WHY ARE YOUR FISH SICK?

[@ragnos28]

I agree with everything you said. Remind me of something a friend of mine, who is in the hobby for a long time, once told me: "you take care of the water, the fish will take care of themselves".

[@FatherFish]

Your friend is wise

[@sumeroo8159]

I was wondering that how much food is too much. You have nicely explained it in your another video on food. Thanks a lot. It will help all to find how much food is needed. The main cause of sickness is excessive food intake.

[@FatherFish]

When feeding If food reaches the bottom it is too much.

[@sumeroo8159]

@@FatherFish that's another hack of knowledge 🙏

[@sumeroo8159]

Very informative. Much needed to all

[@adam6am]

Excellent video. Not over feeding your fish is so difficult, but something I have to learn to do.

[@FatherFish]

You can do it!

[@romancharak3675]

The most difficult thing to learn is..."DON'T FEED YOUR FISH!!" Thank you Father Fish.

[@FatherFish]

Yes. Thank you Roman.

[@aaronr5287]

Thank you, Father Fish. I have a bristlenose with bacteria eating away at its flesh I just checked the temperature and it's below 78 degrees, I am rushing tomorrow to get an adjustable heater. My heart is breaking that I've allowed this to happen to my poor guy. I'll try to give an update once I get an adjustable heater.

[@FatherFish]

Temperature is not the problem. Why do you have a bacteria bloom in your tank?

[@rozzer666]

Yo father last week an old fish of mine had ich all over its body and eyes but no other fish did. I put the temp up to 86 like you said and it cleared up in a few days. Thanks

[@FatherFish]

That's awesome

[@rozzer666]

@@FatherFish do you ever think about writing all your knowledge in a book. It would be an amazing read

[@rozzer666]

@Lee Willcox - Insanity & Aquatics could it all be put into an audio book? My guess is after the first read you would mostly need if and when any problems arose and only a specific chapter

[@rozzer666]

@Lee Willcox - Insanity & Aquatics haha your the guy in the hat arnt you? Are you from London. I live near Manchester in a small town called todmorden

[@rozzer666]

@Lee Willcox - Insanity & Aquatics haha all outsiders say todmorden is beautiful but it's not what it seems. There's nothing to do here apart from keep fish

[@MrOnlymoin1]

thank you Father fish for clarifying that fishes can take 90 degree temps easily. i have never heard that and was always directed that the ideal temp should be around 28 degree centigrade. my 50g tank in summer reaches temps of 90 degrees in summer in India where i live and there is nothing i could do about it. but the fishes seem fine. thanks again.

[@FatherFish]

Your fish do not lie.

[@janecourtenay3676]

Thank you, Father Fish, for sharing your wisdom 🥰

[@FatherFish]

You are very welcome

[@melissafoster1228]

Thank you so much @fatherfish And agreed - “why?”

[@FatherFish]

Why indeed.

[@Cpt_CanTV]

I raised my temperature in my 170 american cichlid tank to 86 , and the fish are showing increased movement and appetite, also their colours became deeper and more vibrant , thank you father fish , trying to kill the ich on me brand new Oscar, he's eating but his fins are deteriorating, and he has two prominent whit spots on his fins, i salted the talk, raised temp to 86 and feed all the fish garlic, it's there anything else i can do, 170 gallons is a lot to medicate and i would prefer to do it naturally

[@FatherFish]

Yes. I would do some water changes and make sure your salt level is absolutely minimal. Treating in a separate bare tank is much preferable. Treat the spots on the oscar with a topical ointment. If you have a tub or other similar container it would be best to remove him until he is healed. It is rarely a good idea to medicate a community tank due to the danger it poses to the variety of organisms at risk of poisoning.

[@Cpt_CanTV]

@@FatherFish I can set something up for him I noticed white stops on one of my parrots today, I worried that the ICH dropped off already but ill quarantine them both and see how it goes, I did about 36 Tbsp. of API aquarium salt, it seems like a mild case of ICH or maybe even fin rot im going to try pimafix and melafix, hopefully its mild enough that those will help, the parrot is full grown, but the Oscar is a baby, maybe its due to stress, he doesn't want to hide even though there is a lot of places for him. Thank you for the help my friend you rock

[@earthgirl7267]

Thank you so much Father Fish. 💙🐟🐠👍

[@FatherFish]

You are very welcome

[@mcsweeney3001]

Excellent content!! Thank you, Father Fish!!

