Help - 2 X Power Cuts -

[leecara]

Help - On Tuesday I purchased 4 x pink tailed tetras, yo add to my tank, as my stats were nitrite 0, ammonia 0, and nitrate almost 10.we had waited ages to get to tis point - a long story.

Then on that night a power cut for 4 1/2 hours. kept warm with a hotwater bottle.

I have 1 x external fluval 105 with biomax, zeo carb and water polish pad, and 1 x internal fluval 2+.

The fish seemed ok the next day, water readings the same but nitrate was lower.

Then last night another power cut for 4 hours. again kept warm with a hit water bottle.

Water this morning the same but nitrate about 5 maybe, and 1 x dead dwarf gourami.

One of the tetras has extremelly red gills and is staying in the out flow of the filter, at the top of the water, the mollie has clamped fins and one of the platies also has clamped fins, the other tetras are all staying still but swimming on the spot (can't think how else to describe it)

My 2 x german blue rams have gone quite dark in comparrison to normal.

I have put in stress coat this morning, but not sure what else to do.
Could it be the plants that i have causing damage as i kept the light off all day yesterday.

HELP - i am very sad.

 

[black angel]

I wouldnt say it was the plants.
I take it the ammonia and nitrite are still at 0?
Do a water change and gravel vac to get some fresh water in and watch them closely for a couple of days as maybe they are feeling a bit stressed.

 

[Glod]

I would test for ammonia and nitrite. Nitrate is the end product and unlikely to be the cause. I'd agree with the water change as an immediate action, change about 30-40% making sure you add dechlorinator etc as appropriate

Dwarf Gouramis are not the most hardy fish. Red gills are a sign of irritation, are the fish rubbing against things or flicking ? It could be an elevated ammonia or nitrite level or a precursor to the onset of something else. Keep a close eye on them over the next few days. Any die off in your filters may lead to an ammonia or nitrite spike. If that is the case stick with daily water changes to keep the levels down so they don't harm your fish. The filters should recover over a few days, hopefully any spikes will be short lived.

It could also be reduced oxygen in the water if you have a *lot* of plants and the lights have been off. If your tank is not heavily planted this is not the cause. (75% of the substrate covered with plants = heavy planted.)

 

[leecara]

Hi, Thanks for this info, I haven't done a water change as i thought it may increase the stress in the fish, but I will do so straight away, the levels are still the same, nitrite 0 ammonia 0, but i will kepp testing, incase i get increased levels.

There is no rubbing, the fins are slightly more opne now than they they were, not sure when you say flicking what you mean., they are all calm except the tetras which will be calm and then suddenly dash about for a few seconds.

The tank only has 2 x plants, we blew down the air pipe to put oxygen int he tank evry 20mins or so while the power was off, not sure how much help it would have been as it normally is on all the time.

Should I be testing for anything else other than the, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

 

[InaneCathode]

Hi, Thanks for this info, I haven't done a water change as i thought it may increase the stress in the fish, but I will do so straight away, the levels are still the same, nitrite 0 ammonia 0, but i will kepp testing, incase i get increased levels.

There is no rubbing, the fins are slightly more opne now than they they were, not sure when you say flicking what you mean., they are all calm except the tetras which will be calm and then suddenly dash about for a few seconds.

The tank only has 2 x plants, we blew down the air pipe to put oxygen int he tank evry 20mins or so while the power was off, not sure how much help it would have been as it normally is on all the time.

Should I be testing for anything else other than the, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Just for giggles, test your pH too. Rotting things might monkey with the pH. Unfortunately i dont think blowing into the tank would do much, afterall your breath is mostly co2, which is bad in high concentrations.

 

[leecara]

AAAAh, so i should have just stirred the tank in stead,, silly me, didn't think of that, so no wonder my fish off colour.
my ph is still at 7.6, what it normally is, so that should be fine,

 

[InaneCathode]

Well, it'd take /alot/ of blowing to get the co2 high enough to actually do some damage. You probably just wasted your time more than you actually did anything to your fish lol!