Peppered cory with a hole in its side

[mikecymru]

Can any one help?
I have a small peppered cory with a hole in its side, I guess its an ulcer?
I had a problem with low pH but now thats sorted by adding some plants to deal with the high nitrates.
But its left me with a sick fish, I do not have a hospital tank and I am frightened about adding meds and the effect on the other fish.

which are:-
2 bengal loaches
4 corys
3 zebra danios
2 black widow tetras
4 harlequins

please help I dont want to let him just die. :sad:

[Roan Art]

What are your water parameters: ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH? Please post those. What is your water change routine: how much and how often?

pH does not cause holes in fishes' sides, nor do nitrates cause high pH. Consistantly high nitrates can be a sign of really bad water quality which *can* cause a hole in your fish.

We really need to know your water parameters and your change routine before we can advise further. Do not add any meds to the tank until you can post those. You could make matters worse.

Roan

[mikecymru]

I know the problem now:

Ammonia 0.6
Ph 5.0
Nitrates 0.3
Nitrates 50

I never used to suffer with poor water. but I have a high bio load and a 2 months ago I got fed up with all the snails in my tank broke it down and took out all the plants( what a mistake to maker) I have since replaced the plants but I guess the water hasn't recovered?

I do 25% water changes once a week and hoover the gravel once a month. Fish are fed once a day bottom food and flake.

I have done a water change 25%

What next?

[Roan Art]

I just noticed the title you gave your post.

Your pH was 5???

If your pH gets to 5, ALL your bacteria will die off and your fish will follow.

How did your pH drop so low? What is the KH of your water? We really need to know the KH to find out why the pH dropped like that -- assuming you are doing water changes as you say.

What kinds of fish do you have in there and how many of each?

Your tank is cycling again and your ammonia and nitrites too high. They are killing your fish.

You are going to have to do large water changes and get those ammonia and nitrite readings down belown .25 or you are going to lose fish. Do a 50% as soon as you can and another 50% 12 hours after that.

If you have a large bioload, you should plan on doing at *least* 50% every week and twice or more a week if need be.

Roan

[mikecymru]

Roan,

I do not have a hardness test in my kit.
My fish are listed above.
I have done 2 water changes and well see how it goes.
I guess me nitrates soared when I removed my plants. hence the drop in PH?
Plants now in so the nitrates should start to come down when the tank cycles again

[dorkfish]

How big is the tank? Yes, your water has very bed problems, even the nitrate is aproaching harmfull levels(IMO, 20 is about as high as it should ever be, regardless of the tank), unless your tap water has nitrate in it (do a test and find out please).

[Roan Art]

Would you please take a cup of your tap water, let it sit out overnight and test the pH in the morning? Post the results? Really need to see what the pH is out of the tap.

Have you been adding any pH modifying chemicals?

Roan

[mikecymru]

I have not added any ph modifying chems...and I will check my ph from my tap....
Let you know tomorrow

Thanks for the advice

[Roan Art]

Thank you very much.

Roan

[mikecymru]

Roan,

I checked my tap water after an overnight stand it is 7-7.5ph
However despite a 50-60% water change last night my PH in my tank reads 5-5.5 today :(

What now another water change?

[mikecymru]

Done two further water changes one at 50% and one today at 25%

Ph Now reads :- 6.5

I will continue small water changes throughout the week

see how it goes

[adayton]

You need to get yourself a kH tester. I had a similar ph Plummet which was hurting my fish. I tested the kH and it was around 1. Which basically means it has no buffering capacity. Keeping a stable pH in such water is very difficult if you do not use something to raised the kH to a level that will keep the pH stable. I used Alkaline Buffer, used half the recommended dosage over a period of a few days to slowly raise the kH and the pH. My fish have been happy ever since. My pH stays at a around 7.2 and my kH stays are around 7. You can also used crushed coral in a mesh bag to raise the kH.

-A

[mikecymru]

Thanks A, is there a particular brand of buffering agent I should use?
Why should the KH Suddenly drop? is it because I removed my plants? because up until then everything seemed fine. Even now its only this one fish that seems to have a problem the others are fine. Also I've done some pretty hefty water changes in the last couple of days why doesn't the KH rise? I'm a bit confused......

[adayton]

Hey Mike,
I used Seachem Alkaline Buffer. The reason why the water changes aren't helping is probably because your tap simply has no buffering capacity (very low kH) and that never changes unless you buffer it chemically. Replenishing with water changes may stave off the plummeting pH simpy for the fact you are constanty replacing the low pH water with higher pH from the tap. Problem is you would have to do water changes all the time. One of the most important aspects of water quality is it's ability to stabilize the pH. Low or High pH is not really a problem for fish, they will aclimate, but a constantly swinging one will eventually cause all kinds of trauma. Every since I raised my kH to about 8, my pH stays at a nice 7.2. The only time I add any more buffer is when I do a water change. As I go I am trying to follow this rule of thumb:

Ammonia must be 0, Nitrite must be 0, pH must be within 0 to .2 of last test
kH must be within 5-9. Keep these balanced and you should be ok.

[mikecymru]

Thanks A. I'll get one on the weekend and some buffering agent. thanks mike