Help with Gulper Catfish

[Vick]

What am I doing wrong? These are the first time im keeping Gulpers..Read Every single tread on the web about Gulper's. I increased the temp to above 84F(Is this right?) so just wait for the ICK to fall to the sand bed and vacuum the sand out?

I have 4 Gulper Catfishes shipped to me about 1 an half week ago, Was told the water parameter which the fishes came from where with a PH of 7.4

So I am slowly trying to reach the PH, been bringing it down slowly(Peat Moss, also helps with the tanins which are needed for the type of water?/ been using Pothos to help with Nitrate)

The fishes had white spots on them from yesterday and did a 50% water change on a 60g tank, Now they are less..

Here are the reading after testing
Yesterday/ Today
pH-8.2/ pH-8.1
Ammonia-0.25ppm/ 0.25ppm
Nitrite-0ppm/ 0ppm
Nitrate-10ppm/ 5.0-7.0ppm

Posted this on another forum but this is PlanetCatfish..Help anyone?

[Coriequest]

I don't have gulpers but other corey cats...I've been told to raise temp AND medicate by fish keepers here. We have had great success with fenbenzadole sold in pet stores to deworm one's dog under the name SafeGuard, you can one tenth of a dog dose for ten gallons of water. There's lots of info on the internet about treating ich that way. along with vacuuming. I think your ph sounds high. I keep my coreys at 6.4-6.6. I also like the Mosura ph down for shrimp, to match the tank water when I do water changes as it's very gentle. I buy it on EBay. And use peat pellets from Fluval in my filter. I use alder cones and or Indian Almond leaf, they like those too. Good luck with your fish!

[Viktor Jarikov]

Welcome, mate!

Ich does not happen for no reason. The usual reason is stress, which weakens immune system, which allows ich to break out. All fish have ich but it is suppressed/kept in check by their immune systems.

The reason may be the transport and the adjustment to your water and tank. In that case, once you treat it and successful, it should not come back. But I also think your pH is a bit too high, and NH3 should not be at 0.25 ppm but at zero (as read on majority of home tests). If both pH and NH3 (or something else?) continue to bother the fish, the ich will come back, or can be worse.

Gulpers are not the hardiest of cats, so one needs to be a bit more careful. Ich is often treated with elevated temp+salt. If you raise your temp that high (above 84 F), you probably need to up the aeration too. Don't raise the temp beyond ~4 F above their usual. A time-proven med for ich is Malachite Green and/or formalin. "Ridich" is one trustworthy brand but they all work when administered properly.

[Vick]

I don't have gulpers but other corey cats...I've been told to raise temp AND medicate by fish keepers here. We have had great success with fenbenzadole sold in pet stores to deworm one's dog under the name SafeGuard, you can one tenth of a dog dose for ten gallons of water. There's lots of info on the internet about treating ich that way. along with vacuuming. I think your ph sounds high. I keep my coreys at 6.4-6.6. I also like the Mosura ph down for shrimp, to match the tank water when I do water changes as it's very gentle. I buy it on EBay. And use peat pellets from Fluval in my filter. I use alder cones and or Indian Almond leaf, they like those too. Good luck with your fish!

Thank you > alder cones,Heard of Almond leaf but cones? Where can I get them? As these are sensitive fishes I wanted to only try natural things which could be found in it habitats in the Amazonian waters

I've just read up on fenbenzadole>SafeGuar/Mosura ph down..going to try this

Please help me with the ph? I have added peat moss(Peat pellets same thing?) to lower the ph and as well make the water softer
Thanks!

Welcome, mate!

Ich does not happen for no reason. The usual reason is stress, which weakens immune system, which allows ich to break out. All fish have ich but it is suppressed/kept in check by their immune systems.

The reason may be the transport and the adjustment to your water and tank. In that case, once you treat it and successful, it should not come back. But I also think your pH is a bit too high, and NH3 should not be at 0.25 ppm but at zero (as read on majority of home tests). If both pH and NH3 (or something else?) continue to bother the fish, the ich will come back, or can be worse.

