I have a 20g with 3 platys and 3 small Anubias. Ammonia-0, nitrites-0, nitrates-3-5ppm. I've seen that 2 of the platys are glancing against decorations and leaves. I gave them a salt dip and it stopped for about a day, but now its back. I assume its external parasites. I have some API General Cure. If I decide to use it will it kill my Anubias? If so can i put the plants in a container for about 5 days? Ingredients are Metronidazole and Praziquantel.
Before using medicines though, I would want to know for sure what is wrong to make sure you are treating the right thing. Ich or Velvet would be common for scrapping against decorations.
I would also be trying to figure out the cause of the illness to fix that so it does not come back (Water too soft, water quality, fish are new, etc).
In very general terms, antibiotics can affect some or all plants, depending what it is and strength. And copper-based medications will affect many plants due to the increase of copper.
But before treatment, you should as someone suggested make very certain of the issue. All medications stress fish to some extent, and treating them with something that is ineffective only weakens them further.
Flashing is usually ich. Raising the temperature to 90F for a week can be effective on its own. I have fish that cannot tolerate this, so I raise it to 85F and use Coppersafe which is relatively mild. I have never lost fish or plants to this, and it has worked.
If you just see some flashing, but no actual white spots, I would not do anthing in the way of medication. Regular partial water changes of half the tank weekly, maintaining good conditions, not overfeeding--this can work wonders in the initial stages of ich. Healthy fish that are not under stress will (should) be able to finght off ich. The flashing is because ich first attacks the gills.
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