[@FatherFish]

Much appreciated

[@umbito69]

Grazie grazie grazie. Un abbraccio

[@KarunakaranNaresh]

Thank you Ff

[@FatherFish]

You are welcome karunakaran

[@cmorrison5466]

@Father Fish Can Amano shrimp and Mystery Snails handle the higher temps (84°+)? Can plants also handle these high temps?

[@FatherFish]

Yes to all.

[@cmorrison5466]

Thank you!!! I've taken your advice and cut way back on feeding from 1x/day to 2x/week. All fish are doing fine! Now I will gradually turn the heat up on all my tanks to prevent diseases. I've spent $$$ on so many medications, and most only worked temporarily. Who would've guessed that something as simple as less feeding and higher water temps would've saved time, money, and grief? Oh, yeah! Someone that's been taking care of fish for decades would know! 😉 Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise! Wished I found this channel sooner. You should write a book!

[@dn7096_]

Is it ok to keep cold water fish, like Borneo Suckers, at 82 degrees as well?

[@FatherFish]

Cold water fish will not do well in temps much about 75.

[@sumeroo8159]

We have a variety of 24° to 37° centigrade. Should we put it in a cool place

[@sumeroo8159]

We have a variety of 24° to 37° centigrade. Should we put it in a cool place

[@FatherFish]

no. indicates a wide range of tolerance with strong indication of high temp growth.

[@sumeroo8159]

Oh. That's nice.

[@becksoftable]

Hey Father Fish, i hear this a lot about Ich, like it is similar to "catching a cold" if you go outside without a coat on. But studies on the actual parasite that causes Ich, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, has no dormant cycle and cannot linger in your tank without finding a host once it has developed in the Tomite stage of it's life cycle where it is swimming around the tank looking for a host. if it does not find a host, it dies and the cycle stops. So it seems to me that we use the term "Ich" for a variety of white spot illnesses that we see in our fish, but we automatically jump to treating the Ich parasite when it may just be a case of stress ich caused by temp change, water quality, low immune system, etc, when using most Ich treatments may only damage the fish's immune system even more. I am not one who believes that the Ich parasite resides in my tanks always, just waiting for an opportunity to jump on a weakened host. What do you think? have i rambled into a coherent thought or no? :)

[@FatherFish]

If it is ick raising the temp to 86 will deactivate it. If it is not ick raising the temp will harm nothing. Recent studies indicate the parasite may enter a dormant stage.

[@kenrooke9047]

Another great information nugget. You are in fine form with your measured delivery and emphasis on the key points. While I have cut way back on my feeding both in proportion and intervals I still worry about 7 cories not getting enough. Am I to assume they will be feeding on the waste from the other top feeders. ? This was very hard cutting back because for so long it just seemed normal. No one like you was there to tell us different and with so much variety on the shelf I felt it must be needed. Thank you for clarifying this. All in all I am seeing newer vitality in my stock I just worry about the cories.

[@carolinw.7351]

Hi Father Fish, thank you for your inspiring videos. I have a 20 gallon (100 litre) freshwater tank with a deep sand bed. My plants are doing so much better, apart from my floating plants, that now don't get enough nitrate. I have cut right back on feeding my fish as well, following your advice. And introduced some leaf litter from local stream and some live plants from there, too, and intend to add more. I will try raising the temperature to what you recommend as I have been keeping it only at 23 degrees Celsius/ 73 Fahrenheit. I have Danios and Corys and shrimp and snails. It does seem a little counter intuitive to keep the temperature higher than they would have it in the wild? I am hoping to get to a place where I stop having one fish die every few months or so, one will just start to weaken and waste away, and it's not old age :( I was considering fish TB possibly? But I really don't want to have to tear down my whole tank, especially as the healthy fish do seem happy. One other thing I keep noticing is I really need to watch my KH, because it drops within a week, since I got my deep sand bed. The GH remains high, and I have crushed coral in my filter but doesn't seem to do a lot, so I need to correct it with a partial water change of my tap water regularly. Any thoughts from you would be greatly appreciated, thanks again!

