KentFishFanUK

This thread is a great source of information so thanks! Just a quick question, how common are "parasitic crustaceans"? I basically now have the eSHa line up (2000, exit, gdex with -ndx on the way) which I think seems like it covers most bases for most illnesses (at least if caught early/mild infections, or for quarantining) was wondering if I was likely to also need alx?

Ok so in my quest to be a well informed aquarist I've been thinking about water parameters again. Trying to work out where GH fits in, I think I understand that it's a measure of dissolved minerals in the water (but not carbonates, mostly calcium and magnesium I think?) So it can go up and down independent of KH and pH right? I think 8° is considered about medium and obviously above is getting harder and below softer. I get adding anything with dissolvable minerals would obviously increase hardness, but other than RO or otherwise filtering minerals out how do you make it softer? When organic materials like leaf litter, wood, fish poop etc breakdown it releases acid which in turn reduces pH/KH - but does it also reduce the other minerals thus making water softer? Or does it only reduce carbonates thus lowering the kH but not GH? And if so, is there any other 'natural' ways of reducing GH without chemicals or RO water? Thanks in advance experts!

With lots of cover and or leaf litter, how about a small group of indostomus paradoxus or indostomus crocodilus? (Toothpick fish). I think they would be awesome though I think they need live foods?

What about pseudomugil furcatus? Some nice yellow colour to go with your reds and blues. Or as other people suggested, just increase the size of your schools of cardinals and corydoras would be great too

That's what I plan to do! Hillstream loaches with gobies (probably some stiphodon or other?) With a small school of white clouds.

Wait, "species of herb" - does this mean it's edible?? Or does herb mean something else in the botany world?

Thanks so Esha 2000, exit, ndx and gdex between the four of them basically covers everything? What about internal bacteria/infections?

I reckon a nice big piece of wood sticking a couple inches above the water line, some duck weed, a bunch of different colour/shade plants including some epiphytes attached to the wood, dark substrate and some nice green cherry shrimp that would show up great on the wood and substrate and red plants - nice and subtle but beautiful.

Thanks for this @Colu Not sure if this is a dumb question but does 'internal parasites' include intestinal worms? As in roundworms and tape/flatworms etc - to me it sounds as if they should be included but then when googling medicines most people refer to different medicines for their treatment so I'm not sure? If they are not included, what could be used for deworming in the UK as part of quarantining? I went out and got me some Esha 2000 and Esha exit yesterday 🙂 haven't managed to find the others yet

Disclaimer: haven't actually even kept these yet let alone bred them but if I have to pick one I think I would go with Medaka rice fish - lots of gorgeous colour varieties, can be kept outdoors all year long in my climate, apparently easy to breed and hardy, very popular in some countries but not all that common here in the UK yet (compared with goldfish and koi anyway) but I think they could really take off as a smaller alternative to goldfish for small outdoor ponds as well as indoor aquariums. Also I've seen people selling their eggs online, not sure how they ship but maybe a good alternative to shipping live fish?

Oh right does the flubendazole cover the same stuff as the Metroplex then as well as the worms? If flubendazole does both how comes its not part of the med trio (duo?)? Hm a quick Google search of PraziPro says it's not available in the UK but then the next result is someone selling it and not even on eBay so maybe I actually can?

All noted, thanks! Thanks! I think flubendazole is the main ingredient in most of my locally available de worming meds?

Ah fair enough! In that case freezing completely solid might be a real risk. You can get those floating things that stay warm enough to keep a hole in the surface ice and warm it up a few degrees, would that be just enough to stop if freezing solid?

