Unhealthy fish?

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rl1oyd

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Middlesbrough. England.
My tank has only had fish in for a month, so it is going through its cycle.
It’s got to the point where my Ammonia and Nitrite levels are very low.
When I checked the water yesterday the nitrate level was very high the water was blood red!
I did a large water change it has gone down a bit but is still quite high (around 20)
Thing is my fish look very subdued and are just at the top of the tank with there mouths at the top of the water, they had been doing this for a few days but now all but 3 are doing it?
Also I have lots of little white particles in the water cant make out what they are but there is a lot of it.
My fish also keep scratching themselves in the sand (could the white things be from the sand?)
I have just put some large pieces of tuffa rock in the tank.
Obviously im quite worried as I have around £250 of fish.
The tank is large 5ft Juwel Rio 400. Standard filter.
Mix of rocks sand and gravel substrate.
If you can give me any advice would really appreciate it.
 
First of all, nitrates of 20 are NOT high, it is absolutely fine, better then acceptable.

As for the rest, it's hard to say. What kinds of fish and how big? What does 'very low' mean with ammonia and nitrite - only 0 is acceptable. What's your feeding routine? Are you using any additives other then conditioner? What kind of sand? Did you do water changes thorughout the cycle (please say you did!)?

These questions can help lead us to something. The only time i've ever experienced red water is with untreated wood, but I wouldn't describe it as blood red - hopefully someone can help you out with that.
 
Sorry yea you misunderstood, the tester water was blood red like 80 not the tank water.
Sand is coral sand, i have haps and mbuna, i did do water changes through the cycle, feed them chiclid pellets on a morning and frozen food on an evening,
The main thing that made me write the origional post is that one of my large mbuna from another tank is just at the top of the tank near the filter and wont eat, iv just noticed it cant swim properly? Swimming on its side? :-( what causes this?
Also i had 2 small baby zebra's in a small breeding tub they have been there for 2 weeks and were growing quite well, when i turned the light on one of them was dead? :/
 
When it comes to mbuna my first thought is always aggression. A fish that is picked on will end up at the top of the water, trying to keep out of harms way. If not removed, the stress, or the other fish, will eventually kill them.

What kind of frozen food? Worms will kill mbuna, and except for a couple of distinct species, brine shrimp should be limited to an occasional treat. The condition of bloat, gained from improper food and/or inferior water conditions, can also lead to symptoms like that. Most mbuna should be on a staple diet of spirulina flakes - this is what makes haps and mbuna difficult to keep together.

Naturally I'm speculating, since I can't see your tank, but your response has led to a couple more questions.

What kind of haps? What kind of mbuna (I caught zebra's so far)?
Are the mbuna lightly, moderately, or heavily stocked? Are there lots of hiding spots?
 
Probably is bloat?
Misc mbuma Yellow labs, Zebras,Labeothropheus Trewavasae, not too sure of there names sorry, haps livinstoni one of them cant remember i had a list of them all but cant find it?
The shop i bought them from personaly keep them and are experts they no that they are all ok together, they told me just to feed them pellets, to be honest they probably do have bloat, is there a cure or are they done for?
 
Bloat can be cured with a medication like clout, but these meds are very hard on their systems so it's good to be sure this is the problem. Other signs are not excreting at all or excreting a stringy white substance, and sometimes bloating of the abdomen despite not eating.

If you are sure this is the case, treat with a med like clout as recommended, and withhold feeding until you are finished. When you commence feeding, get yourself some spirulina flakes to use as a staple diet, and keep the pellets as a supplement. If it was worms you were feeding frozen, toss them, if it was shrimp, keep them as a supplement.

Good luck, hope you figure it out
 
All seems ok!! :D
My fish are all eating and swimming around fine.
It has however all changed since i put 2 large air stones in the back of each corner.
There was obviously not enough oxygen in the water and thats why they were sitting at the top of the tank?
What i do need to know is that my water has white bits in it like dust?
Dont know what it is but it's not clearing through the filter? Any ideas or a remedy?
Cheers. :thumbs:
Rich.
 

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