[NJAquaBarren]

excuse the bad humor.

Had an ich outbreak and was wondering what I could have done to detect it sooner.

I read about "flashing" being a symptom of something going amis. What is flashing?

Most of my fish occassionally "shake", but I thought they were just swimming into the outflow stream. They are, but if flashing looks the same, maybe I dimissed some that was in an area out of the main current.

I just saw my male Krib shaking his head back and forth....whole body actually. I assumed he was trying to get the females attention who was nearby. They are new additions this week, so I though this was a good sign.

So what is "flashing"? How's that for a silly noob question.

Thanks,
AB

 

[Wasserpest]

Flashing refers to rubbing their body against plants, wood, rocks, or substrate. Itching is a pain if you don't have fingernails.

 

[Ariel301]

You'll often see them suddenly dart down to the bottom and 'rub' quickly against gravel or a rock, and then go back to whatever they were doing. It usually indicates something irritating to their skin/gills or a parasite.

The head/body shake is normal for kribensis and other cichlids. It's an aggression thing, and they'll also do it for the girls.

 

[mistergreen]

Flashing can mean a few things too, not just ich. Ich is the easiest to cure. Quarantine new fish so it doesn't become an outbreak in the community tank.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Flashing can mean a few things too, not just ich. Ich is the easiest to cure. Quarantine new fish so it doesn't become an outbreak in the community tank.

+1

I've never had to deal with ich in my main tanks since I faithfully started QTing all new fish for at least 4 weeks.