Pale fish!?

[Llama_13]

Hi all!

So I just got back from a week of holiday, and I've just come home now and my fish are all very pale. (While I was gone they had an automatic feeder, heater, and filter.) They also seem to be very inactive.

I actually though one of my Zebra Loaches was dead, but when I moved the heater to scoop it out it swam off (it was sluggish but it was moving). It still seems sluggish, but the other loach seems okay (also very pale).


Is this just due to lack of light?! They only had sunlight, not the tank light.
Also, Is it a good or a bad thing they seem to have less appetite?


Thank you for your info and advice!
Much appreciated!

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2 Zebra Loaches
4 Danios
5 Widow Fish

(No live plants in tank, temperature has risen from 26°C to about 27.5°C)

 

[V227]

If the fish are lethargic your tank might be suffering a cycle spike. Probably would be a good idea to do a 25% WC, don't feed the fish for a couple of days and watch for their behavior to improve. Check the automatic feeder and try to determine if any or too much food was dispensed. Too much equals ammonia spike. If things don't rapidly improve your probably dealing with a mini cycle. Might take a week of continued everyday small 20% WC's until the BB bed is restored. Hope this helps.

 

[Autumnsky]

Could be a parameter issue. Check with test kit. If no test kit I would do a back to back pwc of 25-30%. See how much if they color/perk up. try another 30% if they didn't seem to get more active.

They might have been sleepy, but I'd still do pwc.

How is the aeration?

 

[Llama_13]

(Reply to Autumnsky)

•The Danios and Widows seem better & have more colour, Loaches are still pale and sluggish, but seem a bit better
• Parameters seem okay, but I'm doing a 25% WC and replacing filter charcoal anyways/regardless
• Aeration is as good as it always was - there is definitely no problem there

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(Reply to V227)

•I'm doing a 25% WC and replacing filter charcoal
•Beahvior of Danios and Widows have improved, Loaches still sluggish but seem more active today
•Most of the widows have colouring back, Loaches still abnormally pale
•Tank light is now on for much longer in hopes of the fish gaining colour

Danios and Loaches were swimming at surface this morning (which is what they
generally do when hungry) so I put a few flakes in (hardly any) and they seemed starving and had a frenzy over it. This makes me think that maybe the automatic feeder stopped working, will check and give an update soon.

(The appetite of all fish has improved a bit)

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Thank you both for replying and for the advice given!
Much appreciated! <3