Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?

I've got 2 goldfish in a 22 gallon tank, goldfish number 2 was introduced about 8 days ago and it looks like he may have brought about ich in goldfish number 1. Hopefully I'll be able to treat the ich successfully (that's another story) but I didn't realise the outbreak of ich can come from your fish being stressed. Fish number 2 (new guy) looks ich free, so the suggestion could be that fish number 1 (older guy) is stressed. They have plenty of room, seem to get on well with each other, plenty of uv light (switched off at their bedtime) fed correctly, proper water changes using the correct tap-safe stuff etc, they don't get disturbed with noise or vibration etc. Don't really understand what the fella has to be stressed about!Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?What's happend is you've changed the bioload in your fish tank, goldfish are fairly messy eaters, the increase waste has lead to a spike in ammonia, and your tank will take some catch up. Ich has an interesting life cycle, and you need to ensure it's irradication during it's free floating state. The best and safest treatment are a combination of heat and salt, freshwater ich can't live in even slightly brackish water. Do a nice sized water change, as much as 50%, or do 2x25% water changes, that should lower the ammonia by about half. Gradually raise the temp just above 80F. Add one tablespoon of salt per gallon of water over a three day period. Increase aeration using air pumps or powerheads, this is important. Leave the salt in for another two days, then start doing 25% waterchanges until the salt is gone. You also need to gradually lower the temperature as goldfish are not tropical, prolonged exposure will lower their life span considerably. Gold fish get large pretty fast, so you may want to start saving for a larger tank, a 55 gallon is probably good for two comets or shubunkins, you might be able to get away with three fancies, no koi! Hope your fishies feel better soon, I wouldn't worry too much unless they stop eating or float upside down, comets and shubunkins are tough as nails, but watch for secondary infections like dropsy (bloating), tail or fin rot, or red streaks (ammonia poisoning). On the later you need to change the water asap.Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?its probably more likly that fish #2 is a carrier of ich, he is carrying it but not showing the symptoms, where as #1 is a disease case and shows the symptoms.



same way humans can be a carier of a disease but it doesnt show.Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?I'm not sure about the stressed part..except to make sure your water is the right ph...but on the ick part...I'm pretty much expert....what you will have to do is warm up the water to around 80..which is warm for goldfish..the ick will become free swimming then...then treat water with some ick medication..you can't kill the ick as long as it stays on the fish.Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?well i had a similar situation, but with tropicals. i think that the indroduction of a any new fish into a an established tank may cause the added 'stress' to the fish. fish #2 may be the carrier, just not show any signs of it when you brought him home. personally i think its a good idea to add some aquarisol to the tank when adding new fish to prevent ick outbreaks like this. for now you should treat the whole tank for ick.Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?They sell a thing called stress coat to put in the water and ich can also come from sun light,Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?For ICH Quick Cure is a must:

http://www.fishdeals.com/equipment/quick



For stress I like to turn all the lights off in the tank and keep the room they are in dim for about a week. Also adding some decorations gives fish a sense of security by hiding.Aquarium fish - how exactly do you prevent them from becoming stressed?fish 2 has most likely been kept in a crowded smaller tank in the aquarium and is now relishing the freedom he has.

fish 1 who was quite happy to have a tank to himself now sees a rival and half his territory gone.

hence the stress.

i doubt the addition of one extra fish (unless large) would screw the filtration system up that much.

best idea when introducing new fish is to alter the decor so they can establish new territories along with the 'old' fish.

Blankets

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