Gulpers are not the hardiest of cats, so one needs to be a bit more careful. Ich is often treated with elevated temp+salt. If you raise your temp that high (above 84 F), you probably need to up the aeration too. Don't raise the temp beyond ~4 F above their usual. A time-proven med for ich is Malachite Green and/or formalin. "Ridich" is one trustworthy brand but they all work when administered properly.

Thanks for the Welcome, Viktor
That really made sense, Thanks

What do you suggest for the ph? "Coriequest" suggestion of Alder Cones is something I really like, Any others? Water changes help NH3(Nitrate) out? other natural methods?

I did see the Malachite Green(100% Natural/Ich Attack- Is this the one?)

I've read Catfishes dont do well with Salt? I have 3 air tubings which are aerating at 84F

[Viktor Jarikov]

V: What do you suggest for the ph?
VJ: http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=961 suggests 5.6-7.0 is the range. FishBase does not say anything. They may or may not adapt to higher pH; speaking of chances this info says they are against you. Have you tried a forum search (Catfish) on MFK (and here too)? I've seen a lot of threads with keeping info there. It is a blackwater species. Blackwater is very, very soft, very low TDS, and quite acidic. I am afraid, anything above 7.0 will hurt them. I've never kept them. Only read.

V: "Coriequest" suggestion of Alder Cones is something I really like, Any others?
VJ: I never tried to affect the pH in any of my tanks. You better wait for someone with experience to chime in.

V: Water changes help NH3(Nitrate) out?
VJ: of course, if your fresh water has no nitrates or little. Nitrate = NO3. Ammonia = NH3.

V: other natural methods?
VJ: For nitrates - plants. For ammonia - nitrifying bacteria.

V: I did see the Malachite Green(100% Natural/Ich Attack- Is this the one?)
VJ: I don't know this one. I don't think Mal. Green is natural. Anyway, if it says it is for ich and contains BOTH Malachite Green and formalin=formaldehyde (usually) then it should work. Aim at half dose first and see how they take it. It is a multipe-day treatment.

V: I've read Catfishes dont do well with Salt?
VJ: Some state this. IME, I have never found this (except raphs/doradidae but my experience is questionable in this case - other factors may have been at play). Besides, general statements like this are usually false. There are plenty cats living in marine and brackish waters and there are those going back and forth.

V: I have 3 air tubings which are aerating at 84F
VJ: It is the relative amount of oxygenation that matters - higher temp vs normal temp - but if you think you were sort-of over-aerating before, then you can rely onto this safety margin, I guess.

[Coriequest]

There are alder cones for sale on EBay and at Aquabid. In the SF Bay Area we have a person selling them through SFBAAPS.

I wish my tap water PH was lower but at 8.2 I must do something to lower the PH or not keep catfish...aqua soil lowers PH but I don't think it's very good for cats...even my local distilled water is 7.0...
So far it works...Hastatus are breeding!

[Vick]

Thanks for all your help!
Helped clarify a lot of things..figured NH3/N03 would work hand in hand/simultaneously with water changes

I did see that page before getting the fishes, I've been trying to find ways to make the water softer and lower ph from the tap..the meds can only do much with constant water parameters..

I might have this wrong, Did apply some Ick attack med..One gulper has been swimming in circles..I feel its a good thing.hopefully

There are alder cones for sale on EBay and at Aquabid.
I wish my tap water PH was lower but at 8.2 I must do something to lower the PH or not keep catfish...aqua soil lowers PH but I don't think it's very good for cats...even my local distilled water is 7.0...
So far it works...Hastatus are breeding!

I have been doing a fair research on alder..as these are used in shrimp tanks..I'd like to give it a try just for the tannins

Exactly, I have HARD, High pH here..Gulper Catfishes are for me ... miniature bulldogs lol
P.s. I just looked up Hastatus..Wow that is cool..saw a vid on youtube..thats really neat..Nice!

[Viktor Jarikov]

..figured NH3/N03 would work hand in hand/simultaneously with water changes

sure they do; it's the longevity of the effect - NH3 levels will be back where they were in perhaps hours, NO3 levels can take a week.