# Catfish acting strangely after having ich



## amelchior (Aug 26, 2012)

I must first say that I have never had an aquarium, and after being given general set-up instructions, I am now discovering a myriad of issues that to my previous knowledge I did not know existed. That being said, I'm think I have done relatively well, but I may have made a deadly mistake for my catfish...


Background Info:

I have a 25 gal. freshwater tank with the following fish;

5 Zebra Danios
1 southern Platy
1 albino cory catfish
1 Albino Pangasius Shark
1 sailfin pleco
3 Black neon tetras
3 albino x-ray tetras

Upon setting up the tank I was misinformed about the length of time it takes to cycle a tank, and was told just a few days would suffice before adding any fish, to my dismay, I learned too late that either organic matter is needed to start the nitrogen cycle. So right off the bat after adding the fish the water became cloudy which I learned was bloom.

I figured nothing I could do but hope for the best and wait for the cycle to run its course. In a few days the fish and the water were looking great, until two days later I noticed some speckles on my black neon tetras, _oh no,_ I thought. I've heard about this, its called ick. The three neon tetras, the pleco had it the worst, but most of the fish had a form of it or another. So I did some research, and separated the 3 tetras and pleco and put them in a 10-gal for a salt treatment. I slowly raised the temp. in both tanks to 87-88 and slowly added aquarium salt to each tank, I kept this salt and temperature treatment up 11 days, the spots disappeared around the 7th day. After this I slowly brought the temp. back to 77 and lowered the salt by changing water and doing a good gravel vacuuming. 

Luckily, none of the fish died, but during the treatment, the shark catfish was hiding up in a cave for mostly the whole time, I figured he was just real sick and I hoped for the best. Now, 10 days later my cat fish is still hiding and just floats there in his cave or the plants, when he does move, he acts erratically, racing around the tank looking as if he is seizing, then going back to his hiding spot, he is eating though, one time too much where he got all bloated for a few hours. Now, my friend who has had many aquariums says hes just spooked and likes to hide, but I can't help but think that there is something else the matter with him. I have read with mixed opinions that salt burns catfish' skin, could this be the cause for his crazy behavior even though the salt is gone? I have read with mixed reviews that both Plecos and Catfish should be kept in bigger tanks, so that I know is something not good for them, but would this cause them to act weird? 

Any opinions or advice would be helpful, still learning and want to get it right!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Pangasius catfish are hard to keep - they are a large food fish and not really appropriate for an aquarium. They are salt tolerant according to the aquaculture literature, so that isn't your issue. 

It could be spooked. It could also have gill injuries from the ich, or ammonia damage from the non-cycle. Fish will get 'spooked' more eaily in dirty water, which would fit with your cycle problem. Many experienced aquarists don't use test kits but have certain fish they notice water quality with from nervous behaviior.

A Pangasius and a pleco in the same tank is backbreaking for the aquarist. You will need 50% water changes every few days to keep those fish healthy. Lose the Pangasius and the sailfin pleco (probably an eventual good 18 inches to 24 inches of gibbiceps) and your tank is well stocked. With those two, you are in for trouble.


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## amelchior (Aug 26, 2012)

Oh wow, thanks so much, I'll do a water change right away to make him feel better at least, until I can get em' back to the pet store, where I'm not sure they'll do much better there since their kept in small overcrowded tanks. Hmm.. maybe I can make arrangements with a friend who has a 150 gal tank, and only a few fish, possibly the catfish will be happier there, the pleco I will take to the petstore, they have a large tank for plecos there.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Your tank is getting close to overcrowding. You have only one bottom feeder, you need at least 5. Cories are very social and don't do well by themselves. Fish without scales, like Loaches and Catfish, don't like salt and can be burned or poisoned. Better to isolated them in a different tank during tratment.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

We tend to disagree on treatments for Ich - it's the same on all forums. To me, salt is a chemical, and a harsh one. If we attack the parasite with salt, methelyne blue dye, malachite green dye or even formalin, we are exposing any rainforest fish to something it would never ever encounter in nature. All are equally alien to the fish.
Corydoras really suffer in salted water. Since about half my tanks are rainforest species, I use commercial anti-ich meds ahead of salt every time. They are so much easier to remove, and not as hard on the fish. Salt affects osmoregulation (the system of balancing water and keeping it outside the fish) while irritating the skin to make the fish produce more protective (ich fighting) body slime. 

Corys are extrememly sociable shoaling fish that travel in giant underwater herds in the Amazonian region. In the tank, they are happier and feel safer in small groups. If you rehome your biggies, I'd consider replacing them with a few more Corys, as neonshark suggests.


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## amelchior (Aug 26, 2012)

Good to know, thanks. I had no problems with the cory actually, he seems very happy, also did well with the salt treatment. I wasn't aware they needed buddies, but I like him-so I will gladly get a couple more when I re-home the other two.


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## Crazy (Mar 1, 2012)

I have found the safest way to combat Ich is to elevate temp to around 85f for about 7 days and dose the tank with stress coat. It is a much less irritating way of getting a good slime coat out of the fish. However the best way to combat any illness is to employ the use of a quaranteen tank.


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