Clamped fins, red gills, sometimes tipping over

[KevinMT]

If your water is coming from a city supply you might have a problem with chemicals and unwanted metals, you might need to treat your water before putting your fish in.

 

[eduguy]

I treat it with Water conditioners.

 

[eduguy]

Things aren't looking good so i did a small water change.

 

[Hholly]

It's ok to do lots of water changes.

 

[eduguy]

How often should I change water?

 

[Hholly]

While you have sick fish, every day would be good. 30-50% changes help a lot. Then 50% every week.

 

[eduguy]

30% daily than 50% weekly?

 

[Hholly]

Yes while your fish are sick, I would do daily 30-50% changes. When they look better, change to 50% weekly, and they will stay healthy.

 

[eduguy]

Won't that kill the good bacteria?

 

[Hholly]

Not if you use dechlorinator every time you add water

 

[eduguy]

But if there is never nitrites or ammonia your bacteria will die

 

[Hholly]

Your fish are constantly producing ammonia. If you have an adequate bio filter, the ammonia is immediately consumed. The waste product from that is nitrite, which is immediately consumed by another bacteria. The process is continuous. Therefore in a mature tank, ammonia and nitrite will not register on a test. You really should read the articles I referred you to early in this thread.

 

[eduguy]

I did not know that and I researched lots about fish. Just did a 25% water change.

 

[Hholly]

Good! Once the beneficial bacteria grow enough, your ammonia and nitrites will disappear, leaving only nitrate to deal with. Then a weekly water change can keep that under control.

 

[marsh]

When I have a sick fish or tank I do 75% changes daily. Always with the exact same temp water as the tank temp that I treat with a conditioner.

The bacteria is in your filter and gravel and the water quality is better when as fresh as possible. Even a 95% change is safe, as long as the fish a gently acclimated to any new water

 

[eduguy]

Things still aren't improving. In fact I think it is getting worse.

 

[marsh]

Take water tests! Change more water more often

 

[Hholly]

This has been going on a while now. I think the sick ones are probably very weakened. Are any of your fish ok? Or are all of them in bad shape? You don't change out your filter media or rinse it in chlorinated water do you?

 

[eduguy]

Ok. I hope the fish make it through. I still don't understand why the other fish don't seem to be affected other than red an inflamed gills. I don't change filter media. The platies look extremely weak.

 

[Hholly]

Red, inflamed gills are definitely a symptom. We're the worst ones added recently? Other than ammonia burns/poisoning, the only other thing I can think of is gill flukes. I'll have to look up the symptoms of those. But since we know you had ammonia in detectable levels that's a safe bet.