Re: Treatment of fish

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> I was treating Dactylogyrus on a wild discus, and I treaed wit a 1/3 less
> than
> the prescribed dosse (3 drops per gallon). The bath dip is very difficult,
> because
> my tank has about 1.000 liters and to net is very hard, and with guill
> flukes, the reinfection is sure.

A permangnate dip will get rid of a few different flukes.

As far as catching fish:

You don't use a net all all.
Use a trash bag.
Simply chase the fish into the bag.
These fish are _not_ extremely difficult to catch.
I've caught them by hand(not a sick one though) right after turning the
lights on.

Close the end, and place the fish in a bucket, spare tank or Rubbermaid
container for treatment, then bag and return to the tank.
Add an airstone/heater to the container if it's a long treatment.

Dips are good for larger parasites like flukes.

> My fish load is 2 wild discus,  4 Apistogramma nijseni, 2 Crenicicla
> compressiceps 20 Otos,
> 50-100 Caridina  10 Corys, 2 Hypancistrus zebra,
> ¿Do you think is overloaded?.

No, not even.
1000 liters is pretty light, you could add more Discus or something else if
you wanted if the plants are healthy and growing well and/or the tank has a
good filter etc. 

How do the C compressiceps get along in a large tank and the other fish?
Very nice fish. Zebras also. 50-100 shrimp or Cardinal tetras?

> I never treat the tank to save one few dollar fish, the problem is my discus
> are very
> expensives -I do not tell you the price because I,m afraid
> my wife will read this post :-)- My nitrates are under 5 mg/l.

Scared of the wife?
Smart man.
I am too of mine and she's not even my wife:)
 
> Which artelnative do you suggest?

I doubt your NO3's are under 5mg/l but likely sitting at 0 or not enough for
the plants. You'll need to supplement with KNO3.
Adding it and K+ is not quite as dramatic as
adding CO2 or PO4 to a tank that has everything else but is PO4 limited
slightly.

But I think adding 4 things:

1) Trace elements:(Tropica Master Grow,Sera, SeaChem Flourish/Flourish iron)
2) KNO3
3) K2SO4
4)KH2PO4

This will really improve a tank and if the CO2 and lighting are in good
shape over the the photoperiod of the tank, then adding those along with a
good thick plant mass in your tank really tops off the tank very nicely and
allows the plants to really grow nicely, not just fast.

You can get these chemicals locally or mail order them(there are several UK
distributors and there are other places to get these as well). They are
cheap and last a very long time. You can also get trace mixes for very cheap
prices.

To a 1000 liter tank add:

CO2 to 20-30ppm
KNO3: 1 and 3/4 teaspoon 2x a week
K2SO4 2 teaspoons once a week
KH2PO4 1/8 teaspoon 2x a week
Traces, your going to hate this: 40mls 2-3x a week.
Weekly 50% water change.

Try this routine for 3 weeks.

You can increase your fish feeding after the first week of this.

Try it. I think you will be very pleased. It might take some slight
adjustments but that should hit things really good for the plants.
This will please the wife also. It will iot cost much, you'll be able to
trade the plants etc for trades or credit at the local fish store so you can
pay for food etc.

If you have all those shrimp, get more. Fatten them up first though, I think
they might be fish food if you don't feed the Discus and C. compressiceps
first before adding them. Other wise look into other algae eating fish.

Happy plants = happy fish
 
Regards, 
Tom Barr

> Regards
> Antonio Trías
> 
>