[@FatherFish]

Do not worry about the kh dropping unless it gets down to about 6.0 The animals you have do not need higher temp. 73 is adequate and probably preferable. The leaf litter will benefit all of these critters. Good job. Keep it going.

[@daneagan7656]

Im a new fish keeper just found your channel, thanks for the info. I did subscribe

[@FatherFish]

Thanks for the sub dan. Join us on DISCORD for lots of help. discord.gg/2mcrnDkM

[@saswineey]

Dear father fish, I've reduced my feedings when it comes to my smaller tetras to every other day and even 2 days once...and you are right, they are healthier (asides the already sick ones dying off, which will happen regardless). I am now setting up another dirted tank based on your advice on the 2 inch~ sand and some dirt... I've noticed that you tend to talk about small microbes that smaller fishes tend to feed on when it comes to dirted tanks...does this apply to bettas too? As I'm deciding on either going with guppies/platies or a lone betta. The tank is about 5+gallons, post setting up, it holds about 4~ gallons of water. Hope to hear from you soon, thank you for your help so far

[@FatherFish]

It doe apply to bettas but to be effective they need to be in about a 10 gallon tank. The simpler way with bettas it to feed mall meals once a day and only live or frozen food. You can feed tiny amounts of fish or shrimp. Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia are fine. live mosquito larvae or daphnia are perfect. Again, very small amounts daily for betta.

[@hunnysek]

Hello Father Fish.I’m struggling to to stop my tropical fish dying.I’ve capped the tank with sand and reduced feeding to once a week and raised temperature to 86 for 3 days and now it remains at 83.I treated my tank for Ich for 12 weeks with combination of meds Esha Exit and Esha 2000.(advice from LFS) which didn’t resolve the issue so installed uv steriliser that controls the disease.Fish now die of the bloat. Added many stem plants to get the nitrates down(40ppm) on tap.what other steps can I take to achieve healthy balanced tank? Thank you

[@FatherFish]

First step is to get the toxins out of the water. Massive water changes. Stop using the UV. Replenish substrate biology. Give the system a chance to catch its breath and develop into a healthy, balanced environment. Catch up with us on morning streams where you may discuss your situation.

[@hunnysek]

@@FatherFish Thank you!

[@DanielGonzalez-gd3dx]

Hello father fish love this video it has lots of info on it. I just fed live brine shrimp to my fish. So my question is when should I feed them next.

[@FatherFish]

Feeding twice a week is sufficient. Feed only enough for them to eat all of the food in less than a minute.;

[@DanielGonzalez-gd3dx]

@@FatherFish thank you very much father fish I’m learning so much from you.

[@biswajit23213]

Hello My chichid fish is down on the substrate for 10 to 15 days.. I cant understand whats wrong . Nothing can be seen externally on the body. Please help me to identify whats wrong... How can i send you a video clip of that fish????? Help!!

[@FatherFish]

Happy to try to help you. Join our DISCORD server and post your pics for qualified aquatic specialists to help you. Link is: discord.gg/ghFHH3Vc

[@cynthiaponce2133]

Father Fish, I have a question. My bettas kept on dying on one of my tank. And, the one thing that is different is that, my ramshorns there exploded in numbers. I did not at all feed much, nor have I added anything weird or chemical or otherwise. And yet, my newly bought betta is getting sick, just like the others before it.

[@FatherFish]

If snail population exploded you overfed. Your water is killing your fish because you are polluting it.

[@cynthiaponce2133]

@@FatherFish My betta died yesterday. I was not able to save it. Though, I did follow your advice of cleaning the sides of my glass, changing water. It's my fault. I was too late.

[@ungodlyguy]

What should be the temp range for white cloud mountain minnows?

