Sick goldfish??? Help please!!!

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jabba the gup

Aquarium Advice Activist
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Dec 19, 2016
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My goldfish has recently started floating head down, tail up vertically in the tank! He is also quite inactive most of the time. If not floating vertically, he is lying on the bottom of the tank!! When he does swim he will occasionally rub up against the decor like he is itching, but I cannot see any spots that look like the ick! It also seems like his tail has become curved! He seems to have no loss of appetite. He will eat floating pellets, and I have recently started feeding him frozen blood worms. He began this odd behavior before I started feeding the blood worms. All parameters of my tank are good but not perfect! Nitrite is at zero, nitrate is at 20 ppm, ammonia is at .25 and is normally zero. I am in the process of trying to get the pH down because it is a whopping 8.4! I recently had an issue with high nitrite and nitrate even though my ammonia was at zero! For three weeks now all parameters have been good except the pH! The tank is at 73°F, which I am aware that is high for a goldfish. But I have invertebrates that require 72 or above! The tank is a 55 gallon and has been up and running for around three months! My filtration consists of two Marineland penguin 350's. As the name implies they are 350 GPH for a total of 700 GPH. They are hang on the back filters, Each filter posses four mechanical filters with 2 bio wheels on each one for a total of four bio wheels! Within the last day or two I have added a Sunsun 9watt UV sterilizer, with 210 GPH. My tank is very diverse. It consists of the goldfish which is approximately 6 to 8 inches long, to albino African clawed frogs. One frog being about 3 inches long and the other frog about 4 inches long, I also have two small fiddler crabs. Both fiddler crabs are still quite small. I also have two Pleco algae eaters, both about 5 inches long. One tetra goldfish about 1 inch long, and one swordtail measuring about 2 inches. And one mini Gourami measuring about an inch and a half to 2 inches long. Which has also become quite lethargic and not acting well. He was introduced to the tank about three days ago along with the purple tetra goldfish. I also have three nerite snails, and one accidental ramhorn shell snail! I am aware of being grossly over stocked and I am in the process of correcting the issue. My last water change was this past Saturday along with a thorough vacuuming. Which forced and almost complete water change! The last vacuum and water change was three weeks ago when addressing the nitrite and nitrate issues! The fish in question, i.e. my goldfish. Is the oldest fish in the tank and we have probably had him a year and a half. The only thing that has been added before his odd behavior was a second marine land filter system to help combat my parameter issues and heavy bio load from overstocking! I am sorry for the gigantic article, I wanted to address everything the forum guidelines requested! Any and all help is greatly appreciated!! IMG_7157.jpgIMG_7015.jpgIMG_7017.jpgImage1493012335.844418.jpgImage1493012371.808592.jpg
 
I'm not sure it makes a difference, but when I added the Gourami and the tetra, I lost a swordtail. I had to swordtails. One vanished without a trace when the Gourami and tetra were added. I am aware that I stressed the fish out. But the behavior of the goldfish started about four days prior to adding the new fish.
 
Maybe im wrong. Didnt many here including me discuss your stocking.

Any ammonia is not good. Tank is 3 months old fish have grown. Will continue to grow. BB cant keep up. Goldfish in tanks is difficult to put it nicely. Very rarely works long term. Given your current stock which isnt compatible id say a 150g would work....for now. 2 large pleco and large common produce tons of waste. Add in the various other fish no way in a 55.

Good news...get rid of goldfish and atleast one pleco and youll drastically change your situation.
 
Maybe im wrong. Didnt many here including me discuss your stocking.

Any ammonia is not good. Tank is 3 months old fish have grown. Will continue to grow. BB cant keep up. Goldfish in tanks is difficult to put it nicely. Very rarely works long term. Given your current stock which isnt compatible id say a 150g would work....for now. 2 large pleco and large common produce tons of waste. Add in the various other fish no way in a 55.

Good news...get rid of goldfish and atleast one pleco and youll drastically change your situation.
Overstocked, these are the issues we discussed before, won't get better without changes (more than one) in stocking.
Lots of cool critters out there, but they can't all go in home aquarium's.
 
Well crap! I was hoping the extra filters would buy me some time to get a larger tank! I did have to go to weeks without a water change because I was out of town! Unfortunately it sounds like I am going to have to set up my 13 gallon and split everyone up for now! Is there anything I should do to treat the goldfish immediately other than thinning my stock! The mini Goromi has a couple of white spots on its mouth and is not doing well, just lays on the bottom of the tank breathing heavily! He was quarantined to a 5 gallon tank last night!
 
And why does it seem that one of the hardest most resilient fish in the tank seems to be one of the only ones afflicted? My swore tail keeps picking at him, could there be a bacterial infection?
 
I retested today, and I have no ammonia whatsoever! But the goldfish is scratching up against things constantly!!
 
You said you had a recent bout of high nitrites and nitrates. I believe each time you have issues it's hard on fish, leading to cumulative health issues for fish. I read this theory somewhere but I'm horrible about remembering where. It may not be completely accurate, like I said somebody's opinion, but makes sense it could magnify health issues.
 
I feel horrible! I swear it looks like my swordtail, tetra, and fiddler crabs are doing nothing but looking for a way out! LOL! Am I paranoid? I don't know! But it sure seems that way! I just did a massive water change Saturday evening! But I used tapwater! I am about to do another large water change and go to a local pet store to get RO water!! Just got stuck back on night shift and have to be there at 4 PM, it is currently 2:30 PM where I live! I am going to be late to work!
 
Consistency of water helps maintain consistent water chemistry, swings could be harmful.
 
So should I not do the reverse osmosis water change? Or just do small amounts at a time?
 
If you've been using tap water start by cutting with to water and increase about of room you use each water change. Then when you get the chemistry where you want it, match the ratio required to achieve that every water change.
Slow is the key so you don't stress your fish.
 
Took a water sample to the pet store, everything checked out exactly the same pH was high, andthey checked for something else I can't remember right this second! It had to do with using tap water whatever it was! But it was high as well! Ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite all checked out clear! And a 10 gallon water change with reverse RO water. It's drop the pH on my test one color bar which was .2, dropping it to 8.2
 
1. Stop worrying about your ph right now, you have more important issues.

2. You need to be doing water changes EVERY WEEK. You are overstocked as it is, you cannot afford to miss a water change. You should matching the temp of the new water as closely as possible and treating it with water conditioner. I'd be doing around 50%

3. Get rid of the plecos and goldfish or invest in an indoor pond for them. Common goldfish should be in ponds, and common plecos shouldn't even be in the hobby imo.

4. Put the fiddler crabs in the 13 gallon and give them the brackish setup they deserve.

5. Stop adding fish until you get things under control, adding more at this point is like adding gasoline to a house fire and expecting it to go out :/

I hope things get better but there are steps you absolutely need to take right now, and not waiting to see or thinking everything is good 'for the moment'
 
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