Greetings and a Query

[SeverumKeeper]

Well, this is why we usually quarantine our new fish. Earlier today I noticed some small white spots on the tail of the blue angel, and made a note to check back on them. And indeed, when I just checked on the tank, there were more dots. And one of the keyholes was also covered with them, on his head and front.

Almost definitely ich. Typical! And now I have to medicate the whole tank. Again, that's why quarantine is good!

I was pretty hesitant to medicate during my last run-in with ich, especially due to my snails, but all of them made it through last time, so I'm medicating. The earlier I start the less severe this outbreak will get.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ugh! What a bummer, but yes this is why they say to do it. 😔 I think since I've already battled Ich twice with no loses (I moved my mystery snails to a small tank) I'm more gung ho about treating it. Had a fish a long time ago that got dropsy. I'd take Ich over that any day. I'll cross my fingers that treatment goes well with no losses! 🤞

[SeverumKeeper]

Fed some flakes earlier. All the new fish came out to eat (minus the pleco of course), including all 4 keyholes at once! There was no sign or ich on them. The little dots on the blue angel were still there. I will dose again later today after a water change.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hope you can beat it before it gets loose! 👍👍

[SeverumKeeper]

After a couple more days of medicating I don't see any more Ich. Did a small water change last night, buried some root tabs, and medicated again. Will probably medicate one last time tonight and do a water change sometime this weekend.

All the fish are looking good so far, except the snowball who doesn't let me do much "looking" lol. Hopefully I'll catch a glimpse of him soon.

[SeverumKeeper]

Tank looking good today! 

[SeverumKeeper]

Mr Snowflake hid for a full 12 days before I finally spotted him.

I came back to the tank a few hours after lights out and turned them back on to watch it for a bit, as I had a phone call to make.

I also saw two of my flag acaras fighting. They're very brightly colored, all three of them, though it's that iridescent color that's hard to capture on camera. Two have longer, flowier fins, so I'm thinking I might have two males and a female.

There's plenty of sight breaks and hiding spots in the tank, so hopefully they sort that out soon. Until now, they've actually all stuck together, for the most part, but I DID do a water change yesterday. Maybe a pair is forming.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@SeverumKeeper did you mean to get 2 males? Since I only keep smaller fish usually in larger groups so just wondering if they do sort these things out or if you have to remove someone or trade for a female?

[SeverumKeeper]

12 hours ago, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

@SeverumKeeper did you mean to get 2 males? Since I only keep smaller fish usually in larger groups so just wondering if they do sort these things out or if you have to remove someone or trade for a female?

At the size they were at when I bought them (and at the coloration they displayed in the store) it wasn't really possible to sex them yet. I figured this was a possibility.

With the amount of foliage in the tank and the number of much larger tank mates, I think any breeding aggression should be sufficiently diffused. The sense I got was that if I do have two males and a female, the two males are currently both competing for her attention. Once one of them wins out, I hope things will calm down (much like how my angels have a dominant pair, a second pair, and a lone fish)