Flashing After Treatment

[CorydorasEthan]

Even though I treated my fish with API General Cure just around a month ago, I am still noticing some of the fish are still flashing. In the tank, I currently have guppy/endler hybrids, corydoras, a siamese algae eater, and some otocinclus. Only the guppies, the algae eater, and some of the cories flash (I've noticed it's mostly the males cories and guppies, though I have seen a couple of female guppies do it too). So far I have had no deaths, despite this flashing problem going on for months. Do I treat them with General Cure again, or do I try something else? Thanks.

[Kirsten]

I've found there are a lot of different ailments that can cause flashing: gill flukes, ich, probably some kinds of bacteria, even elevated ammonia levels. Some of those ailments, like ammonia, can be treated immediately, but diseases can be stubborn and hard to eradicate, especially if you're unsure what it is.

So I say test for any irritants in the water first, maybe add a light amount of aquarium salt (1 tbsp per every 5-10 gallons), and see if you can spot any other symptoms to indicate what's bugging them.

[CorydorasEthan]

1 minute ago, Kirsten said:

I've found there are a lot of different ailments that can cause flashing: gill flukes, ich, probably some kinds of bacteria, even elevated ammonia levels. Some of those ailments, like ammonia, can be treated immediately, but diseases can be stubborn and hard to eradicate, especially if you're unsure what it is.

So I say test for any irritants in the water first, maybe add a light amount of aquarium salt (1 tbsp per every 5-10 gallons), and see if you can spot any other symptoms to indicate what's bugging them.

Thanks! The problem is that I don't have a test kit yet... (I know, I'm lazy and broke lol). I plan on getting one right away then.

Also, I heard in @Irene's video that aquarium salt can be harmful to snails and plants, and my tank has a colony of assassin snails and has quite a few plants as well. What do I do here?

Thank you again.

[quikv6]

PH/GH issues can cause flashing. Determining parameters can be a necessary step 1.

[CorydorasEthan]

9 minutes ago, quikv6 said:

PH/GH issues can cause flashing. Determining parameters can be a necessary step 1.

Thanks yes I am going to my LFS today to pick a water test kit up.

[Kirsten]

49 minutes ago, CorydorasEthan said:

Also, I heard in @Irene's video that aquarium salt can be harmful to snails and plants, and my tank has a colony of assassin snails and has quite a few plants as well. What do I do here?

Yup! Plants and inverts don't like a lot of salt, but I've gone as far as 1 tbsp per every 3 gallons and things were still coping. Apongeton died back a little, but otherwise we got through. If you want to be extra sure, you can try to quarantine the flashing fish so you can play with salt levels as high as 1 tbsp per 1-2 gallons. I think you'll be safe with 1 tbsp per 10g and it'll help the fish's slime coat and gill functions.

[CorydorasEthan]

Just now, Kirsten said:

Yup! Plants and inverts don't like a lot of salt, but I've gone as far as 1 tbsp per every 3 gallons and things were still coping. Apongeton died back a little, but otherwise we got through. If you want to be extra sure, you can try to quarantine the flashing fish so you can play with salt levels as high as 1 tbsp per 1-2 gallons. I think you'll be safe with 1 tbsp per 10g and it'll help the fish's slime coat and gill functions.

Thanks! (sorry, I'm out of reactions for the day)

[Kirsten]

22 minutes ago, CorydorasEthan said:

Thanks! (sorry, I'm out of reactions for the day)

Lol you're welcome! The struggle is real!

[Lifeisgood]

Aquarium Coop or Tetra test strips work pretty well and are cheaper.  If your water parameters are good, know that Paracleanse or Prazipro works for gill flukes and is easy on invertebrates and plants.   I used it to treat my barb tank because they were flashing and they are much more comfortable now.

[Mmiller2001]

Flukes can be very resistant to meds these days. Hit them with PraziPro, and you absolutely have to follow up 2 or 3 weeks later with a second round of full treatment.

[CorydorasEthan]

On 3/24/2021 at 4:10 PM, Kirsten said:

I've found there are a lot of different ailments that can cause flashing: gill flukes, ich, probably some kinds of bacteria, even elevated ammonia levels. Some of those ailments, like ammonia, can be treated immediately, but diseases can be stubborn and hard to eradicate, especially if you're unsure what it is.

So I say test for any irritants in the water first, maybe add a light amount of aquarium salt (1 tbsp per every 5-10 gallons), and see if you can spot any other symptoms to indicate what's bugging them.

UPDATE: I just got a test kit and tested the water. Here are the results:

• Total Hardness: 150 mg/L
• Nitrate: 100 mg/L
• Nitrite: 0
• Chlorine: 0
• Carbonate: 0
• pH: 6.4

Here are the pictures. They are a little off because I took the pictures a little after the readings were supposed to be accurate.

This was odd to me because (based on my limited knowlege of water parameters) I am not too sure that my fish could survive with these nitrates, KH, and pH readings. Should I test again? What are your guy's thoughts?

