Help! Fish wigging out!

[Jawbone]

Wait dont go shopping just yet. Dont buy stuff cause I said too do it. Take a little bit of what everyone says and build your own theory.

I Guess I mean don't Impulse buy just cause you read it here.

( You could be talking to a wackalooon for all you know )

I must have 20 books on hand and at least 2 on order at my overpriced LFS ( What are you gonna do.... he's local ) and I learn something new everyday. and I read, read, read. and everyone says the opposite of everyone else about everything from food to light. So I have formed my own theories that may or may not be correct.

anyway back to the time thing. Generally Mother nature kicks all of our butts on the healing issue of the fish. Generally all the medicine in the world is not as good as time and TLC.

 

[kcinminni]

You're right--thanks for bringing me down to earth.

. I'm just panicked because everything was going so well and I hate not knowing what to do! I guess I'll let them be and see how things look in the morning. Oh, wait--it IS morning!

BTW--I have 4 books on order myself and I can't wait until they get here!

 

[Macimage1]

I'm glad that things are looking a bit better. I would do a small water change tonight. Although unmixed salt water can burn the fishes gills, it may be better than the toxic problem that is in the tank. I have added small amounts of salt mix that has only been aerated an hour or so with no ill effects. Maybe change 10% tonight and another larger change tomorrow morning after your water mixes tonight.

After you do the water change first thing in the morning, watch the fish as that will probably help quite a bit.

No need to run out and buy the meds right away, but you might want to mail order some after this is over, so that you have them on hand when you need them.

[ March 06, 2002: Message edited by: Macimage ]</p>

 

[Jawbone]

I hope all goes well for your fishes

BTW The Turbulance on the water surface and inside of my tank is pretty stong. on my small tank (54 gallons) I counted 5 small pumps and the skimmer pump moving water around.
oh and I never thought about areation in my Makeup water - see I do read something new every day

on the west coast here its only 10pm

 

[nin1one7295]

you might want to check the tempture of the tank. Too low and fish start to act "Wierd". Too high and you cook them. Just checking.

 

[Tremelle]

Not to be too critical, but is it too soon to have clowns in a new tank. It was stated the tank has been up for a month. The tank probably has not finished cycling yet. Also there should be no detectable nitrites in your tank. The PH is also a tad low, you should shoot for 8.3. I think the whole water chemistry was compounded by removing the substrate that was try to establish itself. IMO your tank is going to go through another cycling. You may want to consider putting all your fish in the Q tank if it is already established. If it is not, you may want to ask your LFS to house your fish until the water chemistry is more stable.

What type of filtration do you use? You mentioned rinsing the pads. It sounds like you are using a canister or hang-on filter. If so, your bio-load coupled with a newly established tank could be the problem.

As I said before, this is just my opinion.

 

[naesco]

I think they were suffocating.
The comment of adding the fish too quickly is true . If you wait for 3 months after cycling, and add only one fish per month, the tank can take the ups and downs without all the stress on you and your critters.
It also avoids algae flare ups.

 

[kcinminni]

Okay--7:00am and all's right with the world. Everyone is okay and acting "normal" again. Thanks again for all the feedback.

To respond to some of the qeustions below, I have an Eheim cannister filter, and I've been trying to get the pH up to 8.3 with no success (adding buffer daily). Thoughts?

 

[kcinminni]

I've only had my tank up for a month and everything has been fine so far. Last weekend, I changed from a CC base to DSB. All was well until I came home tonight. My clowns are acting weird--hanging out at the top and breaking the surface a lot or lying on the bottom. One of my Damsels is dying (gills are turning pinkish-purple and color is rapidly fading). He is swimming erratically around the tank not at all like he usually does. He's about to go into the death spiral. I can't even find my other two Damsels. I've tested the water, and ammonia is undetectable, nitrites are .25, pH is about 8.1, but nitrates are around 5. Maybe my Nitrate test is not giving me the right result? It's the darkest it's ever been. I put the clownfish in my quarantine tank (haven't even tested it, yet). One of them is just stting on the bottom. Any idea what the deal is or what I should do?

 

[Jawbone]

Well dont concentrate on Nitrates They are not as toxic as the test kit would lead you to believe.
I would test for alkalinity or guess some other conataminent Change or add carbon and lots of it.


Did you add any other electronics or pumps heaters whatever

[ March 06, 2002: Message edited by: Jawbone ]</p>

 

[naesco]

Stick an airline with diffuser in a corner of the tank away from any sponge you may have.

 

[Macimage1]

Most likely, you released undesirable toxins from the CC. Get the fish into some new pre-mixed saltwater with good aeration.

You could maybe try some Melafix (for its antibiotic properties) or some meth blue (helps carry oxygen), but those are just guesses on my part. They can't hurt type of thing.

Joyce

 

[esmithiii]

How much circulation do you have?

Ernie

 

[kcinminni]

I didn't change anything but the water (about a 30% change), the carbon, and the base. I just added more carbon and rinsed the filter pad. Alkalinity is 3.66, so it is okay. The only thing that's wacked is Nitrates. I tested the quarntine tank, and it's just as bad, but the "lazy" clown seems to be perking up somewhat. Guess I'd better get some water ready for a change tomorrow. Thanks for your help. (I'm open to any additional suggestions.)

 

[kcinminni]

I don't know what my circulation is. Do you think they're suffocating?

 

[Jawbone]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Macimage:

You could maybe try some Melafix (for its antibiotic properties) or some meth blue (helps carry oxygen)<hr></blockquote>

I have seen the Melafix work miracles. It seems to be outstanding stuff. ( smells like turpentine or some other furniture finishing product but it really works )

I always keep a bottle on hand either for myself or to help a freind

 

[Jawbone]

All of your gas exchange happens on the surface of the water so if your surface is turbulant than you should have enough air for your fishes. the air stone realy does not add air. it more or less causes turbulance wich in turn creates a gas exchange at the surface. In a small tank these are helpfull. In larger tanks they are asthetically pleasing. I assume you have some kind of hang on the back filter or skimmer or sump that breaks the surface skin of your water??

 

[kcinminni]

Weird. The dying Damsel's color has come back and he stopped swimming weird. He is sort of doing a burrowing kind of thing, but he looks more normal.

I stuck a little minijet in there to get the circulation up. I can't do anything else tonight because I don't have the things you suggested. However, I will put together and aerate some salt water (normally have that on hand but used it up with the DSB change on Sunday). I will also go to the (overpriced and not helpful) LFS tomorrow. I will pick up an airline with diffuser. Anything else I should keep on-hand for situations such as these?

BTW--this really sucks.

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[kcinminni]

Yes, I have a hang-on skimmer (which is crap, I'm told--a new Aqua C Remora is on order), so I've got turbulence at the surface.

I will add Melafix to my "shopping list".

Anything else?

 

[Jawbone]

Time is a great healer. and the slower you build the KCinminni Reef the better. Some people would wait months before adding Coral or other inhabitants to ensure the Stability of the tank over a long period of time ( assuming of course Live rock and Sand or some other way to start the tank cycle process. In your case Damsels are the Cycle starter it appears )