HELP,PLEASE!

[kukana d 57]

I posted this on another forum.Anyone have any ideas?????

What is Ammonia Level? .25(some debris on bottom-need to vac. and extend intakes)

What is Nitrite Level? 0

What is Nitrate level? 10

What is Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH)?ph-8,gh-8,kh-4/5

What is Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH)? ph-8.2,gh-7/8,kh-6-AFTER ro,di,re-mineralizer-ph-8.8,gh-4/5,kh-4

What is the brand of test-kit used(strips or drops)? API drop kit

What is your water temperature? 70.2

What is the size of the tank (how many gals.) and how long has it been set up? 46g-2 years

What is the name and size of the filter(s)?was Emperor 400-changed over to Eheim Pro 2080 last Tues/Wed

Is there any substrate in the tank? If so how deep? and what kind (sand, gravel)?No

How often do you change the water and how much?50% 1x/wk. I use r/o w/ a di cartridge and re-mineralizer.Then I use about 20-25% tap and add Prime-this has worked well. THEN,2 weeks ago I changed the cartridge in the re-mineralizer.A few days later I changed the r/o membranes and cartridges in r/o and DI.Thinking this could be the problem,I had both companies over-night brand new cartridges-which I replaced yesterday-no change in fish.

gh and Kh were both 4,so I thought maybe something wrong w/ re-mineralizer,so yesterday I bought some calcium chloride-http://www.pooltime.com/mp/v/index.j...extfmt=default -and epsom to raise the Gh.I used buff it up for the kh.

How many fish in the tank and their size?Were 4-now 3 2 ggod sized ranchu-1 good sized lion head

Do you use water conditioner(if so, what kind)?Prime

What do you feed your fish and how often?Saki Hikari purple-was using a bag that expired last yr but was told it's good 1 yr past the expiration date.Started on this bag approx 2/24/12

Is there any new fish/plant added to the tank? if so how long is the quarantine period? Yes.Received 4 new fish from GF Net and qt'd w/ Prazi for 2 weeks-then added 1 of them to this tank 7 days ago.I had been negligent w/ w/cs in qt,when I tested the qt water ammo was .5,nitrate .25.and 2 of the fish were showing signs of bad water quality-the 1 I put into this tank was streaking red,color loss,inactive. I panicked,thinking it was the water quality and grabbed 1 of them and put into this tank-which was PERFECTLY healthy.I thought it would perk him up immediately,but he stayed inactive. I did a 50% w/c and he stayed the same.The next day I removed him,and the lionhead was showing some splotchiness,dry looking,and floating on the top. Then 1 of the ranchu started showing color loss and hanging at the bottom.

Is there any medications added to the tank?No-just buff it up,calcium chloride and epsom salt. I added some Koi Clay on Monday-but it has been removed w/ all the w/cs. And Prime. 2 days ago I tested the tap,and the ammo was 1 and Nitrites were .25,so I did more w/cs to get the tap out,thinking that may be the problem. The buffers were added yesterday,and there is still no change.

Describe the problems you are seeing: example grains of salt on body, bloddy streaks, frayed fins, fungus, staying at bottom, not eating, etc? In this tank-color loss,dry looking ,blotchiness,1 at top,2 on bottom,inactive-except at feeding time-they have good appetites still. 'whiteness'-I think from buffers

I want to recap the water params as they are 1)out of the tap 2)after the ro/di/re-mineralizer 3)currently in the tank:

1out of tap:

ammo-1

nitrites-0(was .25 yesterday)

nitrates-0 (was 5 yesterday)

ph-8.2

gh- 7/8

kh-6

2 after ro/di/mineralizer:

ammo-0

nitrite-0

Did not test nitrates-about to run out of those drops-but usually 0 at this stage

ph-8.8(could be higher-test only goes that far)

gh-4.5

kh-4

Current tank(water change and buffers yesterday)(over past 3 days there has been at least 4 50% w/cs-I kept thinking it would help):

ammo-.25(I fed 2x yesterday to be sure still hungry-they were!)

nitrites-0

nitrates-10

ph-8

gh-8

kh-4/5

Here is a vid of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukXQI...ature=youtu.be Sorry,I don't know how to get the vid here

Just to note-in case you guys may see something here:

-I have been treating 2 fish-1 that I put into this tank-for septicemia-out of qt-after 2 wks prazi.I have metro in their water and am feeding o/a food. 1 of them has started to have lifted scales-and his tail is gone(poor water in qt?)