[Kirsten]

34 minutes ago, CorydorasEthan said:

UPDATE: I just got a test kit and tested the water. Here are the results:

• Total Hardness: 150 mg/L
• Nitrate: 100 mg/L
• Nitrite: 0
• Chlorine: 0
• Carbonate: 0
• pH: 6.4

Here are the pictures. They are a little off because I took the pictures a little after the readings were supposed to be accurate.

This was odd to me because (based on my limited knowlege of water parameters) I am not too sure that my fish could survive with these nitrates, KH, and pH readings. Should I test again? What are your guy's thoughts?

whoo! That's pretty extreme! Wouldn't hurt to test again just to be sure, but yeah looks like you need a water change sooner rather than later.

[CorydorasEthan]

5 minutes ago, Kirsten said:

whoo! That's pretty extreme! Wouldn't hurt to test again just to be sure, but yeah looks like you need a water change sooner rather than later.

Will a water change help to raise the pH?

[CorydorasEthan]

1 hour ago, Kirsten said:

whoo! That's pretty extreme! Wouldn't hurt to test again just to be sure, but yeah looks like you need a water change sooner rather than later.

After water change:

• Total Hardness: 150 mg/L
• Nitrate: Around 75 mg/L
• Nitrite: 0
• Chlorine: 0
• Carbonate: Between 0 and 40
• pH: 6.4

[Kirsten]

2 minutes ago, CorydorasEthan said:

After water change:

• Total Hardness: 150 mg/L
• Nitrate: Around 75 mg/L
• Nitrite: 0
• Chlorine: 0
• Carbonate: Between 0 and 40
• pH: 6.4

Wild! Have you tested your tap water? I'm just concerned about that pH and the nitrate level.

[CorydorasEthan]

Just now, Kirsten said:

Wild! Have you tested your tap water? I'm just concerned about that pH and the nitrate level.

I have not tested my tap water yet. I always though we had higher pH, but I guess this proves against that. Yes the pH and nitrate level concern me as well. How do I lower the nitrates? I have quite a few plants, a sponge filter (rated for a 10 gallon), and a Marineland Pengion Bio-Wheel 150 (meant for a 30 gallon, but with extra touchups for more surface area, like filter floss, sponges, and an intake sponge). Should I get more plants?

[Kirsten]

1 minute ago, CorydorasEthan said:

I have not tested my tap water yet. I always though we had higher pH, but I guess this proves against that. Yes the pH and nitrate level concern me as well. How do I lower the nitrates? I have quite a few plants, a sponge filter (rated for a 10 gallon), and a Marineland Pengion Bio-Wheel 150 (meant for a 30 gallon, but with extra touchups for more surface area, like filter floss, sponges, and an intake sponge). Should I get more plants?

I don't know for sure. Typical advice is to do a water change to remove nitrates, but if there are nitrates in your water, welp!

Some more plants could help suck some of those up in the long term, but maybe some RO or distilled water in the meantime?

[CorydorasEthan]

3 minutes ago, Kirsten said:

I don't know for sure. Typical advice is to do a water change to remove nitrates, but if there are nitrates in your water, welp!

Some more plants could help suck some of those up in the long term, but maybe some RO or distilled water in the meantime?

What kinds of plants would you recommend? Currently I have vallisneria, dwarf hairgrass, dwarf aquarium lily (not so "dwarf" anymore lol), water sprite, Java ferns, water lettuce, Amazon sword, and cryptocoryne wendtii.

[Colu]

Also flashing can be a sign of high levels ammonia have you tested for ammonia 

[CorydorasEthan]

30 minutes ago, Colu said:

Also flashing can be a sign of high levels ammonia have you tested for ammonia 

Not yet I don't have an ammonia test kit at the moment. I will check to see when I can get one.

[Kirsten]

2 hours ago, CorydorasEthan said:

What kinds of plants would you recommend? Currently I have vallisneria, dwarf hairgrass, dwarf aquarium lily (not so "dwarf" anymore lol), water sprite, Java ferns, water lettuce, Amazon sword, and cryptocoryne wendtii.

I mean, that's a great looking tank right there. I might even call it heavily planted! 😄

Hard to think of what's missing here, but I do know that hornwort can soak up nutrients like crazy. And since it's relatively inexpensive and easy to find, you wouldn't feel as bad using it and then discarding it once your issue is settled if you don't like the look of it. Me, I throw mine into my QT to keep fish comfy and help the tank stay cycled.

[CorydorasEthan]

6 minutes ago, Kirsten said:

I mean, that's a great looking tank right there. I might even call it heavily planted! 😄

Hard to think of what's missing here, but I do know that hornwort can soak up nutrients like crazy. And since it's relatively inexpensive and easy to find, you wouldn't feel as bad using it and then discarding it once your issue is settled if you don't like the look of it. Me, I throw mine into my QT to keep fish comfy and help the tank stay cycled.

I think my local fish store has hornwort. I do like the look of it, so it would fit nicely in. If I don't want it anymore I will just put it into my 10 gallon guppy breeding setup. Thanks!