a few questions...

[calla]

OK. First. My 55g tank has been cycled now, and holding nitrites of 0ppm as of the 19th. Around the 16th I noticed one white spot on my swordtail and since have been treating the tank daily with 1/2 the dosage of recommended ridich+ (b/c of the sharks). I have been doing daily 40% water changes during treatment. The spot on the swordtail is gone, and no other fish every developed any symptoms.

SO, I'm wondering, do you think it would be safe to stop treating for the ich, put the carbon back in the filters and do a water change, then add my pleco?

also, I got 4 cories yesterday!!! and so far they have demolished any plant in my 20 gallon. I took all the plants out, and was wondering, if since now the tank has only the pleco and cories, and no plants, if it would be ok with the lights always off?

and what about adding the pleco and cories to the 55 all at once, would that be to much for my bacteria load to handle?

thanks :)

[Dave66]

Corys don't eat higher plants; they were probably rooting around looking for tidbits and uprooted the plants. They will eat plant debris and incidental algae, but I've had well over 100 corydoras in my career, and they've never laid a hungry whisker on any of my plants. They do go over the leaves occasionally looking for biofilm, though.
Pleco first, wait a week, then the corys.

Dave

[Lady Hobbs]

I assume you treated the tank per medication instructions? I have never used Rid Ick but I don't believe I've used anything that calls for daily treatments and daily water changes. Perhaps the Rid Ick is different.

But if the spot is gone, I would do a water change and add your charcoal filter back to remove the remaining med. The charcoal has to be reasonably fresh, tho, and not a filter you've been using for a month. The charcoal is only good in those for about 2 weeks.

I believe you should have the lights on some of the time or at least enough lite in the room for them to know the difference from day and night but frankly the lights are so we can see them. They don't care if they ever see us.

I don't know about corys and a pleco together and think I would leave the corys in the 20 gallon. The pleco and the sharks will be needing a very large tank before long.

[calla]

dave - I didn't think the cories would get the plants either, but it has to be them. I've had the pleco in there for around 5 months and he has never once done this to the plants. Every morning I find leaves stuck to the filter, and the remainder of the plant just hanging there..... almost transluscent by the roots like its been chewed/sucked to death. Suppose it could be the pleco, but it started happening for the first time with the addition of the cories.

Hobbs- the bottle says to use 5mL(1tsp) for every 10 gallons. So I have been doing 3 tsps, because I don't want to hurt the sharks with the meds. It also reads, "as with most medication, a parital water change of 25% or more before each treatment will ensure effective results."

Also, I had JUST replaced the carbon in the filters before the tank got ick, so do you think I can still use those, even though they've been sitting out of the tank since I started treating? Or should I start with new carbon after treatment?

.... And I had asked about plecos and cories together on another thread, seemed like everyone that replied has had ok experiences with the two. I thought maybe the would compete for food, but last night when I dropped in my plecs algea wafer, the cories were all over it. UNTIL my 5 inch monster came gliding out of his cave, then they scattered and he happily ate his wafer. haha.
I plan to get a bigger tank soon, for only the balas and the pleco. But if I leave the cories in the 20 gallon, 4 of them, what other species could I get and avoid being overstocked? I was thinking about getting just one of a fish, or a pair for the 20g once empty, but if that fish works with the cory, I'd consider keeping them together.

[zackish]

I know you are using medicine but if the ICK comes back or any other disease be careful not to add salt in your tank as you have corys in it now. They are very sensitive to salt.

[Dave66]

Its not the cories, calla. The clear spot near the root happens when stem plants have insufficiant light/nutrients/Co2 (pick one) and fall apart. Pure coincidence the plant decay happened after adding the catfish.

Dave

[calla]

Well, I don't doubt that the plants don't get what they need and could have been dying. But, this happened OVERNIGHT.... the plants were fine, not decaying or clear at all. Also, I had one of those aquarium bulb things that you drop in and it grows a plant, which was doing pretty good, and rooted in a corner. I had to take it out because I was finding it in a new place every morning. I think, like you said, they must just be diggin all over for food and uprooting the place! Anyway though, I can deal w/o real plants for now, I feel I have a lot to learn before going there....


still wondering though
Should I put brand new carbon in the filter after treatments, even if it had just been replaced prior to treating?
And, have I been treating for the ick for long enough to put the carbon back in, and add the pleco?

[Dave66]

Depends on the instructions on the medication as to the period its effective, Calla. When it expires, you can replace your carbon, but perhaps more importantly, about a 50 percent water change twice a week afterwords will make sure the medication is eliminated from your tank. After that, you can resume your regular water change schedule.

Dave

[zackish]

Just a question aside from this post, what if you don't remove the medicine with carbon after your fish are sucessfully treated and you just follow your regular water changes? Or what if I were to dose my fish for ick right now even though they are perfectly fine?