URGENT advice needed please :/

[MarkW19]

Well, he's still the same - sort of docile, and not interested in food. I've soaked it in garlic, and also tried seaweed. He hasn't eaten for 5 days...

My levels are getting a bit better now, but still aren't at 0. Anyone any ideas?

 

[MarkW19]

OK....Bit of a change.

He's now breathing VERY rapidly and his skin has darkened...it looks sort of "dirty". His face has gone a bit white too.

I think he's past it to be honest.

Anyone any ideas what's wrong with him?

 

[Atari]

It could be a disease we don't know about. It could be from the high nitrites.

When was the last water change?

 

[Atari]

Could be the chlorine too.. I had forgotten about that.

 

[MarkW19]

The last water change was last night...with dechlorinator.

 

[MarkW19]

Well, he doesn't look too good.

I've done all I can for him...even more water is mixing now and will be ready for 10am tomorrow.

But my waterchanges don't seem to be doing much good...

I put my 2 filter pads in my main tank for 2 weeks before starting my QT...all was ok in the QT for 10 days, then boom. What happened? Even with the levels at 0 in m QT (amm/nit) should I still have been doing water changes every 3 days, instead of the planned every week? Would that have helped keep the levels down, even though they were at 0 anyway?

If the worst comes to the worst and he doesn't make it, I guess I'll put some new pads in my main tank for another 2 weeks and start my QT again.

Do I have to do anything with the QT filter/tank etc. with it having normal untreated tap-water in it and the high amm/nitrites? Or just rinse thoroughly?

 

[Atari]

I think the sudden decline was probably a result of the chlorine. It's easy to say now that it could've helped to do more frequent water changes but you never know. If it does have a disease at least you know that it hasn't been passed on to your other fish.

If the worst happens then I think you would be better off cycling the QT properly with a raw shrimp for next time. Just rinse it out with RO and let it dry first.

 

[dralarms]

...even more water is mixing now and will be ready for 10am tomorrow.

Sorry but in an emergency, and clorine in the water would be considered one, forget areation for 24 hrs. Get the temp and sg up to tank levels and change it out. Someone may correct me on this but clorine is a posion so it's better to have the water changed than worry about areation.

Why not add some declorinator to the tank water? I know it's better to have it added before salt but it will still work after salt is added.

 

[quarryshark]

Agree with Gerald. I have 11 fish in 2 different qt system right now and have been doing daily water (10 gallon) changes for the last 6 week. There has been several time where I mixed and used an airstone for only about 2 hours before the change. It didn't hurt them a bit.
Sometimes you do what you have to do and cut a few corners. IMO the water change is the priority in this instance.

 

[steve-s]

Someone may correct me on this but clorine is a posion so it's better to have the water changed than worry about areation.

Very true. When dealing with possible water poisoning, using newly mixed water isn't the best thing but still the lesser of two evils. As far as the NH3/NO2 is concerned, if chlorine has definately entered the QT, there is a very good chance it's destroyed the biofilter or hampered it severely.

As far as the de-chlorinator in the QT, I think Atari was refering to the tap water being added untreated to the QT and then the de-chlor after the fact which he is correct in saying shouldn't happen. The tap water should be treated before using in the QT. Chlorine takes several hours to disapate naturally from the system whithout chemical aids. Chloramines on the otherhand can take several days. Adding some de-chlorinator to the QT will help eliminate possible chloramines which could very well be your problem.

How's the pH?

Cheers
Steve

 

[MarkW19]

Well, thanks for your help guys, but he died last night.

He came over all dark, started breathing rapidly and an hour later he was dead.

The strange thing is, after 3 days he was very active and eating fine. This continued for 3 days.

Then, all of a sudden, he stopped eating and started being docile. At this stage my amm/nitrites were ONLY JUST starting to appear.

Would such low levels (barely on the scale) cause the distress to the fish?

I'm going to rinse the filter and tank with RO as Atari said, and discard the media and replace it with new.

Then use some biomature (the QT is in my bedroom - don't fancy dead shrimp! :/) to cycle the tank, along with a bit of food as an ammonia booster.

How long should the cycle take in my 15gal QT?? All I have in there are 3 mugs.

 

[quarryshark]

Boy from this descrption it sounds like its possible that he had velvet. May be a reach, but after reading the thread I believe its a possibilty. it is very stealth.

 

[MarkW19]

What are symptoms of velvet?

 

[quarryshark]

Here are a couple of articles.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/sp/feature/
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/amylloodiniumart.htm

 

[MarkW19]

I'd just like to say thanks to everyone for your help on this one.

450 views, and 5 pages of replies.

Much appreciated!

 

[Atari]

Sorry it didn't work out mate.. like I said before though, if it was something infectious like velvet then you did the right thing keeping it in QT.

Better luck next time!