[@FatherFish]

The will do fine in a tropical tank. In the wild about 78 optimal.

[@ungodlyguy]

@@FatherFish Is there an upper limit to the temp for them?

[@jamesshamley6577]

Thank you for the information. Your videos are very good.

[@FatherFish]

Glad you like them!

[@saswineey]

What about neon tetras? For the life of me i can't seem to keep them healthy, i always get fungus/finrot... It's a community tank with snails, the rest are healthy though. And yes I'll reduce my feeding, thank you sir!

[@FatherFish]

Me too.

[@Crslawncare13]

Father fish The thermostat on my heater stays at 78° would you recommend an adjustable heater for my 10 gallon tanks

[@vaughanjattan7475]

You should definitely get an adjustable heater if you keep tropical fish. Tropical fish do best at 82 degrees, 82 degrees will help protect them from disease.

[@FatherFish]

Yes, absolutely

[@Crslawncare13]

Is 84 too high

[@FatherFish]

@@Crslawncare13 no

[@Crslawncare13]

@@vaughanjattan7475 thank you 💯👍🏻

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

I've got a small 3 gallon for a betta, and he immediately got fin rot. I'm thinking it was most likely because I transitioned him from the hard water he was in at the store to soft water because I've read betta prefer soft water. I tried treating him with ich-x and maracyn to no avail. I don't have heaters, but I keep my room temperature fluctuating between in the high 70s and lower 80s. I was afraid to not feed him at all for a month because I never see him pecking away at biofilm or algae, but I did refrain from feeding him for the a week after adding 2 inches of sand to the substrate, and I'm now feeding him half as much as I was when I first got him, which is a couple large pellets of aqueon betta food a day. I have never had hardly any ammonia or nitrite. I had very little nitrate, especially now that I have duckweed covering the whole surface. He had a black stripe on his tail fin which is now receding, and translucent frayed pectoral fins which are now growing back. I initially added rocks and small oak wood from my backyard in the tank, so do you think it was a change from hard to soft water, or perhaps it was the tank trying to balancing itself and getting rid of pathogens over time?

[@FatherFish]

Bettas seem to do better in hard water.

[@rcs5159]

Thanks for the video, but you didn't discuss internal parasites. What is your remedy for white stringy poop internal parasite?

[@rcs5159]

I have a 150 gallon with small community fish and planted tank. It is difficult for me to remove a fish.

[@FatherFish]

Feed fresh crushed garlic. If symptoms continue after 2 days use General Cure as directed.

[@RamKumar-ej3sy]

Hi F Fish, Does the quarantine tank, to keep the sick fish necessarily have deep substrate..?

[@FatherFish]

Not at all. Actually best to leave it bare and do 100% water changes as needed.

[@jde383]

Hey Father fish!! Hey just wanted to ask do you quarantine all new fish to make sure they are healthy or do you just put them in and if you see something with a certain fish remove them to a quarantine tank? Reason I ask is I have a couple of guppy’s that I put in a quarantine tank that was already cycled but after the time I medicated them I lost my cycle on tank! I feel like sometimes it just does more harm what do you think? Also is a 6.8 PH to low for guppy’s I love them but my water is soft!!

[@FatherFish]

I do not quarentine. I check fish carefully before putting them in my tanks. I buy only from reputable suppliers who do quarentine. Your guppies should do fine in your water.

[@jde383]

Thanks so much!! Is there an online source that you would recommend I could purchase from?

[@riddlebox]

Is brown algae bad?

[@FatherFish]

No. It is just old and tired.

[@kosys5338]

Rummy nose have a way of making you think they are sick when they are not. Sometimes they will just stop swimming and kind of just float nose down, they do it for a couple of seconds and then just go back to what they were doing. I'm not sure why they do that, they just do. It did kind of freak me out at first won't lie lol.

[@FatherFish]

The real joy comes by watching the behavior of these tiny critters. They surprise us constantly.

[@kosys5338]

@@FatherFish I couldn't agree more, it gives you such a better appreciation of nature and how it all works together to make this world we live in. We need to understand nature and not try to control it. It knows what it is doing far better than we do lol. It's had a lot of time to practice and perfect it's craft.

