Synodontis flavitaeniatus - help needed

[griffin]

Hi, if any of you learned catfish people can help me it's be greatly appreciated.

Just obtained 8 juvenile Synodontis flavitaeniatus 4 days ago. They were briefly housed (by the person I bought them off) in unsuitable water conditions - pH 8.5, substrate of coral gravel.....

At home we put them into water of pH 7.8 (didn't want to shock them too much with pH change). They have numerous PVC pipes to hide in, some are using them, some are grouped behind the filters in the tank, which is a 2ftx18inx14in.

The problem.....have noticed moderate ich infection on all of them. They are certainly stressed, I do not know if this has been because of the varying water conditions they've been in and being moved etc. or what we are doing now. They have eaten a small amount of live blackworm - wouldn't eat pellets or flake....have done 30% water change today, removed any detritus, new water going in is slightly above neutral.

My main question is - what to use to treat the ich with - can salt be used? I know that scaleless catfish are sensitive to many medications etc. Have started to raise the temperature in the tank as a start.

Any help you guys can give me would be great.

Cheers,

Jess

[Jools]

Raise the temp. to 82F and add an airstone. Feed the fish frozen bloodworm lightly. Bear in mind a pH shift of 1 is 10 times the difference. pH 8.5 to 7.8 is 7 times less alkaline, so it is not to be underestimated. Regular small water chnages should normalise the water conditions and settle you fish in without further shock. Make sure there a loads of hiding places to ensure absolutely no competition for cover.

Jools

[Silurus]

Or you can read this thread.

[griffin]

Thanks very much for your replies, they've been very helpful. I'll let you know how the little fellas go. We'll treat them and aim to minimise the stress on them as much as possible.

Cheers,

Jess