Guest codfish Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Ammonia: 0.5 Nitrite:0 Nitrate:20 Ph tank:7 Jungle brand Temp:room tank size 50 gallons filters: top fin 60 change water twice a week 25 gallons 6 fish: 3 algae eaters 3 in, 3 goldfish 3-5 inches no additives or conditioners fish pellets twice a day no medications scales are falling off of white fish and bloody spots underneath, sitting at top of tank, "skin" hanging off. Two other fish died from this 2 weeks ago. Disease took over quickly and we treated tank with anti fungal medicine when we first noticed it but fish died anyway. No other fish had it until today I noticed it on another fish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member heidiinatree@yahoo.ca Posted August 13, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 13, 2008 3 algae eaters plecos are notorious for sucking the slimecoat on goldies while they sleep and the plecos are active at night causing injury and eventualy death you need to remove them, they are not compatible no matter what the people at the lfs say..also why are you not using condotioner for your water ??chlorine and chloramine are toxic to fish . is your tank been running for a while ??..your reading of ammonia 0.5 needs to be watched as ammonia can burn fish 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patches Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 (edited) It does sound like it could be the plecos. They got ahold ofyour fishie, and then infection set in. He could be chillin' at the top of the tank because he knows the plecos generally stay on the bottom so he feels safer there. (I know I'm faily new here but..) Like hi-d I also strongly reccomend you rehome your plecos. If you want an alternative for the algea, apple snails are great additions to goldie tanks and don't pose a risk to the fish. : Edited August 13, 2008 by Patches 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bob the Goldfish Posted August 13, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 13, 2008 But the fish may pose a risk to the snails. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member thoughtsofjoy Posted August 13, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 13, 2008 You say you put in no additives or conditioners. Does that mean you do not use a dechlorinating water conditioner? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patches Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 (edited) But the fish may pose a risk to the snails. That's very true. I've never had a problem with it myself. They've been known to bite the antennae off the snail but it grows back and the snail learns to keep it's antennae under it's shell. I've personally never had a snail killed, injured or bullied by a goldfish Edited August 13, 2008 by Patches 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bob the Goldfish Posted August 15, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 15, 2008 Back when I had a couple of large Ramshorn Snails, my fish would actively go at their eye stalks, and they may have even eaten some of the smaller snails, too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Trinket Posted August 15, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 15, 2008 scales are falling off of white fish and bloody spots underneath, sitting at top of tank, "skin" hanging off.Two other fish died from this 2 weeks ago. Disease took over quickly and we treated tank with anti fungal medicine when we first noticed it but fish died anyway. No other fish had it until today I noticed it on another fish. Codfish, if you have not introduced any new fish in the last 6 weeks - are you sure the pH is remaining stable at 7? When was it checked? Skin hanging off and fish hanging at the surface with bloody spots appearing can be typical of the burns and erosion that goes with a pH crash. These are especially lethal in warmer weather. Can you re-check that. If there is any medication in the water you need to remove it ALL via a huge water change, 100% is best. Check the new water is pH matched and water temp matched. Fungal meds are not appropriate for these symptoms and often contain malachite green which robs the water of almost all oxygen. Fish gasping at the surface always indicates gill issues of some sort, the fish is desperate for more oxygen. You need to increase aeration/surface agitation. Check and adjust pH. Lower water temp (which in turn increases dissolved oxygen levels) by turning off lights/taking off tank hood. Exactly what kind of algae eaters do you have there? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 sorry have been gone for a while and just got back. The fish is doing much worse now and i had remmoved the alige eaters from the water. now most of his scales are gone and parts of his fins have been eaten away i think it is some kind of funges that is eating him but i am not sure. none of the other fish are afected just him and this has killed 2 others like mentioned before. As for not using conditionars the water from the tap does not have any clorene in it and does not have high ph. I have added anti fungle medicen to the tank to see if that will help but i think it is to late for this one . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Trinket Posted August 16, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 16, 2008 What's the name of the medication? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 i put in some API anti fungal medication. It was the only thing i had at the house when i got home and all the pet stores where closed so i put it in hoping that it would stop or slow down what was on the fish. The thing is there is no "funges looking" areas on the fish it just being eaten. its whole body to include the outer part of one of his gills is being eaten. I cant see any parisits and the areas that are being eaten really do not show anything on there. The PH level is close to being low in the tank but the only reason i dont think it is that is because the othere two are not afected at all. wouldnt a huge drop in the PH burn all the fish at least a little? there is a fungues looking spot on on of the others that is now growing on it but i have seen that before and have cured it with anti fungal meds. thanks for all the help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 (edited) well the update for the fish this evening is that it is siting in the corner and breathing really hard and it looks like someone rubbed it up ageinst a cheese graders. the webbing on a couple of its fins