paulamrein
New member
I have noticed a huge trend in this forum. Fish get sick, that's not the trend. I have noticed that most of the fish that get sick are already in the main system. Please don't think I am being preachy because I am not. I recently got into this hobby just 5 months ago and in those 5 months I have lost 12 fish.
Everyone I have talked with during those 5 months have always said that they didn't quarantine and they just feed the fish and they get better. Which may be true for them. It is still a mystery why people have better luck than others when it comes to that. They are either lying, which some I suspect but some are friends and wouldn't lie about that. Than I started getting a little deeper into the subject. The trend for those that I am sure aren't lying but haven't had huge outbreaks have a few things in common. First off they have huge systems. 150g+ secondly they have had their tanks running for quite a long time. Which would tell me that they are having ich breakouts but A: their system is large enough for the ich do be spread a little thinner amongst the fish and B: their system is more than a year or two old so they aren't going through mini cycles and their tank is for the most part stable. Most people, me included cycle their tanks for a month and then start adding livestock. There is enough bacteria to control ammonia, but there is stuff on the rock that haven't yet died. There are sponges that take longer to die and when they do die the release all kinds of toxins into the water. The bacteria still multiplying but if they were to go at the rate they CAN produce there would be the entire tank full of the bacteria, meaning compacity, no room for water or anything. So obviously these bacteria are dying as well and of course the bacteria give off toxins when they die too. It's not until a year or more before the tank regulates and it's these fluxuations that stress the fish leaving them more prone to infection. Thus causing more breakouts. There will be a day when if you leave the ich in the tank there will be population control where neither the fish or the ich takes over the tank.
Whenwe put fish into an unestablished system it is like putting a gorrilla into a rainforest that is currently a desert, sure with a lot of rain and time it will be a rainforest. But until than the gorilla would have major problems.
Not to mention LFS are in the business of making money, and they don't make any money off of fully stocked tanks. PLEASE DON'T think I am starting some conspiracy theroy against LFS. I don't fault them at all, I don't think most of them do it with any intent, I just think they did it like I did it, with a HUGE learning curve and time, and consequently, quite a bit of money. But it doesn't have to be that way. Unfortunatley, those who read this are already in a desparate situation or else they wouldn't be on this forum. But there is a lot of help on here that is priceless!! REad the top threads, do google searches, and if you are the smart lucky ones that Are reading BEFORE you bought anything. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the advice of some whethered hobbyists that have been where you don't have to go.
Anything to add please feel free, if you think I am a nut or dead wrong don't be shy, post those too
Thanks
Paul
Everyone I have talked with during those 5 months have always said that they didn't quarantine and they just feed the fish and they get better. Which may be true for them. It is still a mystery why people have better luck than others when it comes to that. They are either lying, which some I suspect but some are friends and wouldn't lie about that. Than I started getting a little deeper into the subject. The trend for those that I am sure aren't lying but haven't had huge outbreaks have a few things in common. First off they have huge systems. 150g+ secondly they have had their tanks running for quite a long time. Which would tell me that they are having ich breakouts but A: their system is large enough for the ich do be spread a little thinner amongst the fish and B: their system is more than a year or two old so they aren't going through mini cycles and their tank is for the most part stable. Most people, me included cycle their tanks for a month and then start adding livestock. There is enough bacteria to control ammonia, but there is stuff on the rock that haven't yet died. There are sponges that take longer to die and when they do die the release all kinds of toxins into the water. The bacteria still multiplying but if they were to go at the rate they CAN produce there would be the entire tank full of the bacteria, meaning compacity, no room for water or anything. So obviously these bacteria are dying as well and of course the bacteria give off toxins when they die too. It's not until a year or more before the tank regulates and it's these fluxuations that stress the fish leaving them more prone to infection. Thus causing more breakouts. There will be a day when if you leave the ich in the tank there will be population control where neither the fish or the ich takes over the tank.
Whenwe put fish into an unestablished system it is like putting a gorrilla into a rainforest that is currently a desert, sure with a lot of rain and time it will be a rainforest. But until than the gorilla would have major problems.
Not to mention LFS are in the business of making money, and they don't make any money off of fully stocked tanks. PLEASE DON'T think I am starting some conspiracy theroy against LFS. I don't fault them at all, I don't think most of them do it with any intent, I just think they did it like I did it, with a HUGE learning curve and time, and consequently, quite a bit of money. But it doesn't have to be that way. Unfortunatley, those who read this are already in a desparate situation or else they wouldn't be on this forum. But there is a lot of help on here that is priceless!! REad the top threads, do google searches, and if you are the smart lucky ones that Are reading BEFORE you bought anything. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the advice of some whethered hobbyists that have been where you don't have to go.
Anything to add please feel free, if you think I am a nut or dead wrong don't be shy, post those too
Thanks
Paul
