Need help/advice PLEASE! - Lethargic Firemouth

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Convict2161

Convict2161

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Oct 11, 2011
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Ok I just got my second firemouth to pair with my other. I got the fish from LPS(chain store) anyway... Floated the fish for about 20 minutes then slowly kept adding my tank water to the bag...

Finally when the bag was more then half filled I added the fish to a small small tank I have which was filled with my tank water.

Added stress coat after introducing the fish to my 55. The fish lasted about 2 hours! Showed signs of lethargic and had glazed over eyes and was kinda floating around only using the left fin. He started bumping into the glass so I was nervous and took him out. I have him back in the small tank but he looks dead!! He's just laying there! Gills are moving but he's not with us...

What is it? What do I do? Did he just infect my while tank which I FINALLY got all the numbers correct and the water was on the money. Now what?!

Please help... Thanks.
 
Well he didn't make it... The little guy has passed. I know the store has a policy so I'll be making a trip back there tomorrow morning.
 
Water is good. No2 No3 both 0, pH 6.8 and ammonia 0. Temp is 76.

Floated it and slowly added my tank water to the bag. Then when bag was almost full I put the fish into a little tank for like frogs with my tank water let it sit for a few and added some stress coat then introduced the fish to my tank.

It was acting weird, had glazed eyes almost foggy looking. Using only 1 fin it started to kinda float in place and bumping into things then when it did swim it hit the tank or decor like it was blind. Took it right out, put it back in the small tank and it died shortly after.

Oh and the stress coat I only added very very little into the small tank.
 
Something isn't right. Tested this morning before work. 6am.

Nitrite 1.0 ppm
pH 6.6
Ammonia 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm

And no I didn't cycle. I'm a newbie and listened to the LPS and set the tank up for 24 hours and then added my fish. Been reading the threads on here to help me along.

So far I took decor and bio wheel from my old tank which was fine and had for months. Also been working close with the LFS who has accounts all over Westchester for saltwater and freshwater. Nice guy and he's been helping try and keep the tank stable as can be.

After I test I have to call him and let him know all the readings. He even gave me his cell number incase something happens. I guess that's the perk of being the fire chief in the town.

I know now what I did wrong and I know for future tanks and setups, but he's telling me to just relax and keep and eye on things everyday and water changes daily. So today I'll be doing another one. I don't mind it's all part of the hobby and we all learn from mistakes we make in life. I chalk this one up to being inexperienced and not researching something that's not like me.

I listened to the girl at the LPS, little did I know.

Hopefully I'll get through this and my fish will be fine. The guy from FS said only thing in my favor is I have convicts. He said there very hardy fish so they should survive this as long as I do my water changes he also said don't be surprised of I have to do 2 a day which I'm also willing to do. Again this is a learning experience for me and after this I'll more knowledge and hopefully be able to help someone else one day.

Oh he also said to start testing twice a day. Morning and evening and to cut back on feeding.

So that's my story...
 
Just in case you have not read the threads for a fish-in cycle...

Your ammonia is at 2.0 with a low ph. Ammonia gets more toxic as the ph gets higher. Having said that, it is accepted that ammonia needs to be below .25 to be safe for fish.

If you do a 50% water change, that gets your ammonia goes down to 1.0. If you do a 75% water change, your ammonia goes down to .50. That is the math portion.
 
Understood. I will do whatever it takes to get through this. I will re read the threads.

Thank you.
 
Did a 50% water change last night. Tested water just now. 12:15pm. Treated the water with Prime per instructions. This is what I have...

Ph 6.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 10
 
Well the good news is you've got both types of bacteria cultures growing in the tank. You're getting close to out of it just do what you've read(i.e. water changes, tests, more water changes) & you'll be fine in what looks to be a few weeks at most but probably less.
 
Ok update.... just tested. Time for another water change....

Nitrite 0.25ppm
Nitrate 5.0ppm
Ammonia 0.50ppm
Ph 6.4
 
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