Cichlids Gasping

[DANO]

I have a tank with a few African Cichlids and they are gasping for air it seems......... They aren't rising to the top though. I had only seven small ones but a week after I got them I lost two...... I am a little concerened because two more now look unhealthy and I don't think they are going to make it. I check my water every day and the ammonia, ph and temp is good but the nitrites are .1 and I think that is the problem. Is there other ways to reduce it other than water changes? I change the water quite a bit and I'm concerened that I am over doing it.

Please help....... By the way this is a great site and I've already learned quite a bit from here.

 

[tkos]

Adding a little aquarium salt will help with the nitrite problem, thoguh I am not sure how much. 1 teaspoon for 5 gallon I think? But water changes are the best thing. You really can't change the water too much as long as you aren't adding new harmful things to the water.

What is the temp and pH of your tank?

 

[DANO]

The ph is 8.0 and the temp is about 79-80 (79 in the morn. and 80 later in the day). Is there a specific kind of salt I should get? Will that cure the gasping? The fish seem wicked stressed. Thank you for your help.

 

[tkos]

I am pretty sure it is just sodium chloride that is needed for this treatment. You can just pick up some aquarium salt at the LFS or even WalMART. Get aquarium salt for fresh water fish. It is also good to keep on hand in case of ich, cause unlike many medications it won't go bad over time.

 

[DANO]

Thanks!

 

[Allivymar]

Nice article about nitrite poisoning here: http://msucares.com/pubs/infosheets/is1390.htm

 

[DANO]

Great article!!! THank you both for your help...... I am going to get some aquarium salt today.

 

[DANO]

They seem to be doing better today.......... a 50% water change and the salt seemed to help..... I guess the next couple of day's will be pivotal. 8)

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

Water changes are the best way to go. Africans do not tolerate any amount of ammonia or nitrites for very long, and regular water changes are the key to keeping them at zero. Unless you do HUGE changes everyday, I wouldn't worry about "over-doing" it with the partials. Your cichlids will thank you for it!

 

[DANO]

I have been quite a bit and is working pretty good now (coupled with the salt). They have relaxed and are barley "gasping" if at all..... My lfr told me it will take a few days to get things back to normal... They are doing much better though. Thanks!

 

[DANO]

Contrary to what I was sayin yesterday. I lost another yesterday......... I will check the water shortly but am confused to why this last one died. Maybe it wasn't doing very well before I added the salt and it was just a matter of time......... I am miffed if it keeps up like this though (I havent done a water change for almost two day's now).... I can always do another but correcting this so I dont have to do water changes would be best... Does anyone have any ideas? Is there some additive I can put in to help?

 

[DANO]

well I mean water changes every day :?

 

[Allivymar]

Actually, fresh water is the best treatment for nitrite poisoning (that and salt). Good water quality is the underlying key to healthy fish. Its better to test your water every day for now, till its reading 0 for ammonia and nitrites for 3-4 days (then you can be sure) then guessing when water changes are needed.

There are products which reduce nitrites. Problem is, its a stop gap fix. Those bacteria NEED ammonia and nitrites to feed and multiply. Remove one and they have nothing to eat, and the bacteria colony doesn't grow to a level which can handle the quantity of fish.

Just out of curiosity, what sorta cichlids, how many and what size tank? Oh and while I don't have africans, I'm sure they have pretty specific Ph needs; what does yours read?

And yeah, its quite possible that poor guy was just too weakened by lack of oxygen to spring back.

 

[DANO]

It is a 30 gal. tank and they are cichlids from lake Malwai (or something like that) and please forgive me but I dont know the names or scientific names either..... My lfr said they were compatible (I hope so they were from the same tank ) They require a ph ranging from 7.8 - 8.6 roughly and they are more specific for the individual lakes but I think the numbers I before mentioned were the ones for the lake (the upper range may be higher). My ph is 8.2 and I have the kents line of cichlid care products (along with a newly aquired stock pile of other things)......... I now have four but I started with 7... I was going to do more reaserch on the fish I have (type and what not) but have been really busy latley. I kind of got a "pot luck" scoop (of fish) at the lfr just to get the tank going and was going to add more specific fish later. I was stressed to when I started my cichlid tank about the ph and I have been keeping up with it nicely an it is almost a no brainer, but the nitrites have been a problem. Now the amonia reads 0 but there are nitrites , it that possible? Nitrites without amonia? I am going to check the water again.

 

[Allivymar]

Actually yeah. Its certainly possible to have nitrites and no ammonia. Means the ammonia eating bacteria (Nitrosospira I believe) are in enough quantity to handle the ammonia load. But the nitrite eating bacteria (Nitrospira; although I may have gotten the 2 mixed up) just aren't up to snuff yet. So you're kinda stalled in that nitrogen cycle process. See if you can find Bio-Spira in your lfs. Its got the proper nitrifying bacteria in it. Understand it is not really made to play catch-up; rather its supposed to be added along with fish initially and and is made to handle slowly rising levels of ammonia and nitrite. But maybe a really big water change (matching parameters of course) and a dose of Bio-spira may kick start the nitrite to nitrate half of the nitrogen cycle. It did for me (although I didn't have fish in the tank at the time; added them the next day. Tank went from 0 ammonia, 5 ppm nitrites, 20 ppm nitrates to completely cycled).

Also, if you haven't yet, I suggest doing some research on the types of cichlids you have. Some of those African Rift Lake guys can get agressive and territorial; others can get rather large (like 10 inches). Depends on the specific species. Nice Cichlid sites here: http://www.cichlids.com/ here: http://malawicichlids.com/ (irritating little fishies follow your mouse tho LOL) and here: http://www.freshwatertropicalfishkeeping.com/Fishes_Catalogue/lake_malawi_cichlids.htm

 

[DANO]

Thaks I'll give it a try.

 

[helpmyfish]

Instead of buying aquarium salt in your LFS buy non-ionised salt in a supermarket, the type that comes in big crystals

 

[DANO]

Thanks! I was on vacation and the tank is doing much better now. I am going to do a water change today but every thing looks good.

 

[DANO]

Just an update........ Things are great! The Bio-Spira did the trick! I even added two more and a type of cat that i forget the name as of right now. The tank has never been better, literally! Thanks for all your help!