Two new Fish, and an old sick one.. HELP!

[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!

 

[WILDER]

Cloudy eye is a symtom of a desease rather than a deseae in it's self has he got anything lodged in his mouth, do the gills look pale or inflamed, what are water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, sometimes fish yawn when water quality isn't to good.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

You should realy be doing much bigger and regular water changes, more like a 30-40% one with dechlorinator once a week, the cloudy eye is from the stressful water quality conditions- i'd test your water for ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and post us the results asap but also do a 60% water change with dechlorinator right now. Depending on how big your fish are at current the tank is also most likely overstocked which will make any watyer quality issues worse.
Do you feed your catfish algae wafers and catfish pelets at all and how often?

 

[JPMarshMellow]

I do usually make bigger water changes, but this month and the last I did less. Do you think i should put the catfish in a hospital tank just in case? I always have one ready....

 

[WILDER]

Yes just to be on the safe side, good luck.

 

[JPMarshMellow]

thanks so much guys! i'll do that now.. thank goodness for fish forum

 

[fish_keeper2]

isnt 30 - 40 percent a bit buch once week. i do 15-20% in all my tanks once a week and no probs. alos right not wouldnt it be better for him/her to do a few smaller partials every few hrs or so rather than one 60% right now

 

[JPMarshMellow]

Okay, new emergency! I just checking up on the american catfish.. and he's fine.. still alive and everything.. but he's swimming upside down at the top of the water... i think its a bladder problem.. but i'm not sure.. can someone help.. before he might kick the bucket?!

 

[WILDER]

Sorry but they can do that when they are dying as well'sorry he is not in a good way.

 

[JPMarshMellow]

acually... the american catfish is still alive... i put him back in the tank with the rest of the fish after trying to feed him.. he ate a little....lol....later last night he really didn't look so... alive so.. i did cpr twice and he'f fine....lol

 

[WILDER]

Thank goodness, just keep a close eye on him.

 

[JPMarshMellow]

He's fine so far... he's active and social as normal....thanks again guys!