. The other will only eat if soaked in garlic

-In my 170g veiltail tank 1 has flipped over and at bottom,but prior has not had any flip problems. 1 veil who had sitting on bottom issues on Hikari green but that cleared up when I switched to Purple. Now,he's on the bottom again(led me to think it could be the expired Purple I've used for the past week or 2).Also another veil at bottom a lot.I have fasted this tank,followed by peas 2x and that has not helped. This tank has had w/c w/ new ro canisters,but larger volume of water,so maybe not quite as affected? This tank is due for a w/c tomorrow,and I am terrified about doing that w/ the current events.

Here is the r/o unit I have:

http://www.spectrapure.com/St_line_p5.htm

with these cartridges: http://www.spectrapure.com/St_replac_p1.htm

http://www.spectrapure.com/St_replac_p2.htm

plus a chloramine reduction cart. I can't find the web page for.

This is the re-mineralizer:

http://crystalquest.com/alkalizer.htm

JUST to confuse the issue,this is the ro unit I was using that I changed the cartridges in initially(then switched over to my 2nd ro 2 days ago,then had replacement carts. over-nighted to me-it's made no difference)

http://www.hydrologicsystems.com/pro...=StealthRO_200 w/ these cartridges: a kdf-85 http://hydrologicsystems.com/product...=Pre-Evolution

a sediment filter,and a De-ionization cartridge.Then the re-mineralizer. It is possible I used a wrong cartridge when I replaced them-but I can't confirm that until Tues. when a guy returns from a business trip.

*** I am sorry for such a long post-I have been running around for 4 days trying to 'fix' this myself,and I wanted to include every detail/change I could think of and be as thorough as possible-I REALLY NEED HELP!PLEASE .Thank you so much for your time and patience.

[dnalex 13,633]

I'm sorry, Susan

Is that ich I see on one of the ranchus? I think you need to start them all on Metro-Meds ASAP. They are pretty far advanced.

I'm sorry I cannot help with the RO issue

[tithra 4,917]

I'm so sorry. I hope you can get this figured out and everyone on their way to recovery soon!

[kukana d 57]

I'm sorry, Susan

Is that ich I see on one of the ranchus? I think you need to start them all on Metro-Meds ASAP. They are pretty far advanced.

I'm sorry I cannot help with the RO issue

Alex,are you talking about the Blue? Did you read the entire post about having put a new fish in therer? I think the white is from the buffers. I am presently filling (r/o is slooooooooooooow) a qt tub-the blue ranchu is not stirring much now.I am at such a loss!!!!!!!!! I cam go add some metro powder to some gel food I have. I used reg. gelitain-can I melt it and add,do you know?

Thanks,Tithra.

[dnalex 13,633]

Do you not have any Metro-Meds? I actually you may need the other antibiotics also.

[kukana d 57]

I have metro powder,oxilonic acid(already have some food w/ that)kanamycin,a few other............ Do you think this is ick? I did not treat the new fish w/ salt. Should I salt and add some metro to the food? Or I can add metro to the water too. I also have some 3x a/b I can add or put in food. EDIT: How much metro powder do I add to 1/2 c (weighing 135g) to make 20% med food?

Edited March 12, 2012 by kukana

[dnalex 13,633]

I'm in the midst of water changes, but will be back in 1 hour. I can help if no one else has responded before then.

Also, could you take some more pics of the blue ranchu? Thanks.

[number20121 2,663]

Also, could you take some more pics of the blue ranchu? Thanks.

Maybe some of all three of them. I think I can see white spots on the two other fish too, especially the bottom sitting one. I never seen a buffer causing white spots on a fish, but I don't have an r/o unit either, so that might be a different story.

I cannot really help, but sending my thoughts to you and the fish

[Helen 8,511]

sorry to read all the troubles susan..

personally, if i were to be going through all this, i would consider starting all over again with nice clean water salted to 0.3% and MetroMeds. i would be considering melafix at half dose to keep the water sterile and hope that it clears it up. as well as daily water changes of 70% minimum

there are members online here offering metromeds they no longer need.

this is all i can offer.. i know nothing for RO water.

good luck, i hope you find a solution soon

Edited March 12, 2012 by stakos

[mjbubbles 211]

susan,

if you need metromeds, I can send some. Pm me ur address and remind me size & number of fish. I can mail tomorrow.

good luck!

mj

[kukana d 57]

(I have composed a response to earlier posts,but am uploading some pics) Wouldn't metro powder a/b be as good,if not better than MM?

