Sick Fish

hugeshoes · 01-21-2005, 02:55 PM

Hi all,

I have a 30 gallon with 6 Tiger Barbs in it. A little over a week ago, one of the fish stopped eating, and his gills got all puffy and pink. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to save him, but now there is another fish that is having the same problem. She doesn't eat, her gills are very puffy and pink, and she has very rapid breathing. Also, every once in a while she will gasp for air frantically, and I think she even loses conciousness sometimes after she chokes. (She gasps, then stops moving completely, and goes belly up for a second, then regains conciousness) I have tried using Parasite Clear by Jungle buddies, to no avail. I have also increased the temperature (gradually) up to about 83 F, and added salt. Still no improvement. None of the other fish are affected, and none of the fish have any visible spots or parasites on them.

My water levels are as follows:

Ammonia: 0 ppm
pH 7.8
Nitrates 5 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm

What I should do to save this fish?

**Cichlid Man** · 01-22-2005, 08:22 AM

The nitrates are probably the cause. You said the fish are choking and so is probably the filter. Even though nitrites are not a problem because your filter bacteria is obviously established, nitate is still a harmful substance and the best way to lower it is water changes.
40% every other day will do the trick.

**Damon** · 01-22-2005, 09:32 AM

NO3 isn't the problem, unless you gave readings directly after a waterchange. More along the lines of low O2 (doesn't happen often but can happen).

**Cichlid Man** · 01-22-2005, 09:48 AM

You might be right Simpte.
To clarify the cause, what filtration and airation do you use?
Gasping at the surface can be a sign of low oxygen, but if the gills are pink and the fish are displaying other symptoms then it could be high nitrate.
The filtration not funtioning properly can result in low oxygen and then decomposing ammonia which turns into nitrite then into less harmful nitate can take up a lot of O2 and not leave enough for the fish to respire properly.
These two causes are linked so we could be both right.

aquariumfishguy · 01-22-2005, 10:36 AM

Actually, no. Nitrates of 5ppm wouldn't nearly qualify as high. In fact, any lower and it is dangerously LOW. This isn't why the fish are gasping.

In a 30 gallon tank, you really should not have low o2 levels, but it is possible. IMO, the fish sounds diseased. Something is off, that’s for sure.

hugeshoes · 01-22-2005, 03:31 PM

Thanks for the replies, but if it were nitrate or oxygen, wouldn't all of the fish be affected, not just one? I changed the filter after using the Parasite Clear. I am using a Whisper 30 filter which came with my tank setup, and I have a air pump and 2 air stones.

01-21-2005, 02:55 PM	#1
hugeshoes Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10	Sick Fish Hi all, I have a 30 gallon with 6 Tiger Barbs in it. A little over a week ago, one of the fish stopped eating, and his gills got all puffy and pink. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to save him, but now there is another fish that is having the same problem. She doesn't eat, her gills are very puffy and pink, and she has very rapid breathing. Also, every once in a while she will gasp for air frantically, and I think she even loses conciousness sometimes after she chokes. (She gasps, then stops moving completely, and goes belly up for a second, then regains conciousness) I have tried using Parasite Clear by Jungle buddies, to no avail. I have also increased the temperature (gradually) up to about 83 F, and added salt. Still no improvement. None of the other fish are affected, and none of the fish have any visible spots or parasites on them. My water levels are as follows: Ammonia: 0 ppm pH 7.8 Nitrates 5 ppm Nitrites 0 ppm What I should do to save this fish?

01-22-2005, 08:22 AM	#2
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Re: Sick Fish The nitrates are probably the cause. You said the fish are choking and so is probably the filter. Even though nitrites are not a problem because your filter bacteria is obviously established, nitate is still a harmful substance and the best way to lower it is water changes. 40% every other day will do the trick. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

01-22-2005, 09:32 AM	#3
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Re: Sick Fish NO3 isn't the problem, unless you gave readings directly after a waterchange. More along the lines of low O2 (doesn't happen often but can happen). __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

01-22-2005, 09:48 AM	#4
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Re: Sick Fish You might be right Simpte. To clarify the cause, what filtration and airation do you use? Gasping at the surface can be a sign of low oxygen, but if the gills are pink and the fish are displaying other symptoms then it could be high nitrate. The filtration not funtioning properly can result in low oxygen and then decomposing ammonia which turns into nitrite then into less harmful nitate can take up a lot of O2 and not leave enough for the fish to respire properly. These two causes are linked so we could be both right. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

01-22-2005, 10:36 AM	#5
aquariumfishguy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern, Michigan Posts: 372	Actually, no. Nitrates of 5ppm wouldn't nearly qualify as high. In fact, any lower and it is dangerously LOW. This isn't why the fish are gasping. In a 30 gallon tank, you really should not have low o2 levels, but it is possible. IMO, the fish sounds diseased. Something is off, that’s for sure. __________________ Cory M.H. Care4fish.com - Closed See my forums for further details... Fish Forums: www.s4.invisionfree.com/Care4FishForums

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01-22-2005, 03:31 PM	#6
hugeshoes Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10	Re: Sick Fish Thanks for the replies, but if it were nitrate or oxygen, wouldn't all of the fish be affected, not just one? I changed the filter after using the Parasite Clear. I am using a Whisper 30 filter which came with my tank setup, and I have a air pump and 2 air stones.

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