Siver Dollars not eating.

[Logans dad]

Wow, Tank has been good for 6 months with no fish loss and Silver dollars are about 3 inches around now and Tiger Barbs are about 1 1/2 to two inches and look like I could fa lay one lol. BUT I had a pocaustamus- (spelling) die and didnt know for about a week and Silver Dollars haven't eaten in like 6 days. They still act ok and dont look skinny but wonder if its from the dead fish? Been doing a 50 % water change every week but haven't tested water. I just did a water change 2 days ago and tested and this is what I got.
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-5.0
Ammonia-.50
PH-7.6
High ph-7.8
Isnt this all pretty good and the pet store suggested adding Melafix for 5 days. Im just worried about the silver Dollars. The other fish are just fine and Silver Dollars still have a nice red color on fins. Should I worry?

 

[tarpon]

That's very bad. You should not have any ammonia if your tank is cycled. .5 is harmful to fish. They are probably stressed. Is your tank cycled? You need to do water changes more often than that if you have ammonia. What size tank?

 

[Logans dad]

75 gal and tank has been going for 6 months now.

I did like 75 % Fiday on water change.

 

[tarpon]

What is melafix for?
And do you change your filter cartridge often? Or swish it in tank water and put it back in?

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, your ammonia is a problem. You are going to do more frequent water changes. I would suggest reading your water params and then doing a pwc everyday or every other day. Your nitrates seem a bit high too.

 

[Logans dad]

Filter takes two and I change them every two months but not the bio wheels. melafix is a natural antibacterial remedy for red sores, fin rot, eye mouth body slim body wounds. It looked like the dollars mougills were getting red but dont looked infected and pet store said it wouldnt hurt putting it in anyway. I just added some and put some plant food in and checked ammonia again and tank is at .25 and out of the tap is .50. I havnt changed a thing for 6 months. All that changed was the fish dying and I didnt see it for a week, It was about 3 inches long so pretty big.

 

[Logans dad]

Ive been doing a 50 % once a week.

 

[tarpon]

Don't add medicine if they don't need it. And instead of changing it out that often just swish it in the tank water you siphon out and put it back in. That way you don't remove the bacteria. And my tap tests at .5 too but I add prime which detoxifies it for around 38 hours and by that time my biofilter has already converted it. There shouldn't be ammonia staying in your tank.

 

[absolutangel04]

Filter takes two and I change them every two months but not the bio wheels. melafix is a natural antibacterial remedy for red sores, fin rot, eye mouth body slim body wounds. It looked like the dollars mougills were getting red but dont looked infected and pet store said it wouldnt hurt putting it in anyway. I just added some and put some plant food in and checked ammonia again and tank is at .25 and out of the tap is .50. I havnt changed a thing for 6 months. All that changed was the fish dying and I didnt see it for a week, It was about 3 inches long so pretty big.

Red gills is a sign of ammonia poisoning. Considering your ammonia level that is a more likely culprit than an infection. If I was you, I would quite with the melafix and start doing water changes every day or every other day until the ammonia get under control. It may take a while, but be patient and you and your fishies should be able to get through.

 

[Logans dad]

If the tap water is at .50 will that keep the ammonia high? And could it be the fish that died that raised the ammonia? Its tested like that for 6 months with no problem. Wonder if I change the water evry two weeks or just do a 1/4 change if that would be better?

 

[tarpon]

Your tank should be able to convert the ammonia within 24 hours.and idk about the fish. I know it would release some but it should've been converted as well

 

[absolutangel04]

If the tap water is at .50 will that keep the ammonia high? And could it be the fish that died that raised the ammonia? Its tested like that for 6 months with no problem. Wonder if I change the water evry two weeks or just do a 1/4 change if that would be better?

What are you using to treat the water before adding it? I agree that if your tap water has ammonia, seachem prime is a good product like was stated.
Tarpon is right, your tank should be able to neutralize your ammonia so the fact that it is coming out of the tap like that does NOT mean it should stay that way. You need to do more frequent water changes, not less. Dead fish do give off ammonia, but it should be neutralized as well. LIke I said, I think you should be doing water changes every other day until your ammonia consistently stays down. Your tank seems to be in a mini cycle or something, so you need to treat it like you are doing fish-in cycle.

 

[Logans dad]

I wonder if part of it is due to over feeding? and I use prime when doing water changes.

 

[tarpon]

Idk. I only feed mine a tinny bit at a time. Like put in a very little. Then when they eat that I add more. No food should hit the bottom bc then it will rot. But even that should be converted. Somethings off with your biofilter

 

[absolutangel04]

Idk. I only feed mine a tinny bit at a time. Like put in a very little. Then when they eat that I add more. No food should hit the bottom bc then it will rot. But even that should be converted. Somethings off with your biofilter

I agree that the problem is the biofilter.

 

[tarpon]

Yeah, like he/she said, just do every day or every other day water changes till it gets better