Sick fish please help quick

[shiftingsands]

HI, PLease can someone help me work out what is wrong with my fish and tell me what to do:

My tank has only been set up for 2 weeks, I started with 5 platies, but a week ago had to rescue my sisters fish which went in the tank. So all the fish listed below I have are inherited except for the 5 platies.

All appeared to be fine amazingly and they settled in. One was damaged in transit and spent a few days standing perpendicular in the tank gasping 100% of the time, until he died yesterday

Yesterday I planted about 20 plants in the tank and changed the heater as I was setting up a new 2 foot tank for the male guppies and my spare 300w was too big for the 2foot.
This spare 300w heater had been used for hydroponic tomato growing. I washed it really well. Although set on 26C when I noticed the fish acting strange I checked the thermometer and the temp was too high - 85F, but put some cold water in gradually til it went down to 82 and turned the heater down as soon as I noticed - it would only have been too high for a couple of hours.

Around the same time (about midday) I noticed that the guppies and some of the platies were at the surface most of the time. The platies seem to alternate with being at the surface or lying on the bottom and are not swimming around the tank like normal.

All the others seemed ok except the cory who was much more active than normal, but he seems better today.

I did a 50% water change and they perked up a bit. By 8pm they were back at the surface so I did another 25% water change and went to bed quite expecting to find dead ones this morning. There were'nt but they are not "right".
They did not feed that well this am when I gave them flake and f/d bloodworms.

ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
Ammonia:0
Nitrite :.25 ( has been .50 but after daily min 20% water changes is .25 today)
Nitrate : 0
pH:7
Temp:82 but has been too high

Tank Information
Tank Size (22uk gal) 92cmx32cmx32cm
Stock List :
1 adult male Betta (ok)
5platies ( sluggish and at surface 50% of the time and on the bottom most of the rest of the time)
4 pregant female guppies ( at surface most of the time)
2 young female guppies ditto
1 bronze cory (was overactive yesterday, but seems a more normal today)
1 cardinal neon (ok)
1 glowlight neon (ok)

Some look like their gill area is a bit red, but too be honest I am not sure whether they were like that before or not.

Until yesterday there were also 14 or so male guppies but I have moved them to another tank yesterday. They were out of the main tank before I put the plants/new heater in - which makes me think its something to do with the plants/heater/temp change/stress of my having my hands in the tank so long? The males in the new 2 foot tank are all fine.

Filtration: Fluval super 3:

Yesterday I noticed lots of tiny white bits in the water so I put in a fine filter media along with the original coarse one, but today there are lots more of tiny white bits floating at the top of the tank that appear to be coming out of the filter. When I did a water change today I skimmmed/sucked them out.

What do you think it could be? The plants appeared really healthy though a couple of bits of water hyacynth have brownish stems/leaves - should I take them out? I did wash the heater and lead really well in warm water before I put it in.

Hope someone can help me please?

 

[IMCL85]

Looks like temperature shock to me . That apply when u have an over heated tank and u try to cool it down quickly by adding cold water. And ur platie r well known to stay on the upper lvl of the tank. And when u add water it probably the first one to get effective by temperature. And at 85f I dont think its over heat for platie they can take the heat next time when u have this problem just turn off the heater or remove the lid of ur tank and it will cool off by it self which do less damage to fish then temperature shock. The best you can do now is hoping that they can survive it thought the night. And also try to lower ur nitrite by less feeding 2days once with food enoght for them and carry out with 15-20% water change. good luck

 

[shiftingsands]

Thank you. They do seem a bit better now i have the temp down. Fingers crossed

Looks like temperature shock to me . That apply when u have an over heated tank and u try to cool it down quickly by adding cold water. And ur platie r well known to stay on the upper lvl of the tank. And when u add water it probably the first one to get effective by temperature. And at 85f I dont think its over heat for platie they can take the heat next time when u have this problem just turn off the heater or remove the lid of ur tank and it will cool off by it self which do less damage to fish then temperature shock. The best you can do now is hoping that they can survive it thought the night. And also try to lower ur nitrite by less feeding 2days once with food enoght for them and carry out with 15-20% water change. good luck

[snapback]889062[/snapback]​

 

[WILDER]

Your tank is cycling that why they are gasping at at the surface, you have to many fish in there for a cycling tank, red gills could be due to poor water quality with the tank cycling, just check they are not flicking and rubbing, don't go mad with water changes as all you are doing is delaying the cycle, the cycle takes it toll on the hardiest of fish, be prepared to lose some as i takes it toll on a fish there immune system shuts down then desease sets in, add an aristone to help with aeration, never fetch temp down to quickly as you will stress them causing an outbreak of whitespot.

Can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph to see where you are now in the cycle.

 

[shiftingsands]

Hi, Stats today:
15th day of cycle
21uk/25 us galls 95L
Temp 77F
20 real plants added 3 days ago
81 cm of fish - I know I have too many fish ) - thats only because I had to rescue my sisters' ones - I couldn't say no, . I have set up another smaller tank for the 10 male guppies so they are out of the "main" tank now. So now I have two cycling tanks

Fluval 3+filter with venturi(sp?) going, so lots of bubbles - do I still need an airstone?
Stress Coat added at every other w/c and Cycle once a week.

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
ph 7


This is the first day that Nitrites have been 0, I have been doing a 20% w/c daily after getting readings of between 0.25 and 0.50 Nitrites. The last couple of days have used a spare heater to get the fresh water to the right temp before I put it in. I've been advised to hold off water changes for a few days an as Nitrites are at 0 for the first time I can relax re w/c a little- for today anyway?