[@fernandosalazar730]

Hi I have a question , I recently set up my dirted tank ,I am getting a black at the stem of my plant, what do you recommend

[@FatherFish]

Do not push the plants into the dirt but only 1" into the sand cap.

[@fernandosalazar730]

@@FatherFish thank you so much for the advice

[@incominghitdadirt9587]

Hi Father. I love your channel. It's hard for me to make all the live streams but i watch them after. What would you suggest for what i think is hole in the head on a bristle nose pleco? The disease doesn't bother any other fish. It responds to api general cure for parasites (metronidazole). The problem is it comes back about 2 weeks later and i don't want to keep using the general cure. I've been following your advice for about 2 weeks now and cut down on feeding a lot. I guess i will try to move the pleco to my 10 gal established tank and let him be for a while. I'm not sure how to get the pleco out of the 55 gal because i have so many plants. I dont want to tear them all up trying to catch my bristlenose. Any advice for what i think is hole in the head?

[@FatherFish]

Very unlikely it is hole in the head. Use a large net to trap the fish against the glass without disturbing the plants.

[@rozzer666]

Father fish I have had some bosemani for just over a year and they have no yellow on them. Are they going to get the yellow back ever?

[@FatherFish]

They may. Add some carrotine or feed mashed vegetables.

[@gabrielfigueroa7917]

Love the videos very helpful.

[@FatherFish]

Glad to hear it!

[@peaoat3608]

Having a tank full of betta babies would stress me out because I know that if I gave them away to pet stores, they would put them in those dreadful cups. I don't have resources to set up a separate tank for every baby male betta. How do people deal with betta babies anyway?

[@FatherFish]

Right

[@amarabidali5316]

Its funny for us outside of America when you say not to put the temperature at boiling point but then say 90 degrees is fine.

[@rozzer666]

Lol I always have to Google it to C

[@FatherFish]

Correct. Your 100c is my 212. My 90f is your 32c. My 32f is your 0c So confusing

[@MrMidgety]

How can I get rid of white fungus on fish naturally?

[@FatherFish]

Excellent question. First, it is necessary to understand that fungus does not grow on living organisms. Where there is fungus on a fish its flesh is under attack by bacteria. It is only after the flesh eating bacteria has done its job that fungus is able to grow on the waste material. So, curing fungus means curing bacterial infection. There are dyes, medications, antibacterial ointments and other topical treatments, all work for the appropriate type of bacteria (essentially gram positive and gram negative) For a relatively minor infection garlic can be used topically or as a food. A salt bath of 1tblspn per 5 gallons doubled on day 2 if there is no improvement. DO NOT FEED fish while in quarantine. Do not raise the temp. Lower it to control bacterial growth.

[@MrMidgety]

@@FatherFish thank you so much for this info. I have a black neon and a dwarf neon rainbow fish showing minor signs of the fungus on dorsal fin and side. All my other fish in the tank look fine. What temperature do you suggest to lower it to control bacteria? My tank is currently at 26 degrees Celsius. Thank you again

[@YOUNGTROPICA]

Crank that speed up to 1.25

[@FatherFish]

You younguns have fast ears.

[@themidnightlobster6281]

Captain FF!!!

[@FatherFish]

Midnight Lobster sounds nefarious. LOL

[@themidnightlobster6281]

@@FatherFish lol your field glasses reminded me of a captains hat 😁

[@b_neves]

Our mentor

[@Leib33]

@@themidnightlobster6281 LOL, that's what I though until I began watching the video and realized the Captain's hat "band" was actually his wearable magnifier!

[@themidnightlobster6281]

@@Leib33 😆

[@frankmurrell6827]

🎯🎯🎯👍👍👍

[@laurag1076]

Below 82???

[@tinuljevicaquaticgardens1002]

That is riddicolus normal temp for tropical fish is 72-78 (22-25°C) and algae grows much slowier on lower temps

[@FatherFish]

If need be. 82 is a goal.

[@FatherFish]

Normal temp for many tropicals in nature is 85-95.