Red Water?

[spirals]

Ok, so this isn't a fish of mine so I can't give any specific info, but a customer came into the store tonight and said that after changing to a different fish food (generic fish flake, I think it was Tetra?) the water in his goldfish tank turned red and if the fish was not right by the glass you couldn't see it through the red water. Um, he said he had 2 fan-tail goldfish in a 10G, which was overcrowded (by a lot) but still, red water?
Any ideas?

 

[Craig R]

Hello

Did you ever find out why the Tetra fish food turned the water red.

I am having the same problem.

Thanks Craig

 

[Thehappypet]

One of my friends betta's water turned red right before it died. Another friend of mine had her goldfish tank water turn red too. Neither of them switched foods or anything. Is it something in the water, not the food, that makes it turn red?

 

[~Kswords~]

Had any medications been added?
What are the water parameter readings for the areas out of the tap water?
Are there any chemicals added to the water?

How about new decorations or red gravel?

 

[legendaryfrog]

hm, thats really strange. I have no idea why something like that would happen.

 

[AnDr3w]

Wow that's scary. Blood maybe?

 

[Sarra]

Maybe copper. That would be a rusty red.

Red tide?

I'd transplant the fish to separate quarantine tanks until the red water's source can be found.

Does it have a smell?

 

[THE V]

It's probably a dynocyst bloom in his tank, i.e. red tide. This can happen in freshwater as well as salt. tell him to do a %50 water changes on a daily basis and skip feeding the goldfish for 4-5 days. Given the amount of red that he is seeing he is probably overfeeding. Tell him to use pellets or crisps instead of flakes. The fish get more food and less waste into the tank. Once goldfish get over 5" it's really hard to keep them plump and healthy on flakes.

 

[Thehappypet]

A customer the other day said he worked for the city I live in and if the water is red it may be iron in the water. When it hits the air it oxidizes. Black is managnese(sp?)