# If it isn't one thing, it's another. White spots on tetra's fins



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Here's the breakdown: 10 gallon fresh planted (see signature), 6 black stripe tetras, and 2 of the 6 have white sand-grain looking specs on their fins only. I repeat - after close inspection, they are only on the fins, and there's a total of only five white specs. The tetras are all schooling, ate voraciously tonight, and are perfectly healthy and hale otherwise.

Should I dose Rid-Ich and pull the carbon? If so, I'm gonna have to net out the one RCS in the tank. Thoughts? I want to nip this in the bud asap. I'll post water parameters later tonight.

Thanks guys. Wish my fishes luck, because it never seems to end with these poor fellas


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

I saw the same thing on my tetras.. i used Jungle Ick Clear and dosed once without removing carbon or other fish. If you need to do more than one dose, then its probably wise to remove the other fish. The next day it had disappeared and has not come back since.. its been about a month. Be sure to do a normal water change after dosing and the ick clearing.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Is a high temp safe for your shrimp?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Is a high temp safe for your shrimp?


I wouldn't think so. It's just one shrimp in there right now, I can net her out if I need to crank the temp.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Netted out the RCS in the tank, started dosing Rid-Ich, turned off my filter and amped up my bubbler. What should I set the temp at?


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

I never heard of raising your temp when medicating.. i didnt when i did mine..


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I've heard it speeds up the life cycle of the ich parasite or something along those lines.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

ahh i see where you could hear that.. make sure if you do raise the temp, its slow and not very much higher for sake of your fish..


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Success!

After dosing Rid-Ich for 2 days, most of the white spots on my fish's fins are gone. They were looking a little ragged yesterday so I added some stress coat as well, and this morning they ate like they were starving. I saved some fish!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Keep treating until 3 days beyond no sign of the spots.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

phys said:


> I never heard of raising your temp when medicating.. i didnt when i did mine..


There is a couple of points...a temp around 80 ensures that the ich cycle is approximately 4 days long. Bringing it up to 85 will keep it from reproducing and 89-90 range will start killing the protozoa.


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