Sudden pH decrease and death of dwarf Gourami

[tagary3]

Hello everyone.

30 gallon tank parameters:

pH: at most 6.0!! Last week before 10 gallon water change it was 7.2

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 5ppm

All parameters except the pH reading were the same before the most recent water change.

I had concerns about overfeeding and so during last water change thoroughly vacuumed the gravel. Water removed was very brown in colour - could this vigarous cleaning have caused the steep pH drop?

Today was when I tested the water again following the passing of "Mr. G". Me and my wife will miss him as he was our oldest surviving fish

We have made many mistakes since aquiring an aquarium and feel for the suffering fish have endured. We really were unaware of the demands but now I enjoy the challenges if not our losses.

Of course today being a holiday my lfs is closed and I ended up going to Wal-Mart I bought a pH increaser but before/if I use it I would like your input please. I did another 10 gallon change today, figuring if I remove some acid water and replace it with our tap water, conditioned with BioCoat, with a pH of 7.2 (tested before changing) it should bring up the pH a little. I know not to increase the pH too rapidly, but how rapid is too rapid? Should I continue water changes every 3 days or use the pH increaser?

Thanks in advance. I am hoping the remaining troopers make it. None are showing signs of oxygen deficit (which Mr G. was. He would be listless at the bottom, then be found on the filter intake and then use all his energy to get to the surface for air.)

Could Mr G. have gotten dropsy due to the pH decrease or could I have an interal bacteria proble? I was thinking of using Maracyn 2 to treat him (he died before we returned) so maybe I should treat prophylactily?

Yours,

Tagary3

 

[WILDER]

Whats the ph of your tap water, 10gal is alot of water to change in one go, dropsy can be caused by over feeding and to many dry foods in there diet, if the scales are not sticking out like a pinecone you could try the maracyn 2, don't mess with the ph just yet, let the members find out if they can see what's causing it.

 

[tagary3]

Thanks Wilder,

The tap water pH is 7.2. I tested it before the water change. If I continue with water changes do you think it best if I do 5 gallon, ie 16.6%, changes each time. If so how frequent? I don't want to mess up the rest of the water parameters as it is a new tank fully, cycled. It has been in operation for approx. 9 weeks and only in the last fortnight have the parameters been okay. I only want to use chemicals as a last resort. I found after my early experiences that my problems stemmed from water quality rather than disease.

I normally exchange 10 gallons every week, testing before each change. I change this amount as it is easy to work out how much of the Marineland products I use to add to the old and new water. Is it time to forego my laziness and to use my brain in the interests of my aquatic friends?

Forgot to mention in the original post the inhabitants. They are:

2 Upside Down Catfish

2 Blue Gouramis (one added with due diligence after last water change, that is I acclimatised him to the water carefully and introduced only the minimum amount of store water into the aquarium. I do not have the resources to run a quarantine tank but I am 99.9% sure I did not introduce anything that could haved caused such a dramtic pH drop.)

And until today Mr G., God rest his soul

Tagary3

 

[rdd1952]

I would stay away from the water additives that change your pH. They will only cause more problems. Fish can handle a wide range of pH values as long as it is stable. I would suggest buying a test kit fot KH & GH so you can see how soft the water is. The Carbonate Hardness (KH) of your water is the buffering capacity. The lower it is, the more likely your water will be susceptible to things that affect pH such as the addition of driftwood (lowers pH), CO2 Injection for plants (lowers pH) or coral based substrates (raise pH). As for water changes, I would change about 5 gallons once a week (that's what I change on my 29 gallon) unless you have other circumstances (ammonia or nitrite present) that warrant doing it more often.

 

[tagary3]

Thanks rdd1952

I am going to try water changes and use buffering solutions as a last resort.

Tagary3