Need some advice ASAP

[Carissa]

Hi,
I need to find out if it will kill my java fern to put it in a bucket I am using to medicate some sick fish. The medication has:
nitrofurazone
potassium dichromate
furazolidone

(Jungle Fungus Eliminator)

Also the pH of the water the fern would be going in to is 6.6, the pH in the current tank is 7.2. I'm not necessarily leaving it in the bucket long term, just a few days to help reduce ammonia levels for some fish I'm medicating. The lighting in the bucket will actually be brighter and better than in the tank. I'm going out of town tomorrow so a quick reply would be great if anyone reads this!!

 

[Carissa]

FYI, I put the java fern in the bucket, and it's still alive.

 

[Tom Barr]

If you focus well on the plants, there is rarely a need to medicate any fish, eg frequent large water changes, low NH4, good stocking levels and lots of plants.

that and good feeding, there is seldom if ever a need for medication, especially the cocktail you have there.

Most plants do fine with anti biotics etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Carissa]

Yeah, I don't think I would ever medicate my main tank. It was a desperate move to try to save some guppies, out of the 5 I bought, 2 are left after two weeks and I don't think it's my water quality at fault, the fish seemed to have issues before I got them. The fish I had before I got these guppies are still doing just fine, in fact I can't seem to kill them

 

[VaughnH]

Fancy guppies can be pretty delicate when you first put them in the tank. I have had similar losses at times when I add new guppies. But, those that survive the first week usually live out their full life of two years or so.

 

[Tom Barr]

Try dip acclimating, buying from good sources, knowing that you might lose some from other sources, feeding medicated foods(much better idea) and a salt dip etc.

While this will not bring back the fish you have lost, it will greatly reduce the ones you lose in the future.

I rarely lose fish.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Carissa]

Thanks for the advice. There is a pretty big lack of good sources for fish around here. I have two left out of the five I bought and hopefully they will be ok. One is pretty gravid so maybe I will have better luck with the fry.