Flashing - but no ich?

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JWhipple
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Location: Merritt Island, FL
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Flashing - but no ich?

Post by JWhipple » Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:51 am

I've seen my kubotia and yoyos flashing quite a bit this past month, but after monitoring closely, everything in the water is perfectly fine and no signs of ich.

Is there something else that causes them to flash?
-- Light is faster than sound... Perhaps that explains why some people appear to be intelligent - until we hear them speak!

Diana
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Location: Near San Franciso

Post by Diana » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:26 am

Itching in general will cause flashing. Has the water changed lately? Water company adding something different?
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

JWhipple
Posts: 363
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: Merritt Island, FL
Contact:

Post by JWhipple » Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:04 am

Knowing the water company around here, I wouldn't doubt it. These days the water is about 95% other stuff, 5% H2O !
-- Light is faster than sound... Perhaps that explains why some people appear to be intelligent - until we hear them speak!

newshound
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Location: northern ontario

Post by newshound » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:07 pm

what water conditioner are you using?
one word -- PRIME
loaches will flash from time to time...
drain your pool!

JWhipple
Posts: 363
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: Merritt Island, FL
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Post by JWhipple » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:09 pm

You know - I ran out of Prime a few months ago and there was none on the shelf, so I switched to Tetra... I'll have to get some Prime and see if the issue goes away!
-- Light is faster than sound... Perhaps that explains why some people appear to be intelligent - until we hear them speak!

LK
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Location: Honolulu, HI

Post by LK » Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:48 am

Once I tried switching from API's Stress Coat to Tetra's AquaSafe, and my fish started flashing. This went on for about a week, while I debated with myself over whether the fish were sick, before it occurred to me that switching water conditioners might have something to do with it. I switched back to Stress Coat, and the flashing stopped shortly thereafter.
Btw, I don't endorse Stress Coat--in fact, I was trying to switch to something else because I heard Stress Coat wasn't that good. But, like it or not, my fish seem to be used to it and get irritated when I try different brands. So I thought I'd mention my experience because you said you'd switched water conditioners recently.

Diana
Posts: 4675
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Post by Diana » Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:07 am

Water conditioners that 'enhance the slime coat' may do so by adding irritants to the water. Irritants do make the fish develop more slime coat.

A healthy fish will produce just the right amount of slime coat, and does not need 'slime coat in a bottle'.

I use Pond Clear's "Chloramine Buster". It breaks apart the chlorine-ammonia bond of chloramine, and locks up the chlorine and ammonia.
No extra chemicals in there that the tanks may or may not need. A 16 ounce bottle is good for up to 8000 gallons, and costs about the same as a bottle of Amquel (Which is only good for 960 gallons)
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

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