Disease in a planted tank.

Hey folks

My father-in-law recently set up his first planted tank. A lovely aquascape in a 60cm tank. He's got CO2, a Tidal HOB and Chihiros lighting.

Thats unfortunately where the good news ends. He bought a couple fish on import at a good price and now he's paid the price.

There were numerous random deaths in the first week of adding fish (He cycled the tank for two weeks prior). The tank seemed to be settling and everything was looking good before he bought more fish on import. They came in with ich and his tank has been a death pit in the week since. He's lost over half of the fish he's added (8 Cardinals and 5 ember tetras).

No idea how to help him. As I've never delt with disease like this in the 10 years Ive kept fish. The tank has a thriving Neocaridina shrimp population which makes copper based medication an issue.

Any advice and help for how to proceed? Shame he's super upset and despondent seeing all this carnage in his first tank.

 

Quarantine tank is the answer

All the treatments will devastate what you have. Heat and salt are the most trusted methods

 

Hi from the blue!

Ich should not be THAT virulent. Standard question - you sure it's ich and not Epistylis?Plenty of comorbid things that can come with any infection while the fish are down, too.

Marcel is right, the shrimp will defeat treatment in the MT unless you consider them colateral.

If it's Ich, I'll recommend the Pond Medic Ich treatment in HT and don't waste munnies on Paraguard.