trianglekitty
Fish Crazy
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2010
- Messages
- 387
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I turned on my tank light today just in time to witness one of the guppies having what I can only describe as a grand mal seizure. It lasted about twenty seconds, and when it was over he sat on the bottom for about ten minutes. He's now swimming again, but is very pale and clearly unwell, though he's no longer gasping like he was.
I immediately checked the water, and got these results:
Ammonia .50ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 20ppm
I test the water 2x daily, and this is the first time the ammonia has been over .25 (it's .25 out of the tap, so I can't actually get it lower than that). I did an a big water change (about 60%) and plan to do another, smaller one later tonight.
Could these levels explain what happened to the guppy? The smaller tank they were previously in routinely tested as high or higher, which is why I moved them. If it wasn't the ammonia, what could it be? I've have these fish for months and other than an ich outbreak they've been very healthy.
Is there anything else I should be doing other than the water changes? I was thinking of maybe putting in some ammonia chips. I haven't done it before because I didn't want to disturb the cycling process, but since my tap water has ammonia in it perhaps I need to reconsider. I'm finally getting nitrate levels, though, so I really don't want to mess up the cycle now.
I've been keeping the light off so the fish can rest. Should I withhold food as well, or would that just weaken him further? I'm honestly kind of doubtful he's going to pull through this, which will make him the first fish I've lost not due to fish on fish violence.
Update- he had another seizure, and is now just rolling across the gravel on the bottom of the tank.
I immediately checked the water, and got these results:
Ammonia .50ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 20ppm
I test the water 2x daily, and this is the first time the ammonia has been over .25 (it's .25 out of the tap, so I can't actually get it lower than that). I did an a big water change (about 60%) and plan to do another, smaller one later tonight.
Could these levels explain what happened to the guppy? The smaller tank they were previously in routinely tested as high or higher, which is why I moved them. If it wasn't the ammonia, what could it be? I've have these fish for months and other than an ich outbreak they've been very healthy.
Is there anything else I should be doing other than the water changes? I was thinking of maybe putting in some ammonia chips. I haven't done it before because I didn't want to disturb the cycling process, but since my tap water has ammonia in it perhaps I need to reconsider. I'm finally getting nitrate levels, though, so I really don't want to mess up the cycle now.
I've been keeping the light off so the fish can rest. Should I withhold food as well, or would that just weaken him further? I'm honestly kind of doubtful he's going to pull through this, which will make him the first fish I've lost not due to fish on fish violence.
Update- he had another seizure, and is now just rolling across the gravel on the bottom of the tank.
