Just got home from vacation and found a dead fish I was only gone for two days.?

Question

I did a 25% water change last night. This morning my ammonia is at 1 and my ph is very high. I'm going to do another 25% change now. Should I add in my amo-lock or do you think its too late for that? Also my pet Store was out of aquarium salt will kosher salt do the same thing?

It is a fresh water tank. I had 3 swordtails now down to 2 and the ph droped over the weekend to 6.0 from 7.0 and the ammonia is at 1 and it looks like my male has shimmy

Answer 1

You didn't say whether or not it is a saltwater tank or freshwater tank, or what kind of fish they are. How many in the tank is good to know also.

I will assume it is a freshwater tank. Yes, kosher salt is OK to use. When I do my water changes (25-30% per week) I just use regular table salt (yes, it is the iodized kind). One tablespoon per 5 gallons of water (unless they are mollies, then one teaspoon per 1 gallon). There is trace iodine in almost all naturally occurring water.

Fish do not need to be fed every day. Some fish can go for up to three weeks without eating. I regularly skip one or two days just to keep them on their toes (fins). They always greet me at the front of the tank hoping for some chow. Babies get fed twice a day, though, because they need the protein now to reach healthy adulthood in the future.

BTW, the pH is what is coming out of your faucet and water changes will not affect it unless it has been a loooonnnggg time since you did one. The pH will slowly drop over long periods of time (without water changes) and a sudden water change may kill your fish that have slowly adapted to the water over many weeks or months.

It may have just been "his time."

Answer 2

First problem: ammonia.

A fully cycled (=healthy) tank should never have detectable levels of ammonia. Ammonia of even 1ppm can prove lethal to fish over time. Your tank is not cycled or you lost a significant portion of your beneficial bacteria colony (which, in significant numbers instantly process/eliminate ammonia in the tank).

Second problem: Major pH swing.

pH 6.0 is TEN TIMES more acidic than pH of 7.0. That alone provides enough stress to kill a fish (matters made even worse with the presence of ammonia in the tank). Going from 7.0 to 6.0 over a weekend indicates poor water quality (your carbonates are being depleted and when that happens pH drops).

Solution: Conduct regular water changes (probably 25% every other day for a week, and thereafter 25% weekly) . Salt and additives won't really work at this stage. You need to establish adequate water parameters first. Once that is done, fish will be able to thrive in the tank.

Answer 3

make sure the water you put in is the same temp as the water you take out. If the new water is cold you will get ick disease. Do NOT use kosher salt. Dont change the water again until you get aquarium salt....

Answer 4

Mollies might want to correctly be mushy to variations in the water besides as all fish, exceptionally in the adventure that they were on meds. for fin rot. Now do i imagine its unreasonable so that you'll invite? No, less than no circumstances. Its not person-friendly to lose fish you've bred, ive been there. So i imagine with some new fish and a sparkling tank you may want to be good to bypass

Answer 5

go somewhere else and get aquarium salt. it is a different structure of salt. your fish shouldnt have starved, but you should have had someone there to feed them. it could have just been the ph and the lack of salt if they get used to being at just one specific level.

Answer 6

use this salt treatment add
1cup of salt
5tsp
it works also u can go to pet stores(if they are any good) and get amonia treatment

Answer 7

Well, everytime you go out, you should always buy little food caplets that disolve and feed the fish.

Answer 8

Your tank must have been in bad shape to begin with.....

Answer 9

throw it away quick stinks