"~ Windsong ~" wrote in message
...
"George" wrote in message
. ..
"~ Windsong ~" wrote in message
...
"George" wrote in message
. ..
Try isolating the fish in a separate tank or large tupperware tub, with
an
aerator to provide oxygen, .....
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And watch the AMMONIA soar.
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You can control the ammonia level by either putting a small filter in the
tub
with ammocarb,
** This only works for a few hours - been there, done that. One medium
sized koi can produce a lot of ammonia in a tub. I was doing water changes
3 to 4 times a day.
or do partial water changes every couple of days.
** Only if you have a filter already up and working with nitrifying
bacteria. I was getting ammonia readings after a few hours.
You can use some of the filter material from the pond filter as starter material
(I didn't do this, though, because I wasn't having a problem with ammonia) and
some of the water from the pond (which has bacteria in it). If the medicine you
use doesn't hurt the beneficial bacteria, it will work fine, and the bad
bacteria will be killed.
I've not had a
problem with doing this. If the fish isn't eating, it certainly isn't
defacating.
** Ammonia comes from their gills as well as from their feces and urine.
Mine weren't eating at the time either.
That is true. Having said that, I just got done treating my big catfish today,
who's been sick for over two weeks now (he had ESC). I only did partial water
changes every two days (because I like to keep the anti-biotic and other
medicine concentration from being diluted too much), aerated the water
vigorously, added maracyn, maracyn II, and a 1/4 dose of melafix every morning,
and he's back in the pond now. I used all three because I've found that the
Maracyn II will treat the illness rather nicely, while the maracyn will prevent
a secondary infection which catfish sometimes get with ESC, and the melafix
helps the fins and soothes the skin. It hasn't started eating yet, but he's a
little skiddish from the move. I'm happy to report that all the red patches on
its skin, gills (which were bad), fins, mouth (which was the worse part), and
nostrils have cleared up completely. It's swimming normally (only hiding when I
move around the pond. But what fish wouldn't after what it's been through?).
I'm going to try to feed it in the morning, if I can coax it to the surface with
some cut up pieces of shrimp (it usually hangs out near the surface in the
morning and the evening). I think it'll be ok. The ammonia never got above
normal levels.
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