Sick Fish

[Rocky06fx4]

Got a Platty with a bunch of white dots all over it. What could this be?

[Rue]

Ich (sometimes spelled 'ick').

[Rocky06fx4]

Ich (sometimes spelled 'ick').

Thanks for the quick responce.

[Kuli_Loach]

Bad stuff, get it away in a hospital tank and treat both.

[Rocky06fx4]

I'm at work right now and will take him out asasp. Couldn't of happened at a better time todays payday and i'll have some spending money which is a miracle. Gonna fill up the 10G with water and use one of the two filters I have on my 20G for the 10G even though I really liked how clean my waters been in my 20G using the two. Other than that I have nothing except the tank and a filter. I figure i'll need a Heater (how many watts?) and A substrate (any recommendations for a plant lover tank) I heard something about Laterite? Anything I'm forgetting? Powerhead? Air pump?

I'll also get some stuff to cure Ick of course.

[RobbieG]

I'd be VERY leery of using any ich medications on the tank with the frogs in it without hearing from someone who has a lot of experience with them. Frogs absorb all kinds of stuff through their skin

Substrate
If you can get Eco Complete use that -

if you use the laterite rinse it - put it on the bottom - and cover it with a layer of gravel - then add your water ---

put something in the tank to pour the water onto to keep from disturbing the substrate (I have a fake tree stump with a flat top you can use an updside down tupperware container or something - preferably one thats never been washed!)

The laeterite is going to make a mess - this will minimize it though.

Heater
25 Watt shoud be OK / 50 Watt would definitely work

[coachfraley]

If you are just making a hospital tank, you can save money and skip the substrate all together. If you plan on keeping the tank operational, then I would purchase a substrate.

If you go bare bottom for the hospital, you can throw some pvc fittings in there just to have something for the fish to swim around and hide behind.

If you are setting up a planted tank, the most popular plant substrate is eco-complete, althought it can be hard to find in local fish stores. If you use laterlite, make sure and follow Robbie G's suggestions on how to set it up. If it were me, I would not add any plants until the ich treatment is over. Most of those meds say they are plant safe, but better safe than sorry!

You want to make sure your filter is big enough (I love the aquaclears!). You should not need a powerhead or an air pump in a planted tank...you want the CO2!

Heater should be 50watt. Go with the visotherm or the stealth. Of course, this is all just my opinion. Good luck!

[Rocky06fx4]

I figured i'd buy like a 1 gallon or so kit for the hospital.

I have a 20 whisper and a 15 aquaclear and without a doubt LOVE the aquaclear.