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Hi,

I've had my 20gal aquarium for over 3 months now. It has completely finishing cycling.. i have some danios, 1 platy, 1 swordtail and 1 molly in my aquarium. Here are the parameters:

Ammonia: 0
pH: 7.2
Temp: 78
Nitrate: 5.0
Nitrite: 0

Everything was perfectly fine until i noticed my swordtail has a small white dot on the right side of his face. he keeps trying to rub onto the rocks or the wood in the tank. i was told to add some melafix, so i did. only 5 minutes later, the swordtail is fine, but the molly and the platy are staying at the top of the aquarium. the platy is barely even moving! I just did a water change two days ago.. what do i do?

in the past month, the water parameters haven't changed at all but 1 swordtail and 3 platies have died... what's going on and what should i do?

Could be Ich white spot

“White-spot” Parasite, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

This disease is easy to recognise, as the skin of the infected fish becomes covered with white spots, each the size of a pinhead. Each spot represents the site of one, or sometimes two, parasites. All parts of the body gills, may be attacked.

The causative agent is named Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. It is a spherical and large by protozoan standards, measuring up to 1mm in diameter. Short, hair-like processes known as cilia are spread densely over the surface. A horseshoe-shape nucleus is also present which is clearly visible under the microscope.

By the means of the cilia the parasite rotates vigorously and burrows into the surface layer (epidermis) of its host. It feeds on skin cells and surface debris. The burrowing action causes a local irritation and the epidermis grows across the parasite to enclose it, thus forming a “White Spot”

Reproduction occurs away from the host. After maturing in the skin, which takes a few days to three weeks, depending on the temperature, the parasite bores out, swims away and comes to rest on a submerged object such as a stone, or plant. Here it forms a jelly-like cyst within which a series of rapid cell divisions take place. In a few hours, several hundred daughter cells or swarmers, are produced, which break out of the cyst to find a new host. Alighting on the skin, they burrow in to recommence the life cycle. If they fail to find a host within three to four days, they perish.

Symptoms
If the protozoan is introduced into a tank containing healthy fish, little harm may occur, other than a fleeting infection with a few parasites. If however, the fishes are already weakened for some other reason, e.g. lack of oxygen, the parasite will quickly cover the whole body surface, causing irritation and opening up wounds for secondary infections. The host mobility may become affected. In sever cases, death may result.

Prevention
If white-spot appears in an otherwise healthy tank, the parasite “must” have been introduced either as an adult on a newly acquired fish, or as the cyst form on, for example new stones, a plant or even added water. The only certain method of prevention, is to quarantine all new stock, including stones, plants etc; preferably in water at a temperature of 77F. Allow one week’s quarantine.

Treatments
There are too many treatments today to recommend any specific one. Many can be bought easily at aquarium outlets.


Several very interesting points to think about.

Very easy to recognise.
Its reproduction cycle.
No host they will die.
If introduced into a healthy tank little harm may occur.
Pay attention to all tank details.
Weakened fish, and lack of oxygen can/may and will cause sever deaths. All this is usually caused by poor tank maintenance and/or incorrect and faulty equipment.
Prevention is the best cure
A Parasite “must” be introduced into the tank.

This information was collected from Fresh Water Tropical Fish

Does this help you at all?

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Keith

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it doesn't seem to be ich. i put melafix in the aquarium last night and they seem to be ok now and the white spot is gone. why were all of the fish staying at the top? i was sure they were not going to make it through the night.

i was going to add 2 fish today... can i still add them? should i continue the treatment for 1 week even though everything seems to be fine? should i do a water change?

Hi,
I would NOT add any fish for at least another two weeks.
Make sure that the problem that you just had is completely
gone before adding any additional fish. You should have
a QT tank for any new additions. QT them for a month, and
then slowly acclimate them to the permanent tank's water.

As far as the other questions are concerned, read the
instructions that are on the medication. It will tell you
weather or not you needed to remove the carbon from your
filter, and how much, if any water needs to be changed
after the medication period. It will also tell you how long
to continue medicating the tank.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I'm sorry, I just keep interfeering with you (it's only adding some more things that might be helpful, really), and I'm new here.

But I have to add that there might just be an easier explanation.. often when fish are swimming at the very top of the water, it's a sign of a lack of enough oxygen in the water..

Easy way to fix that is to keep your water surface in movement.

**Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life**

What nathaliedic said was what first came to my mind about fish staying at the top of the tank. Easy solution, go by a pump, and some airstones (I prefer the strip type) and put them in the tank...TAAADAAA instant circulation, and they should be happier...also check the temp...sorry tired, and forget if you mentioned it. If the water is too warm it will "hold" less oxygen...just my two cents on the matter.

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle