Discus And Fish Emergency

[julioarca]

Got up today, found my 4" clown dead and the discus not looking too well. They would not feed.

Later today all Discus at top of tank gasping, other clown dead. I stopped my diy co2, Read Sea with diffuser in tank and have started to aerate the water. Have done big water change. Discovered prior to water change Nitrite about .25, purple colour on test. Nitrate 40-50, ammonia 0.

After water change nitrite now 0.

I have had diy co2 in tank for approx 6 weeks with no problems. Feeding regime as per normal, no changes.

Juwel 180,

Anyone know what has gone wrong.

Should I aerate the water on a night time, (i do stop the co2 difusser on a night time).

Please advise asap

 

[Colin_T]

CO2 units should always be turned off at night as the plants only use CO2 when they have light. When it is dark the plants actually use oxygen like the fish. If there is no surface turbulence (from an airstone or something similar), then the fish can suffocate.
You didn't say what the PH was but I gather it would have been low. The nitrite reading would have been from the dead fish.

 

[TribeOfShroom]

I do believe you are suppose to turn your co2 on an hour before your lights come on and turn it off an hour before you turn your lights off at night. During the night cycle, having a strong airstone will help diffuse more oxygen through the waters surface as well as bring up the water from the bottom of the tank, cycling the gases more efficiently through the water.

I may be wrong, so please do check with some of the members who use CO2

All the best

 

[julioarca]

CO2 units should always be turned off at night as the plants only use CO2 when they have light. When it is dark the plants actually use oxygen like the fish. If there is no surface turbulence (from an airstone or something similar), then the fish can suffocate.
You didn't say what the PH was but I gather it would have been low. The nitrite reading would have been from the dead fish.

ph was 6.4

CO2 units should always be turned off at night as the plants only use CO2 when they have light. When it is dark the plants actually use oxygen like the fish. If there is no surface turbulence (from an airstone or something similar), then the fish can suffocate.
You didn't say what the PH was but I gather it would have been low. The nitrite reading would have been from the dead fish.

dont understand how all has been fine for 6 weeks then bang....problems

 

[Colin_T]

maybe it didn't have anything to do with the CO2 but a chemical or something else got into the tank and poisoned the fish. The water change diluted the toxin and everyone is happy.

 

[julioarca]

I have been adding a few new plants in the past 2 weeks. Think I know the culprit and I am soo angry with myself. I saw on this site that a way to kill off BGA is to use Fin and Fungas rot treatment. I did use this on Monday but only half the dose because of the clowns. Still aerating water and no co2 in the tank.

Fish, discus and rams, looking happier, even taken some food. Will stop aeration in morning and switch across to Co2 again if fish still looking happy. Water had gone slightly cloudy this teatime, did a water change, its not as bad now, prob about 90% ok.

I learnt a bad lesson today at the expense of 2 beautiful clowns, I feel awful and cut up. Being paniking all day. Will replace the clowns soon once all is ok.

 

[Colin_T]

What is BGA, blue green algae?

pretty much all medications will knock about filter bacteria. If you kill the filters you get an ammonia reading. If you do have an ammonia reading keep the feeding way down for the next few weeks. The more food going into the tank the higher the ammonia levels will go and the more stress for the fishes.
If the water goes milky cloudy it is a pretty good sign there is ammonia in the water brought about by uneaten food and an inefficient filter.