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white spot

hellohefalump

Member
Joined
25 Sep 2008
Messages
345
Location
Newhaven, east sussex
Are there any rules for treating white spot in a planted tank? Usually I would use the 'Esha' copper based treatment (good stuff!) but this is the first time I've had white spot in a planted tank, so I don't know if that's the right thing to do?

I also have kribensis fry (typical! They finally spawn and I get white spot) they are free swimming and came out with their parents for the first time today. They are slightly bigger than molly fry.

I also have a clown loach, and humbug catfish, and coolie loaches so I'd be using a half dose of the Esha treatment.

What shall I do?!?!?!

It's not advanced white spot - I only noticed it today on my clown loach, and looking carefully some of the other fish have the odd spot aswell. It's not really bad though, I've caught it early.

The tank is 100gals :wideyed: and running at 27 degrees C (the lights heat it up).

This serves me right for not quarentining my new neons that I got a week ago. They looked so healthy, but obviously weren't.
 
With the fish you've listed I presume there's no snails or shrimp in there - if you do have some that you want to keep though (or want to in the future) use a non-copper based med! (I think I used the interpet antiwhite spot and it worked a treat)

Other than that nothing special required: when my pentazona barbs started showing with white spot soon after I introduced them, I followed the standard procedures with no ill effects for the plants. (Up the temperature a few degrees gradually over the first day or so and add the first dose, then add the second dose according to the instructions - also remove any carbon or chemical filter media you may be using.)

Not sure how the fry will cope though.

Also it might seem obvious but if you do do a water change - do it before the first treatment and not again until after the second dose has had time to work.

Just noticed the tank is 100 gallons! That's going to be pricey to medicate :rolleyes:. At least you've caught it early though so it shouldn't need more than one run with the treatment. I guess that a quarantine tank is next on the to do list? Its on mine but keeps slipping down the list as something shiny distracts me.
 
There are no shrimp - they would be eaten! No snails either, they would also be eaten! Am I right in thinking that if I used copper based meds in my 100gal, I couldn't then use the plants in my shrimp tank at a later date? I don't intend to, but it's good to know.

When I up the temparature, how much shall I up it by? It is already at 27 degrees C.

That's going to be pricey to medicate :rolleyes:.
I know... I am only going to use a half dose though. I've done that before, with good results with scaleless catfish and loaches.

Does anyone know if the water change is a good idea or will it upset the kribs?
 
Get the temperature up to 30 degrees and dose with salt. You need to add about 2 teaspoons per 10g but can add up to a tablespoon per 5 gallons gradually if the lower dose doesn't work! Some plants don't like it at the higher levels but should recover after a few large water changes.

BTW large temperature changes can trigger ich outbreaks so be a bit careful with the temperatures of new water when doing changes for a while.
 
Instead of the other treatment. You can use heat on it's own but the salt helps knock the free-swimming parasites back even quicker. I don't know about scaleless cats but I've used it with Cories and Loricariids. If you've already used the treatment then carrying on with that might be best, but I wouldn't use it in the future personally.
 
Thanks Ed
I put the Esha treatment in last night, so I guess I will carry on with it. So far no harm seems to have been done. I haven't spotted the krib fry yet today, but the lights aren't on yet, and they do seem to come and go out of where ever their cave is.
 
My clown loach only has two spots now - compared to around 6 yesterday. So I think it's working! *fingers still crossed*

All the fry are still fine, the parents are getting bolder - they're taking them on some rather risky excursions! Including beside the koralia, where the fry were swept in and spat out the other end :eek: . They seem alright though.
 
Make sure you finish the course of medication fully. White spot is a pain and you think it's gone only for it to come back from cysts in the substrate.
 
White spot is much worse today... I put a second treatment in yesterday and I thought I was past the worst. But I was wrong, and it's back worse than before with more fish affected.

All the fry have gone :( not a good day.
 
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