Red Gills, White Edges And Flicking...

[myrtle]

In short, what's been happening is this: I transferred the pencilfish from a smaller tank to this one along with the mature filter (tetratec ex700). Everything was fine, I added the 6 pygmys and then the filter died. I put as much of the old media into my spare fluval 3+ internal as I could fit and also put my other spare internal in. This was 3 weeks ago. To cut a long story short, the filter was beyond repair so I ordered a new one not thinking it would take over 2 weeks to arrive . I've been keeping an eye on the stats but I think the red gills are due to the ammonia where the filters couldn't cope. That doesn't explain the other probs though so I'm hoping someone can advise me as to whether this is external parasites, or something else...

Tank size: 120 litres, heavily planted
pH: 7.5
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0.1
nitrate: 50 mg/l (I dose NPK ferts)
kH:
gH:
tank temp: 26

Fish Symptoms: all have red gills and are paler than usual, 1 is flicking, 1 has whitish edges to gills (not flicking) 2 are very round bellied (both female so I'm not sure if they are gravid as they have no other symptoms other than the red gills.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 50% weekly (50% twice weekly over last 2 weeks)

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: CO2 and ferts

Tank inhabitants: 9 pencilfish, 6 pygmy corydoras, cherry shrimp and 1 African Dwarf Frog

Let me know if you need any other info.

 

[RustedKnight]

Any white spots on them? It sounds like Ich to me, but honestly, i'm no expert.

Did you keep your old filter media in the tank?? Can it be transferred to the new one to hopefully stop a new cycle being done??

 

[myrtle]

I used the old media in the new filters (cut up the sponges to fit) and with the heavy planting I hoped to avoid going into a cycle. I didn't expect to be using the spare filters for 2 weeks though so I am sure it's ammonia that's caused the red gills. However I don't know if it's also responsible for the other symptoms. I have some new pencilfish on hold at my lfs and i don't want to put them in until I've got the new filter and matured any mew media and figured out what's causing the other symptoms.

There are no spots of any colour on the fish and they are acting normally otherwise, slightly more lethargic than normal but nothing else.

 

[RustedKnight]

I used the old media in the new filters (cut up the sponges to fit) and with the heavy planting I hoped to avoid going into a cycle. I didn't expect to be using the spare filters for 2 weeks though so I am sure it's ammonia that's caused the red gills. However I don't know if it's also responsible for the other symptoms. I have some new pencilfish on hold at my lfs and i don't want to put them in until I've got the new filter and matured any mew media and figured out what's causing the other symptoms.

Sounds sensible to me.

Your old filter media didn't dry out or anything? Really they need moving water over them to keep the bacteria alive (or so i've heard)

Hopefully you can avoid having to cycle, good luck.

 

[the biffster]

what stock you got in your tank
i am also a bit worried about your
nitrites been a bit on the up side

 

[myrtle]

Hi, the stock is in the first post, 9 Pencilfish, 6 Pygmy corydoras, 2 BN plecs, Cherry shrimp, 3 Amano shrimp and an African Dwarf frog. I think the nitrite reading is due to the filters not being quite up to the job. As I say, I wasn't expecting to be waiting over 2 weeks for the new filter and I think it would have been ok if it wasn't so long. Just in case you're wondering, when the new filter arrives I'll be taking 1/2 of the media from the external filter to my other tank to use in the new one. Hopefully it won't cause a mini cycle in the other tank...
The media had been sitting for no longer than an hour or so inside the canister with the filter water when I removed it and put it in the internals.

 

[RustedKnight]

Hi, the stock is in the first post, 9 Pencilfish, 6 Pygmy corydoras, 2 BN plecs, Cherry shrimp, 3 Amano shrimp and an African Dwarf frog. I think the nitrite reading is due to the filters not being quite up to the job. As I say, I wasn't expecting to be waiting over 2 weeks for the new filter and I think it would have been ok if it wasn't so long. Just in case you're wondering, when the new filter arrives I'll be taking 1/2 of the media from the external filter to my other tank to use in the new one. Hopefully it won't cause a mini cycle in the other tank...
The media had been sitting for no longer than an hour or so inside the canister with the filter water when I removed it and put it in the internals.

I think you should get away with it then, just I wouldn't add any more stock for a few weeks until your new filter has seeded and has taken up the bio-load.

 

[myrtle]

I'm still worried about the one that's flicking and the other with the white edges to the gills.
These are the fish and as you can see, they are slightly pale but the one with the white gill edges is flicking too this morning, though I don't think you'll be able to see the gills in the pic.

 

[the biffster]

the nitrite could be causing
it

 

[myrtle]

In that case, when I do a water change today (50%) the symptoms should ease?

 

[the biffster]

In that case, when I do a water change today (50%) the symptoms should ease?

good idea

 

[RustedKnight]

In that case, when I do a water change today (50%) the symptoms should ease?

I would expect them to ease over the next couple of days. But i'd do a test in another 12 hours, and then possibly do a couple of daily water changes until everything in your tank is as it should be.

Biffster will be able to confirm or deny this, wait for a reply

 

[the biffster]

In that case, when I do a water change today (50%) the symptoms should ease?

I would expect them to ease over the next couple of days. But i'd do a test in another 12 hours, and then possibly do a couple of daily water changes until everything in your tank is as it should be.

Biffster will be able to confirm or deny this, wait for a reply

i confirm that rusty

 

[myrtle]

Thanks, i'm expecting the new filter by Mon at the latest (crossed fingers for this morning!) so with the water changes and the new filter which will give me 10x turnover I should be ok. Thanks for putting my mind at rest a bit!

 

[RustedKnight]

i confirm that rusty

I think I'm starting to get good at this fish helping malarchy..

And here's hoping you get the filter monday