My neon tetras keeping getting white spots

Barr

The rest of the tank seems ok . I treated them twice for 2 weeks both times. I thought they were cured but its back again .

I was using a medicine called WS3 but it doesen't seem to be a permanent solution.

Anyone know what I should do next.

star-pants

I have moved this to the main forum as the welfare wasn't quite the right spot - hopefully someone here can help.
Have your tetras seen the vet or have you photos that might help the people here identify the problem?

j14

Hi these spots are a diease which have a life cycle. What you are seeing now is the last stage when you can actually see the spots. The disease will live in the gravel so the best way to get rid of it is as follows.

1. raise the temp of the tank to about 26c.
2. Increase aeration by using an air pump and airstones because hotter water = less oxygen for the fish.
3. Use a gravel vac when doing water changes as this will get rid of the egg stage ofthe disease.
4. Follow out the treatment to the letter and for the full course.
5. Remove any activated carbon (black) sponges from the filter as this will stop the treatment from working.

Hope this helps.

Jay.

Barr

Great, thanks for the replies .

Hi Jay , when you say raise the temp to 26C , this is what my temp is always set to. Do you reckon its to high?

Could you explain more about using a gravel vac ? I dont know what this is.

j14

Ok, if your temp is 26 raise it to 28. I have to stress that you HAVE to increase the oxygen levels when you raise the temp this high. Use your filter outlet to break the surface of the water and add airstones.

A gravel vac is basically a plastic tube connected to some hose. You use the plastic tube to suck up the gravel and it stirs up the fish poo and makes changing the water very easy. They cost about €10 - €15 but are great. You can make one yourself if you want. Get a 500ml plastic coke bottle and cut the fat bottom part off. Get some tubing that will fit over the screw top part of the coke bottle and use some tape to hold both together. Put the open end of the bottle into the tank and suck on the tube. This will start the water flowing from the tank. Then move the bottle around under the water dipping it in and out of the gravel. As I said you can buy one and you dint have to suck on them so no chance of fish water in your mouth.

j14

Hi Barr,

I had a quick check online and found these.

http://www.thebigbigpetshop.ie/Fish/Aquarium-Accesories/Gravel-Cleaners/c-1-10071-10107-10157/

These are what I'm talking about.

J.

Barr

Sweet I 'll give it a go , hope to get them better soon as I want to add more fish.

How long can you keep the crabon filter out for , i just worried about a build up of toxins for the other fish ?

Whats the optimum temp for a tropical tank all being well ?

lrushe

j14 wrote: »

Ok, if your temp is 26 raise it to 28. I have to stress that you HAVE to increase the oxygen levels when you raise the temp this high. Use your filter outlet to break the surface of the water and add airstones.

A gravel vac is basically a plastic tube connected to some hose. You use the plastic tube to suck up the gravel and it stirs up the fish poo and makes changing the water very easy. They cost about €10 - €15 but are great. You can make one yourself if you want. Get a 500ml plastic coke bottle and cut the fat bottom part off. Get some tubing that will fit over the screw top part of the coke bottle and use some tape to hold both together. Put the open end of the bottle into the tank and suck on the tube. This will start the water flowing from the tank. Then move the bottle around under the water dipping it in and out of the gravel. As I said you can buy one and you dint have to suck on them so no chance of fish water in your mouth.

The above advice is good I'd just add that I also add a teaspoon of aquarium salt when cleaning the tank if I have an outbreak, white spot doesn't seem to like it and it will be less harmful than alot of those medicines out there for white spot which can kill as many fish as it saves

Barr

I've got some aquarium salt today and hope this helps . The white spot has been around on and off for nearly two months now and jsut want rid.

If I repace the stones on the bottom should this work ?

dunworth1

this site would be of great help to you

http://www.irishfishforum.com/

there is also

http://www.munsterfishkeeping.com/

which has meetings in the cork area

Fishyfreak

You need to look at the root cause of the whitespot.

Is the tank cycled?
Is it adequately filtered?
Is it overstocked?
What are the tankmates?

You seem very keen to buy more fish so it sounds like you are new to the hobby and that this is possibly a new tank.

How long is the tank set up? What are your parameters Re: Nitrite/Nitrate/Ammonia/Ph.

lrushe

Barr wrote: »

I've got some aquarium salt today and hope this helps . The white spot has been around on and off for nearly two months now and jsut want rid.

If I repace the stones on the bottom should this work ?

Wash rather than replace the stones as you don't want to get rid of the good bacteria that cycle your tank and break down waste

Barr

Fishyfreak wrote: »

You need to look at the root cause of the whitespot.

Is the tank cycled?
Is it adequately filtered?
Is it overstocked?
What are the tankmates?

You seem very keen to buy more fish so it sounds like you are new to the hobby and that this is possibly a new tank.

How long is the tank set up? What are your parameters Re: Nitrite/Nitrate/Ammonia/Ph.

I thought the root cause of the white spot was when I introduced 3 clown loaches and a few days later I saw spots on the tetras.

Could you explain is the tank cycled? - I’m not sure what this means.

With regard to the filter there’s a black carbon filter that came with the tank so I’m assuming its adequate.

The tank is very sparse at the moment, its a 20 ltr tank and only 2 tetras remain, 1 angel and a pleco.


With regard to Nitrite/Nitrate/Ammonia etc , I don’t have anything to measure this but the last two times I took a sample into the fish shop and said the water was good.

The tank is about 3 months now but unfortunately I have had 16 casualties and figure I must be doing something wrong.