I did a routine water change about 1 week ago and now they are all hiding and dying at the same time- I was told to make new water and put them in a bucket with it then sterilize their tank.......should I do that? Please help soon.
2007-07-12 15:38:00 · 5 answers · asked by Madison 6 in Pets ➔ Fish
I did the routine water change 1 week ago and they started losing their color a couple of days ago and hiding all day and some not eating at every meal like usual- I didn't put anything poisonous in the water or dangerous to the fish- I just did a routine water change again hoping they will be fine- I just put the basic water conditioner and bacteria supplement in the water as I always do......should I put anything else in? I'm guessing it's nitrite poisoning.
2007-07-12 15:56:35 · update #1
Update: I have 5 Platys, 2 Green Cory's, 2 Clown Loaches, and a sucker fish/algea eater whatever it's called- I've had them for 6 months and everything has been fine- the only thing I've noticed besides hiding is they are losing their bright colors, 1 has just died tonight, and some have weird swimming (swimming fast, flipping on side, then swimming fast again). I have a 20 gallon tank, I haven't changed anything recently except got a new filter which is better than the last one I had- I use basic fish flakes for food and water conditioner, bacteria supplement, and a little aquarium salt. I do a routine water change (about 25%) each week.
2007-07-12 17:44:40 · update #2
No you should probably not sterilize your tank - this in only necessary if you've identified a few specific problems, and it sounds as though neither you, nor your fish store has an idea why the fish are dying.
Before we can give you an educated answer as to what's happening, we need a little more info. How long have you had these fish? How long has their tank been set up? How large is the tank, and how many fish? What products do you use in the tank, and have you changed any of these recently? Did you test your tank for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and if so, what are the results? Do your fish show anything abnormal in their appearance or behavior (other than hiding)? Are there any other fish in the tank (please give numbers and species)?
I'll check back in a few minutes to see if you've added any info.
ADDITION: Your clown loaches are going to out grow that tank eventually - they can get 12-14 inches each.
The swimmong you're describing sounds like they might be trying to scrape against objects. Does the dulling in color look like their getting more slime on their bodies? The two together sounds like you might have some sort of parasite infection. Are they showing any small with spots on their body or fins? This could be ich or velvet. I'll post some links at the end with info on treating this. You'll need to use 1/2 of the dose to start because your loaches are sensitive to both medications and salt and build gradually to a full dose. Also, raising the temperature will help in treating.
If this is what they seem to be showing, do a good siphoning of the gravel before you add the treatment, and if you use a medication, take the carbon out of your filter before using it. The first link will show you photos of the diseases, but use the website after for treatment info:
http://www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/othprotist.shtml
If your algae eater is a pleco or otocinclus, it will also be sensitive to the treatments. If it's a Chinese algae eater, I'd advise getting it out of your tank. These only eat algae as juveniles, and develop a taste for the slime coat of their tankmates as they get older. This could also be a cause of your fish deaths if this is the species you have and the fish don't appear to have parasites.
You shouldn't need to be adding bacteria to your tank unless you're cycling. Once the population has built to levels that process the ammonia and nitrite in the tank, any extra bacteria will only starve for the lack of nutrition. At 6 months, the tank should be finished cycling, unless you're still showing readings of ammonia and nitrite.
2007-07-12 16:36:09 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What did you sterilize their tank with? Sounds like you used something not good, like dish soap or some other household item but you should use something special from the pet store.
If you have another tank, put them in it asap, then clean the old tank out with the pet store cleaners.
2007-07-12 15:42:15 · answer #2 · answered by original_pet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What redpoison suggested, do you have flora and filtration? attempt dropping the pH to 7.0 - 7.3 it truly is the universal pH. yet maximum severely you go with a quarentine tank. It does must be enormous in any respect, no rocks. in basic terms suitable temp and chemistry and filtration. so a procedures you have had 3 contraptions of fish. it truly is risky. Are you determining to purchase your fish from an aquarium keep? determining to purchase them from a 'puppy' keep is risky as a results of fact they dont communicate fish so the fish are in many situations ignored.
2016-10-21 01:53:58 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im assuming you put dechlorinator in their water???
make sure the water isnt too hot. if you sterilize it- that would be if they are sick and the previous two things werent the problem, then DEFINITELY put dechlorinator, since you'll have to use bleach to sterilize it.
2007-07-12 15:42:52 · answer #4 · answered by glitched74 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! Do that as fast as you can!
2007-07-12 15:45:44 · answer #5 · answered by Akshay G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