parasites and fin rot

Question
QUESTION: I have a 55 gal. community tank; 2 angels, 3 or 4";2 pearl gouramis, 4"; 3 swordtails, 3"; 3 brochis splendens, 2"; and a 4 line catfish, about 6".  I also have 2 live plants, a radican sword and a red mellon sword.  ammonia tests at 0, nitrites 0, nitrates never above 5; pH 7.8, same as out of the tap;  temp is normally 78.
I noticed some of the fish were flashing, sluggish and hiding, also brown algae had gotten out of control.  I did a thorough vacuum with a 70% water change, cleaned all fake plants and decorations with tap water and a brush, wiped algae off the leaves of live plants, (too late for the amazon sword... it was white).  I started treating with aquari-sol (copper sulfate), added salt, raised temp to 85, removed carbon.  2 days later, i noticed 2 spots (on different fish) that looked like ich, did a 50% water change with a light vacuum and started using quik-cure (formalin & malachite green) in addition to others.  Otherwise fish seemed much better...swimming again, playing in the powerhead current, becoming territorial.  the next day (yesterday) I noticed fin rot on the angels. I figured that something may have been rotting in the amazon's pot and removed it even though some of the leaves were starting to green up. The roots were all healthy, nothing in the gravel.  Today, it wasn't any better, but it also isn't any worse.  Also, one of the swordtails has a pea sized grey-white spot on her head that just looks discolored.  I thought i had wiped out the flashing problem 2 months ago, used General Cure and Quik cure, no problems for a month and a half, and no new additions to the tank.  Do you have any suggestions for these itchy fish?

ANSWER: Hi Christine:  That is a lot of medication for fish to live through.  I would start by changing their diet.  Healthy fish do not usually get sick.  Try a good quality flake food and froze or live brine shrimp or bloodworms. If you haven't destroyed the plants already then I would take them out of the pots and plants them in the gravel.  They grow better in the gravel.  Algae... usually caused by too much light so if possible reduce the amount of light that your tank is getting in a 24 hour period.  Replace the carbon filter please... all the medication and the large water changes have probably depleted your colonies of beneficial bacteria.  If possible you should add in some bacteria such as found in a product called cycle or nitromax.  If the fish do not get any better in a day or two then I would resume only the fungal treatment, unless you see signs of ICH... by signs I mean lots of white dots on the fishes back or fins....  Keep me posted... dave

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QUESTION: Thank you... 2 days with carbon and no medication, the fins on my angels aren't looking any better, will try anti-fungal.  I feed Flake food, dried bloodworms 1-2x/week, tubifex cube 1-2x/week, 1 algae tab 2-3x/week,at lights out.  
About the plants... The radican is in a 4- inch terra cotta pot, the mellon is in a 2- inch terra cotta pot.  Both are planted in gravel and putting up new leaves regularly (I only lost one leaf on the radican, I poured the copper medication right over that leaf), damaged leaves are pruned when they start to turn yellow or white.  I already cut back to 9 hours of light on a timer, what would you recommend with a 40 watt 6500k bulb?

Answer
Two thing: I would make sure that I added aquarium salt to the tank water and after each water change.  Check to see if the tank is getting natural light at all... even if it is not direct sunlight.  If the answer is no... I would cut back to 7.5 hours... if the answer is yes... I would cut back to just evening time when you are home... dave