Following recent help I've received about fish medicines and a potentially sick otocinclus I've been thinking about my own future plans for a med trio. I'm in the UK and it's hard to get hold of the 'good stuff' that you Americans get (can order some on eBay but it's expensive and not sure if it will actually arrive but fingers crossed). So in the nearish future when I have my fish room going I will mostly have species tanks - is it ok to use the med trio in a planted tank? I hope to reduce stress on the fish when I first get them by putting them straight into their planted forever homes and as they will be the first fish in the tank I was hoping I don't need a separate quarantine tank for them. Is this possible? Secondly I think I can get hold of SeaChem Kanaplex and Metroplex, and I can definitely get flubendazole based de wormer - would these work as an alternative Med Trio? If so how would I use them, just follow the instructions or just do like a single dose of each (not necessarily together) like the Co-op does their med trio? Also how would this affect the filter bacteria etc, should I keep the sponge filter out and just run an air stone until the meds are removed with water changes? Any experience/input is greatly appreciated! I sort of hope that we come up with some good solutions for myself or any future person googling meds from the UK or EU to stumble across, I know this question comes up occasionally. Hope everyone's having a great day!

Oh damn I'm sure I read it was ok to use with inverts on the SeaChem website. Will try and order the Sera stuff as well then. Doesn't hurt to have a stock of medicines on the ready. Thanks for your input! Really appreciate it.

Is it shrimp/snail safe though? Apparently neoplex is and right now I don't have a hospital tank

Just to clarify, is your RO/DI water from your tap? Or are you buying it elsewhere and your tap water is regular municipal water? RO/DI water definitely needs to be remineralised, without any KH (buffer) the normal biological activity in a tank will quickly lower pH. If your tap water isn't the RO/DI water it sounds sort of perfect for keeping fish and I wouldn't even bother with the RO/DI water at all. If your RO/DI water is from your tap then definitely look up how to remineralise it. Oh and you don't sound overstocked for a 29 gallon at all don't worry. Not sure about the pleco's guess it depends what type they are.

Probably that then! No idea if it's even viable and I know my chances of raising a single fry might be low but I felt like trying just for fun so ordered a fry box thing and some fry food from amazon haha at least I'll be ready if I get any more

Good point I forgot to mention my stock, panda corydoras, otocinclus, neon tetras, honey gouramis and some shrimp that I haven't seen in a few days. Probably is the panda corydoras but don't they lay a bunch at once? Maybe the rest got eaten?

So found this egg on my java fern, any idea who the culprit is? Just one egg couldn't find any more haha. Also does it look viable or anything? Have found random eggs before but always free floating and covered in fungus.

My goldfish pond is only 18" deep at its deepest and my goldfish overwinter fine, even with some ice and snow on the pond. As long as it doesn't freeze solid to the bottom they should be fine, they basically hibernate (you don't feed them or anything during winter, some people recommend breaking up ice to allow gas exchange but that's it). They are common goldfish though if yours are fancies I don't know if they are the same. Also I am in the UK so if your winters are much colder then maybe freezing solid could actually happen?

This is probably a dumb question but asking just in case, is columnaris an internal or external infection? If it's external I might see if I can get some neoplex to try first as I don't have anywhere for a hospital tank yet and neoplex is apparently shrimp safe even in the water column. My oto does seem to be eating but unless I can medicate the algae growing on the glass I don't think it would work to medicate food haha. I looked again this morning (though didn't have time to test the water) and it may even be very slightly worse than it was yesterday, also I noticed a small faint streak of red in the fin starting right where the pale patch is that may or may not have been there yesterday.

Thats good to know, need to do some eBay shopping then! Do you treat dose kanaplex to the water or in food?

I was reading about that one as someone recommended it before (may have been you?) for quarantining etc but I thought I read it wasn't actually an antibiotic just antibacterial or something like that. Some of the meds I see recommended I can't buy from most UK sites or Amazon but I do see people selling on eBay (illegally maybe? Possible fakes, is that a thing?). I think I can get the SeaChem meds on eBay, are they any good? You sound very confident about that I like it, I won't treat anything unless I see it get worse or something. I'll keep an eye on her and get some meds in for the store cupboard just in case. Quick question though, if it's fungus wouldn't it look more... 'fungus-y'? Might be hard to tell in the picture but it literally looks like discoloration of her skin not something fuzzy growing on top of her skin if that makes sense?

Just been googling columnaris on Otocinclus and it does look a lot like it, anyone know how to treat it?