Help!

[Sandzee23]

my fish arent swimming around!

they seem to be just floating mid water without moving!

there not as active as they used to be!

is this a problem

please help!

 

[Tolak]

First, fill this out to help us help you;

Tank size:
pH:
ammonia:
nitrite:
nitrate:
kH:
gH:
tank temp:

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Tank inhabitants:

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals:

Digital photo (include if possible):

 

[Sandzee23]

First, fill this out to help us help you;

Tank size:
pH:
ammonia:
nitrite:
nitrate:
kH:
gH:
tank temp:

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Tank inhabitants:

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals:

Digital photo (include if possible):

I'm sorry but i dont really knwo alot of these answers

i'm going in soon to get it tested but i do know for sure that my pH is 8.5 and my tank is 12 Gallons

i know 8.5 is high but i have been told that these fish will adapt to the pH easy

 

[glolite]

Hi
How long has your tank been running for? It could be that there has been a build up of ammonia from the fish waste (fish poo). Try doing a 25% water change and if the fish look better do the same tomorrow. Then it is worth buying a test kit for ammonia and nitrite from your lfs (local fish store) as this will tell you how your water quality is in the tank.

 

[mattlee]

have you cycled the tank before adding the fish?

 

[piePIEpie]

sounds like swim bladder

 

[Sandzee23]

sounds like swim bladder

Swim Bladder?

 

[piePIEpie]

sounds like swim bladder

the swim blader is what fish use to control their dept this sounds like a swim bladder infectoin

 

[Sandzee23]

have you cycled the tank before adding the fish?

How do you cycle it?

 

[glolite]

Hi
How long has your tank been running for? It could be that there has been a build up of ammonia from the fish waste (fish poo). Try doing a 25% water change and if the fish look better do the same tomorrow. Then it is worth buying a test kit for ammonia and nitrite from your lfs (local fish store) as this will tell you how your water quality is in the tank.

 

[yasinullah]

assuming you've got a freshwater tropical set up an API freshwater master test kit is invaluable as suggested above try and get one asap, you can get em around £17 off ebay

also you probably didnt know about cycling so have a read here : [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277264"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277264[/URL] will help explain a lot

about the pH is tap water ever that alkaline? or do you use an alternative source? just wondered

 

[OldMan47]

My first best guess is that you are in a fish-in cycle and have no test kit to monitor the water quality. As has already been suggested, you need to get the right test equipment. As a short term emergency measure, do a 50% daily water change until you get the ability to test your water. That way you will keep the ammonia and nitrites from building too far beyond the fish's ability to tolerate the poisons in their water. The new water needs to be close to the same temperature as the tank water and it needs to be dechlorinated before it gets added in.

 

[Sandzee23]

My first best guess is that you are in a fish-in cycle and have no test kit to monitor the water quality. As has already been suggested, you need to get the right test equipment. As a short term emergency measure, do a 50% daily water change until you get the ability to test your water. That way you will keep the ammonia and nitrites from building too far beyond the fish's ability to tolerate the poisons in their water. The new water needs to be close to the same temperature as the tank water and it needs to be dechlorinated before it gets added in.

Hi Went Out Today And Just Got One

 

[mickspark81]

Let us know what test kit you got. Someone should have already mentioned to you..Dont buy the paper test strips as they are useless.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, hope you've picked up a liquid-reagent based test kit (the type with bottles!) Once you have that kit you'll be able to answer a lot more questions (you'll be able to follow directions and run tests on your tap water and your tank water) from that good list that Tolak gave early on in your thread. I agree that for now the best guess is that you've got fish that are being poisoned in the ammonia and nitrite that their respiration and waste are creating in the confines of the 12 gallons of water.

Doing fairly large (50 to 70%) water changes with the return water being treated with conditioner (to remove chlorine/chloramines) and roughly temperature matched (your hand is good enough) and then observing whether the fish seem revived somewhat (as mentioned above!) is definately something you can do even if all the other stuff we're talking about is not understandable yet!

~~waterdrop~~