Sick Fish

[spinner]

I HAVE A 55 GALLON TANK WITH 2 OSCARS, A JACK DEMPSEY AND A PIKE. THEY ARE ALL ABOUT 4-5 INCHES. FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS THE OSCARS HAVE BEEN VERY INACTIVE AND THE PIKE HAS WHITE SPOTS ALL OVER HIM, KINDA LOOKS LIKE ICH BUT THE SPOTS ARE NOT ON ANY FISH. I HAD A PLECO THAT DIED LAST WEEK. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH MY TANK? THANKS

[ChilDawg]

How long has this tank been up and running?

[spinner]

THE TANK HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR 6 MONTHS

[ChilDawg]

Well, it looks like you're past the limit of the bioload now...did you cycle the tank using these fish? Some of them could be weakened by effects due to that.

[spinner]

IM NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS. BUT IVE HAD THE SAME FISH FROM THE BEGINNING BESIDES THE DEAD PLECO

[ChilDawg]

Okay, did you start the tank with these fish? I'll rephrase it this way for now, but I'll give you an explanation in a bit.

[spinner]

YES AFTER A WEEK OF RUNNING THE TANK EMPTY I PUT THE OSCARS AND THE PLECO, AND ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I PUT IN THE JACK AND THE PIKE

[ChilDawg]

What do you mean by running the tank empty? Did you have any bacteria going?

[spinner]

I HAD THE FILTER RUNNING WITH NO FISH UNTILL THE WATER CLEARED UP, IT WAS CLOUDY AT FIRST PROBABLY FROM BACTERIA, IT TOOK A WEEK

[ChilDawg]

You need to go to the Freshwater Newbie forum and read up on cycling. Your fish are dying because of nitrite poisoning from the initial cycling process and from the fact that your tank is overstocked. You will need another tank, or you will need to return a bunch of those fish.

[ChilDawg]

Spinner, I'm coming off a little bit gruff, but I really am trying to help...I apologize.

[Tightdog1]

LOL CHILDAWG i can see how you would think that and how SPINNER would think that but its true SPINNER we are jsut trying to help you save some of your fish b4 they all die.

you can have like 1 oscar in that tank, at the max for his life. if you want to keep all those fish you will need at least a 150g if not more. you need to get rid of some fish if the LFS' will take them back. that pike if its a Crenicichla lepidota (pike cichlid, 2spot pike or comb pike). they get like 13" he will need at least 75g by himself.
you also need more filtration.

do what CHILDAWG said and go to freshwater newbies and read on the fishless cycling.

[spinner]

YEAH I'LL PROBABLY SELL SOME OF THE FISH BACK. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

[ChilDawg]

No prob. What type of pike are we talking about, anyway? Pike Cichlid? Northern Pike?

[spinner]

PIKE CICHLID

[ChilDawg]

They don't handle nitrites so well...that's probably why your pike is sick.

[scott]

I would do a thirty to fifty percent water change so no more fish die. Do it every day until you take the fish back. And like Childawg said read up on cycling in the newbie forum. Hope you keep coming back for more help because anyone of your fish would make a nice single specimen in that tank. This is a great place to get some ideas. If your fish are sick and covered in white spots I doubt you will get any money for them but do the fish a favor and take them back anyway. If you do not feel comfortable in being able to heal them, return them read up and start over or all you will have is a tank full of dead fish.

[jimbo]

I assume that ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are within acceptable limits? If not;
First thing to do is to carry out a 40%-50% partial water change.

And if it is ich and only IF, You have to treat your tank with the appropriate medicine. ( it should contain benzaldehyde green) Raising the water temperature to 30 degrees C (if the fish can tolerate it) for a few hours every 2 or 3 days will help too.

Jimmy

[jimbo]

Hi Spinner,

What I would like to know; Did you perform a regular partial water change during those 6 months. And if so, how much did you change and with what frequency.

[Tightdog1]

good question jimbo i would like to know the answer too.

[ChilDawg]

As would I...there might be much to say once that reply comes...

[spinner]

yes i changed about 30% of the water once a week

[ChilDawg]

Do you dechlorinate/dechloraminate the water?

[spinner]

no. i heard as long as you change under 50 percent you dont have to

[ChilDawg]

You may well have heard right, but the person from whom you heard it was incorrect. I see part of the problem has to do with that...

[optix]

Originally posted by spinner
no. i heard as long as you change under 50 percent you dont have to


haha man, poor guy. Or should I say poor fish. ahhh that is one hell of a mess ya got on your hands man. Definatly need to take 3 of those back and start over AFTER YOU CYCLE. And yes you have to treat water straight from the tap even if its a cup full. I still contains harmful metals and chemicals to even risk putting in untreated. Or you can do like I do and have your water sitting out for about a week and do your water change with aged water if you have the space.

[ChilDawg]

Aged water doesn't work for chloramination.

[optix]

Originally posted by ChilDawg
Aged water doesn't work for chloramination.


Did not know that. I was always told it was fine and I've never had a single problem in the past 6 years of my fishkeeping experience. Im not saying your wrong at all, but if thats the case then chloramine must not be too deadly.

[ChilDawg]

I'll go with another explanation...not all municipalities put chloramine in their water...most just use straight chlorination, I believe. I'm guessing that yours does not chloraminate, or does so at a very low level.

[optix]

It could be that my water company doesn't put chloramine in the water couldn't it??? I'll have too ask them because im curious now. Or is that something that all company's use to treat water.

[ChilDawg]

Tag! Did that prior post answer the question?

[optix]

haha yes it did.

[jimbo]

I was wondering; suppose he's within acceptable limits when it comes to toxic NH3-NO3 and NO2 levels, not sure he's checking up on pH and stuff, do you consider a 55 as an (over)crowded tank? I mean 4 cichlids measuring 4/5 inches and a 4/5 inch pleco on the bottom...they still have approx. 11 g each. I know some will grow like 10 inch or even larger but, for now, I wouldn't call it an "over-crowded" tank. I guess with adequate filtration it should be okay ?? Or am I completely wrong about this.

Jimmy

[ChilDawg]

The filtration would be adequate for them at that point...I'm guessing, though, that it's not...