Welcome Cainey

[Cainey]

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skfadmin

[Cainey]

Hey everyone, I’m new to shrimp and I’m looking to keep everything really really low tech. I have a 150 litre tall tank that is super old, it was handed down and has sentimental value.

It came with what I’m told are ghost shrimp, but all I know is they are clear and there is lots of them. There are also guppies and a bristlenose catfish and lots of Malaysian trumpet snails, it’s planted with corkscrew Val, java moss and java fern.

When the tank was moved to its current location all of the adult guppies died, I’m pretty sure they had Ich from poor water quality and general stress- an unavoidable occurrence in this situation and also out of my control.

The babies have been growing for a few months and are all nearly full grown, their colours are filling in and tails getting big and very pretty. 

If you hadn’t guessed I’m quite green and that’s why I’m posting here, in the last 3 weeks a friend with the loveliest of intentions bought and added two albino Cory cats while I wasn’t home.

All the fish in the tank are now scratching and rushing the substrate and appear to have inflammation around the gills. I researched and I’m positive it’s flukes after I have done two weeks of “aqua one” broad spectrum remedy and they are still affected.

All the research I did said to buy API general cure but that isn’t saleable in Australia I don’t think.

My question is- if the tank has flukes what can I do when I have both plants and shrimp? A suggestion from an elderly/ old school aquarist is potassium permanganate aka condes crystals, should I do that? And if so at what dilution? If not, what are my options. At this point in time I’m treating the whole tank as if it’s a quarantine tank and medicating everyone. 

Temp sits around 26c And has tidal55 HOB filter and an air driven sponge filter. 

Edited August 14, 2019 by Cainey
Spelling error

[jayc]

This is going to be difficult to treat with a mix of fish, shrimp and snails in one tank without harming something.

Shrimp might be OK with PP. "Might", i have never tried PP on shrimp. But snails will die from PP. One of the problems with PP is that overdose can kill all bacteria in the tank good or bad regardless. 

Formalin + Malachite Green will work on fluke as well, but it's lethal to shrimps and snails. 

Any copper treatment will also work, but again bad for shrimps and snails. 

See the trend?

Is there any chance of catching and treating all the infected fish in a separate hospital tank?

Maybe even treating the fish in a bucket for an hour and returning them (minus the PP treated water) back to the tank after. But this method requires several repeat treatments. which means catching them again. Use the tank water, so there is no large change in parameters. Maybe you can return them to the main tank but into a breeder cage instead, so you can catch them again easily.

Are you sure it is fluke?

PP depletes oxygen in the water severely, so make sure there is plenty of aeration. 

While the fish are in quarantine, the main tank needs a good water change and clean the gravel and filter media at the same time. I'm assuming this has not been done for a while. 

Edited August 14, 2019 by jayc

[Cainey]

Thank you so much!!! I was thinking about a dip too after reading further, wouldn’t the whole tank be infected and the dipped fish just be reinfected when returned to the tank? 

Would it be helpful if I removed the shrimp and snails (all I can catch, there is plenty!) treat the fish in the tank and return them after water changes are done. I can use the established sponge filter to setup a bare bottom qt tank. (I have old empty tank in storage) I would put something in there for shrimp to hold onto. (I have lots of wood) My concern would be that the contagion would be returned with them to the main tank. 

[jayc]

7 hours ago, Cainey said:

Would it be helpful if I removed the shrimp and snails (all I can catch, there is plenty!) treat the fish in the tank and return them after water changes are done. I can use the established sponge filter to setup a bare bottom qt tank. (I have old empty tank in storage)

This would work the best. Move the inverts out to another QT tank and treat the main tank. Especially when fluke treatments can be as long as 3 weeks - initial treatment, and re-treat 3 weeks later. <-- don't forget this 2nd treatment 2-3 weeks later.

 

7 hours ago, Cainey said:

My concern would be that the contagion would be returned with them to the main tank. 

Inverts are not affected by fluke. just don't pour the water back into the main tank. Just net them. And don't reuse the filer or wood back in the main tank without at least boiling it.

Alternatively, you might want to keep the shrimps and snails separate long term. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by jayc