All fish are behaving normally, using the whole tank again and feeding though I think they may be constipated? Usually not long after feeding, usually they all *go* but I haven't seen them *go* for 24 hours or so. Is this a problem?

The cardinal neon only has red colouring from his tail to just half way along his body, in pics others appear to have red the whole length of the body under the neon stripe? Is this something I should be concerned at?

Some of the female guppy gills are still red, and worryingly this am they seem to have dark patches on their sides, though to be honest I am not certain if they were there before. I have some Protozin and a selection of meds that I have aquired/been given.

So:
Should I do anything about:
possible constipation?
grey patches on pregnant guppies sides? (these patches aren't the gravid spots) Cardinal losing colour?

Sorry this is so long. I really appreciate the trouble posters are going to, to help me and my fishy friends, thank you

 

[moray]

Sounds to me that your cardinal tetra is a neon tetra.

 

[Barracuda518]

I dont understand. If your tank was cycling, wouldnt the Nitrites be high? You said in your last post 0 nitrites. Also 0 Nitrates is really good. If your tank was cycling, first the ammonia would be high as it is turning into nitrites. The nitrites would then turn into nitrates, thus making them higher. Also, if the tank has been running for 2 weeks, thats probably not long enough for it to cycle. Did the tank run any with no fish in it? Sounds like to me the fish were in shock from the move and the sudden temperature change???

What test kit are you using?

 

[shiftingsands]

Hi, I have replied to the posts here:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=106307

as the thread has digressed to cycling/water quality.

 

[JPMarshMellow]

Okay.. I bought 2 fish from the pet store yesturday, one which I had noticed had fin rot .. Today my american catfish I believe has eye cloud and also its gill function is slow, also ever once and a while I see it open its mouth wide. They are in a 20 gallon tank, I just put MelaFix in it, in it I have 2 rubber lips (new fish), one marble cory, 1 emerald catfish, 1 black spotted barb, and one suckermouth catfish. so far the rubber lip seems fine, and the american catfish still continues to hide. I have turned my filter off for the MelaFix. I have about 1-2 inches of rocks in the tank, the tank isn't new, my neighbor gave it to me about a year ago, and the fish have been in it for about 10 months I think, there isn't much algea groth at all. I have just done a 25% water change 2 days ago. and i usually do one about once a month. Please, help!

 

[shiftingsands]

Hi, sorry I cant help but I would post this as a new topic and you should get help quickly.
I am very new to fishkeeping so forgive me if I am out of line but why have you turned your filter off? I thought you always kept the filter going even if the fish are poorly?

 

[Angry_Platy]

NEVER turn the filter off for treatment. Take the carbon out so that meds stay in the water but don't stop the filter altogether.

As for water changes stalling cycling, this is not true, in fact the opposite is more true since if there are too many nitrites and nitrates in the water the cycling bacteria can be inhibited

 

[daddyfish]

HI, PLease can someone help me work out what is wrong with my fish and tell me what to do:

My tank has only been set up for 2 weeks, I started with 5 platies, but a week ago had to rescue my sisters fish which went in the tank. So all the fish listed below I have are inherited except for the 5 platies.

All appeared to be fine amazingly and they settled in. One was damaged in transit and spent a few days standing perpendicular in the tank gasping 100% of the time, until he died yesterday

Yesterday I planted about 20 plants in the tank and changed the heater as I was setting up a new 2 foot tank for the male guppies and my spare 300w was too big for the 2foot.
This spare 300w heater had been used for hydroponic tomato growing. I washed it really well. Although set on 26C when I noticed the fish acting strange I checked the thermometer and the temp was too high - 85F, but put some cold water in gradually til it went down to 82 and turned the heater down as soon as I noticed - it would only have been too high for a couple of hours.

It maybe your tank is Cycling like some of the Others have said.
But it Stands to reason if it's Still Cycling why would your readings on nitrate be at 0?

Also I agree that it's better to just Shut your Heater Off Next Time, By God's Grace there will be No NEXT TIME.
Then to risk Temp Shock by lowering it to Quickly...
Although I have heard you can help the Cooling Process along Fairly Quickly by Putting...
(1) NOTE (1) Icecube at a time in Allowing it to Melt Completely then Waiting a few Minutes then Adding another until Your Temp has come down to an acceptable Range.
I have Not done this, And I don't think I want to either, And I (WOULD NOT) Advise it.
I just mentioned it for anyone in Dire Straights... Who might need another Option...

I {Myself} am More WORRIED about the Chance that You even though you Think you Washed it throughly, May have Missed a Trace of some Type of Chem that they may Have used in the Hydroponic Tomato Bed, and this May have Caused Some Burnig of the Gill Tissue and thus Caused Their Breathing "PROBLEM", If they are not to badly burn't They Should Recover without Many Lasting Effects...

My Advice Get That Heater Outta There and Put in a Fish Only Heater Before It's To Late...

GOOD LUCK... )

 

[shiftingsands]

"Quote"
My Advice Get That Heater Outta There and Put in a Fish Only Heater Before It's To Late...

Thanks for the replies. I was mistaken - the "hydroponic" heater in there is a 200w. The spare heater I have is a 300w. Will 300W be ok in a 3ft (95L) tank? If so I can swap them over.

Thanks

 

[daddyfish]

I don't See Why it Shouldn't be OK.
All that Should be different would be that when it does TURN On, it's Cycle time WILL be Shorter...
To Much Power on Something Like a Heater, Won't Matter it's Not going to Hurt the Fish.
because as long as it's Thermastat is in Working Order, Once Set to the Temp you Want it's NOT Going to Go PAST the set Temp.

 

[shiftingsands]

OK thanks. Sorry to be such a dunce - I didn't want to make things worse by cooking them again.