[shellbell4ever 1,381]

Oh My Gosh those poor fish I feel so bad for you and them,My first impression was ich as well, Maybe I am wrong I know nothing about RO water or units so no help there i am sorry I do hope things start to look better asap keeping you in my thoughts

[kukana d 57]

Thanks shell-bumping my isnt metroconozole powder as goo/better than MM?

[number20121 2,663]

Metromeds contain several medicines. If it is something that the metronidazole alone doesn't work on, then it is likely that the other meds in the Metromeds/the combination of metronidazole and the other ingredients in it work.

[dnalex 13,633]

Thanks shell-bumping my isnt metroconozole powder as goo/better than MM?

No. As I've said before, there are other ingredients in the Metro-Meds besides metronidazole. There are actually four antibiotics in MMs, which between them all give you huge coverage over what bacteria/parasite they will kill off. Metronidazole is great, but it has it somewhat limited range of targets, mainly protozoal parasites and anaerobic bacteria.

Metromeds contain several medicines. If it is something that the metronidazole alone doesn't work on, then it is likely that the other meds in the Metromeds/the combination of metronidazole and the other ingredients in it work.

I was writing my response when Fang posted this

Just FYI, metro-meds active ingredients are: metronidazole, Romet B (ormetoprim + suldimethoxine), and oxytetracycline.

Edited March 12, 2012 by dnalex

[Helen 8,511]

(I have composed a response to earlier posts,but am uploading some pics) Wouldn't metro powder a/b be as good,if not better than MM?

if you are able to get the powder into the gelfood at the correct dosage, i don't see why not.. however, the prepared MM's have more than jut Metronidazole in them. the combination of meds in that food appears to work really well for dropsy and bacterial infections.

alex has worked out the metronidazole dosages for me in the past, it worked well, but not as well as the actual MetroMeds that were smuggled in for me. this is my observation for the circumstances for my fish.. i was happier with the result received from the MetroMeds..

given that the fish you display are advanced with their problems. i personally would go the already prepared food. i guess you can use the powder direct in the water if needed even whilst feeding the MM's.

we seem to be in sync with responses

[kukana d 57]

I have oxy-tet. Is there another name for the romet b,or something similar?

[kukana d 57]

Thanks guys! I have never dealt w/ ick,so I don't know(knock wood!)! This did start after adding a fish to that tank-after 2 weeks prazi ONLY-he wasn't doing great,but I thought that was b/c my maint. stank-I was really preoccupied w/ something. The thing is-I also changed the ro cartridges that same time-so I have been focused on that,and maybe it's not that at all! IDK. Can a fish carry ick,but not show signs? The 1 I added doesn't show signs.And I hope to holy hell that's not it b/c I added 2 fish from that qt to the pond also! Actually,the blue ranchu seemed unaffected by everything and kept 'picking' at the 2 that were affected,so I put him in a basket-he was as strong as ever then. I did not let him out for 2 days,and now he's the worst. I have a tub of water ready,but don't know if I need to move to treat since all are BAD! I already have some o/a food ready and am fixing some metro too. Here are some closer pics of them:(the last pics are of the fish I added to this tank just before this-this tank was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!!!)

This is the added 1-whose not doing great in qt

I have just added bluen to fresh qt(ro)water-nothing else yet.

[kukana d 57]

I have oxy tet-anything else I can add.don't have r stuff

[dnalex 13,633]

Looks like ich to me.

What do you guys think, Helen, Fang, and others?

[kukana d 57]

I have oxy-tet,oxolonic acid,kanamycin,TMP sulfa,Erythromycin,neomycin.......any of these in place of the romet b? Alex can you tell me proportions?

[Helen 8,511]

hun.. increase the temp to 80F salt at 0.3% with temp at 80F is how we would normally treat Ich.. as well as this, temp at 80F will help the fish to digest meds faster.

Looks like ich to me.

What do you guys think, Helen, Fang, and others?

definitely

[dnalex 13,633]

Susan, why don't you & Helen decide on what you want in the gel, and I'll be happy to help with amounts.

[kukana d 57]

I've put blue in a qt-should I move back to tank and treat whole thing? Raising temp now. Shall I add metro to the water w/ salt also? food proportions??? Thanks a million guys.

Helen,did you see the med list?

[kukana d 57]

Susan, why don't you & Helen decide on what you want in the gel, and I'll be happy to help with amounts.

ok alex,I have 1/2 c. food melted and can add whatever need be..........Thank you