is now gone and it looks like its skin is rotting away . I cant tell if the meds are helping or not. i see now that you did not want me to add those meds i did not read your post untill after i added them. the ph was tested when the first post was made and it stays pritty stable. thanks Edited August 16, 2008 by codfish 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 so i did another test and the ph has dropped a lot like you said but what should i do to get it up? my tap water has like no ph in it at all is there some way of treating the water? thanks 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Desiree Posted August 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 17, 2008 Skin hanging off and fish hanging at the surface with bloody spots appearing can be typical of the burns and erosion that goes with a pH crash. These are especially lethal in warmer weather. Looks like Trinket was right that your fish's symptoms are probably related to a PH crash. Please post your PH readings (pre and post 'crash') as soon as possible. You mentioned your water has very little PH in it. Chances are your water has very little KH in it, which means it has no real buffering capacity and will fluctuate. I have the same problem... Well, you have two options: 1. Add crushed coral in small amounts daily to your substrate or filter. This will gradually increase the KH which will in turn stabilize your PH. 2. Order Buff it Up from Goldfish Connection. Basically, you add a small amount and test your water 20 minutes later. Then, you can gradually increase the amount you add until your PH is at a good point. Seems like most people around here keep there PH fairly high at 7.6-8. So, once you figure the proper amount to maintain your PH, you just add that amount at each water change. Works like a charm! Honestly, I wouldn't mess with the crushed coral myself... I use Buff it Up and swear by it. Keep in mind a PH crash can cause a crash in your cycle as well. It would be wise to test your water parameters daily at this point. Please keep us posted on your fish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I had added some crushed coral yesterday and some ph liquid neutral regulator sence that was all they had at the fish store. The ph before the crash was around 6.5 and now it is bearly showing up. i am going to order some of that stuff that you were talking about and hopfuly that helps i just hope that my fish can hold on that long . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member vickielm Posted August 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 17, 2008 Please don't use any of the ph regulator. I used that once during cycling and it dropped my ph to nothing. I see that you've already used it, so you could do a large water change to get that out. The crushed coral should help and you could add a little baking soda to raise the ph temporarily until your Buff It Up gets there, hopefully quickly. The baking soda is an emergency thing, so add it slowly and test the water as you add it to raise the ph slowly. No more than once every couple of hours, ok? I would try a teaspoon or so at a time, wait a few minutes, and test the water. Be sure to dissolve the baking soda in water before you add it, or it will just clump up on the bottom. I sure hope your little guy can hold on. He sounds very ill. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 thanks everyone for all the help i will try the baking soda and hopfully that will help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 I have added the baking soda and the pH is at 8.4 the fish is now swimming around and eating. Just wanted to check in and make sure that 8.4 is ok. Thanks for everyone's help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Trinket Posted August 19, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 19, 2008 8.4 is okay. You must have added a lot of baking soda. Next water change, try slightly less and you can bring it down very slowly to mid 7's or even 8 if you like. The main thing with pH is to keep it stable (always the same) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 hi everyone, hear is the update on the fish he is eating and swimming around a little more. but he looks to be getting a fungle infection on his head and he looks "furry" around his body. it is hard to tell if it is his skin healing or if it is a infection. thanks for all the help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 (edited) ok so i got home tonight and the fish is upside down and is breathing really hard it also has puffy rings around its eyes. The fish is unable to sit upright and the skin that was damaged is falling off but it is starting to look brown. dose anyone know what i can do to fix this? I would really hate to lose him after how long he has been fighting to keep alive. thanks Edited August 30, 2008 by codfish 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 (edited) I guess no one knows what to do. Edited August 30, 2008 by codfish 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lynda441 Posted August 31, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 31, 2008 It's been a while since we've had readings. Can you give all of these to us? Also, tell us how the ph has been, i.e., stable, up and down, down, etc. What have you had in the tank, if anything, as far as meds, treatments, etc.? The puffy rings around the eyes could be popeye. What does the body look like? Is it swollen? Are the scales sticking out at all? The brown skin alone I could feel good about because darkening of the scales/skin can mean healing, but the upside down floating and rings around the eye are another more important issue. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codfish Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 20 ph stable at 7 alkalinity 120 no meds, treatments I do not see any scales sticking out but it is hard to tell because of all the "dead/healing" scales on his body. he still looks the same size maybe a little smaller than what he was before he got sick. he was eating earlier this week so he could have kept his weight up a little but im not sure. thanks for the help 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lynda441 Posted August 31, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 31, 2008 Those readings sound good. When was the last time you did a 100% water change? What food(s) have you been feeding? Is he still eating now? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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