Malawis All At Top After Water Change

[dh058977]

Hi All, after a 25% water change and gravel vac yesterday evening, alot of my Malawis seem to be gasping at the top of the tank, any ideas what could cause this?

Tank size is 190 litres with approx 50kgs of ocean rock and gravel substrate. Tested yesterday with API master test kit shows Ammonia as 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrates 40. Ph was lower than I'd like at 7.6 but I decided not to bother messing with it.

The filter is a Fluval 405 and the outlet is a little below the surface of the water but as high as possible.

Any ideas and/or help appreciated!

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Did you forget to use dechlorinator?

Did you match tank water and new water temperatures?

Is there a big difference in pH between tank and tap water?

 

[dh058977]

Did you forget to use dechlorinator?

Did you match tank water and new water temperatures?

Is there a big difference in pH between tank and tap water?

Ph is roughly the same as tap water (hence why I never mess with it). Temp was matched and dechlorinator was used for sure but it wasnt the same one I usually use as I had run out.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

It seems a little bit too coincidental that you've changed your dechlorinator and now are getting these reactions. Are all the fish having problems? How long after the water change did the problems start? What are your tank water parameters at the moment?

 

[dh058977]

It seems a little bit too coincidental that you've changed your dechlorinator and now are getting these reactions. Are all the fish having problems? How long after the water change did the problems start? What are your tank water parameters at the moment?

I did a water change on all my other tanks at the same time and they are all fine. Its not all fish at the top, just about 8-10 of them. I dont know how soon after the change they had this reaction as it was only about an hour before I went to bed! I noticed it this afternoon when the lights came back on. Just in the process of doing another lot of tests.

 

[balajake]

which new dechlorinater did you use ?

 

[dh058977]

Usually use Nutrafin Aquaplus, this time it was Interpet Bioactive tapsafe.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

The Interpet tap safe doesn't specifically say that it detoxifies ammonia so perhaps you have high chloramine in your tap water and the malawis are more sensitive to the ammonia you've added.

 

[dh058977]

New test results almost mirror those from before apart from a very slight tint of green on the Ammonia(Nitrates are obviously lower!). Have now got some more Nutrafin Aquaplus, currently doing another water change. Cheers guys.

 

[dh058977]

Everyone looks alot happier after a water change, very strange!

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Everyone looks alot happier after a water change, very strange!

Which dechlorinator did you use?

 

[dh058977]

New test results almost mirror those from before apart from a very slight tint of green on the Ammonia(Nitrates are obviously lower!). Have now got some more Nutrafin Aquaplus, currently doing another water change. Cheers guys.