elephant nose fish and white spot

Question
HI,
I have a 200 litre tropical aquarium it has been set up for 2 months. pH is 7. Ammonia and nitrates are showing trace only. I have abouut 28 fish ( guppies, black ghost knife fish, elephant fish, plec, snails,gouramies, silver shark, loaches)
I noticed that my black ghost knife fish and bumble bee goby have developed white spot. I cant treat the tank with the normal white spot treatment, as I have an elephant nose fish. Is there any safe treatment that I can use without moving the elephant nose and do elephant noses get white spot?
Thanks
Anne

Answer
Hi Anne;

All fish can get white spot. Now that they have all been in the same water they have all been exposed so treat the whole tank with all the fish in it. Whitespot is also known as "Ich". There are some remedies safe for "scaleless fish" and mormyrids (elephant nose) to treat it. Look for them in your local fish store.

The tank is still pretty new to have such delicate fish in it. Going through the break-in period has unboubtedly contributed to this outbreak. Yours is just past the time when it would be finished. (break-in takes 6 to 8 weeks) The parasite attacks when the fish are under stress. The break-in period is very stressful to them so it is the perfect time for it to start. Nasty little devils!

Raising the water temperature to 85f for 10 days also helps get rid of ick. Turn the heater up so it slowly rises. Watch the tank carefully so it doesn't get too hot. Heat weakens the parasite so it dies from the medicine quicker. It also causes the parasite to go through it's lifecycle faster. You will still see the spots for a few days as the parasites finish bursting from the spots. They are protected while burrowed into the skin and can only be killed when they are loose in the water. That's when the medicine gets them. Get an airpump to add extra air via an airstone while the temperature is up. Higher temperature water is lower in oxygen saturation.

I hope they feel better soon.....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins