happy note today, however I have another eight or 9 days of leaving the charcoal out to make sure all Ich is eliminated, will make sure to keep you guys updated, thank you both (Frank and Babelfish) for all your help/support.
Post InfoPosted 21-Jan-2011 21:48Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Small Fry with Ketchup
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Votes: 1570
Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
Sounds like you had it under control .

Hopefully no news has been good news. Good job catching the fish stress and lowering the temperature. Last thing you need is extra fish stress when dealing with ich.


^_^

Post InfoPosted 25-Jan-2011 01:14Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
RedNina
Small Fry
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Registered: 17-Mar-2012
I am so glad I have been surfing around this afternoon. I have just bought all the equipment and set up a 20 gallon tank and quite excited as it has been 25 years since having a tropical tank. My son and I were looking at various ornaments to put in, and although we have a couple weeks before we even think about stock, we were thinking about the fun, bubbling and colourful things we could add and both thought about the bubble chest as a must have!!!! I have now decided against this having read what could happen.
Hard enough without making things more difficult.
Thanks all
Post InfoPosted 17-Mar-2012 16:28Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Votes: 1570
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female australia us-maryland
Hey RedNina ,
Glad we could help out with decisions on ornaments. Another thing to be aware of is that air can sometimes get trapped in ornaments that don't have a hole at the very top of them. That trapped air is what can be so bad. If you find an ornament like a shipwreck or ships bell that you really like, but that doesn't have an air escape hole at the top you can carefully drill a small one yourself. Carefully being the key word.


^_^

Post InfoPosted 20-Mar-2012 00:00Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
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