Please help!

[jvbfamily]

Have a 55 Gallon cichlid tank. have 13 in the mix and suddenly after water change today and adding a water clarifier agent for the first time "ALL" my fish went to the bottom of the tank and layed sideways not moving with 1 at the surface looking like he/she is gasping for air in the top corner. Water readings are normal with Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0 and PH 7.6. Its been 5 hrs and they still like that. One fish couldn't make it but strangely was darting around upside down anytime another fish would take a poke at him. (He would however just land hard hitting whatever was in his way and didn't move again until poked at repeating this over again so I put him down). Can someone shed some light on what may have happened here as the clarifying agent really doesn't seem to make my cloudy water any better either and says its safe for fish.

 

[Brookster123]

It sounds like they got something they didn't like.. I'd do two 50% wc, one 30 min after the other and throw out the clarifier.. what's the issue with the cloudy water?

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[jvbfamily]

Did what u advised with the WC already but still the same. Nothing wrong with the slight cloudy water. Just thought I could make it crystal clear. last time I try to use something not natural!i hope they recover !!! Thanks

 

[Brookster123]

Cloudy water would usually indicate an underlying issue with the tank.. care to share some more details? Maybe we can figure this out..have you done a second wc to try and get all the irritants out

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[jvbfamily]

Prior to post tank was minimal cloudy.i thought I would speed up the process by doing a. 25% WC. After letting it settle was still a tad cloudy so I tried to add 20 ml of the water clearing formula. Then instantly all the fish went down to the bottom and lay on their side. Waited 45 mins and decided to immediately do a 50 WC followed by a 30 WC. 5 hrs later still the same and now got home another 4 hrs later and although they are not laying on their side, they refuse to eat and are all staying at the bottom of the tank.

 

[gemach7]

Prior to post tank was minimal cloudy.i thought I would speed up the process by doing a. 25% WC. After letting it settle was still a tad cloudy so I tried to add 20 ml of the water clearing formula. Then instantly all the fish went down to the bottom and lay on their side. Waited 45 mins and decided to immediately do a 50 WC followed by a 30 WC. 5 hrs later still the same and now got home another 4 hrs later and although they are not laying on their side, they refuse to eat and are all staying at the bottom of the tank.

In addition to the clarifier did you also use a dechlorinator? Chlorine poisoning could do that to fish. Add directly to the tank adding for the whole 55 gallons since youve changed so much water; if you havent used one anyway.

 

[jvbfamily]

In addition to the clarifier did you also use a dechlorinator? Chlorine poisoning could do that to fish. Add directly to the tank adding for the whole 55 gallons since youve changed so much water; if you havent used one anyway.

Yes i did also use a dechlorinator for the whole 55 gallons. Seems so strange. Over the last 45 mins I have been just sitting in front of the tank watching and although the water is still cloudy, I think I may do a water change when I wake up in the morning. Gills are now moving at a normal speed but still sitting at bottom of tank and One of my yellow labs that seems to be active now lost all its color on his face and another of the yellow labs body is just damaged and seems to have gotten attacked while i was away.

The Tilapi buttikoferi lost all its black stripes but gets them back when don't look at him and after he sees me looking again he loses it within seconds.

Red Jewel is still looking great and is active. The once gasping for air blue jewel is now one of the few active in the tank.

The 2 Snow whites are doing fine although swimming down at the bottom.

Red Zebra has regained its mobility as it was one of the most affected fish aside from the one that died.

Red Empress is doing fine aside from what I see as his stomach seems to be arched in.

The Venustus is full of energy but also only swimming at the bottom

Angel is also doing fine

My 2 small clown loaches (at least the 1 i can see is doing well)

I had transferred my oscar air pump to this tank for the night and seems my 2 2 inch oscars in the other 55 gallon are now floating at the top of the tank.

As its 1am here now and pet stores are closed so I can't go buy an additional pump, is there a high chance my Oscars now are going to die due to lack of oxygen??

I really don't know what happened here and am in the Rut for not leaving well enough alone

 

[Iamtechno13]

Just out of curiousity, what was the Clarifier in question?

 

[jvbfamily]

Just out of curiousity, what was the Clarifier in question?

Its some local Hong Kong Brand that I cannot type as I don't know Chinese. LFS says its one of the best brands here costing me 30USD/ bottle.

States that even if you apply 3 times the portion recommended for the size of the tank its still safe for the fish. (Guess not my fish at least) After using, it seemed to make my water even muskier even after so many WC's

 

[jvbfamily]

Update

Water is still murky after morning 50% WC, (Been 3 hrs) got an additional air pump, cichlids seem to be active now and not laying on the bottom. (Which is a good thing I hope)

The bad news.
- Beat up Yellow lab from last night was dead when I woke up
- One of my clown loach are missing (hope is is just in a whole somewhere as I have still yet to see him)
- One of the 2 remaining Yellow labs seem to be at the surface breathing still. (Gill movement is normal)
-Still not really eating except 2 of the remaining 10 cichlids

PH 7.6, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, Nitrate 9

Seems to be a lot of white clear growth around my decorations. (Like slimy stuff)

 

[squirrilah fish]

Here's what I suspect:

There's silicates, heavy metals, or something else in the tap water. I would switch to Prime, to treat new water.

Remove anything moveable from the tank and scrub it/rinse it with hot water.
(Did you rinse off decor, rocks, substrate before adding it? That can be why the water is staying so cloudy.) It generally takes a long time to rinse out a substrate properly before adding it.

Check and clean the filters, but do it with room temperature treated water, I wouldn't use the tank water.

I don't like clarifiers. The first clarifier I ever used. A fish swam right through it, and instantly went sideways, and later died.

I would like to know more about your tank, size, filters, substrate, decorations.

It sounds like a deep clean is in order.

Your fish are stressed. With the water changes, plus whatever is causing the stress they aren't going to go back to normal until it's dealt with.

It's a bad sign when fish start dying. I would get some Seachems Prime, and Seachems stability.

With a clean tank, and proper water the tank should get and stay pretty clear.

I haven't used a clarifier for years and my water is crystal clear.

Maybe you don't have enough filtration?

 

[Jace810]

Something similar happened to me last year while medicating my tank all cichlids dropped to the bottom and lost all interest in everything. Water changes, oxygenate the water, and make sure the filter is big enough for the tank. Sounds like your fish went into shock too. Possible overdose on water clearing substance that was added? Get it out with water changes and oxygenate the water is probably your best bet. My fish came back around and started eating again two days later. They may just need time to recuperate. Keep us posted!

 

[squirrilah fish]

Fish are resilient, they can adapt to changes within reason, and go weeks without eating.

I'd keep it simple until you isolate the problem. Just clean water, with recommended dose of conditioner.

Murky water won't harm the fish if it's just from dirt and debris.

Clean everything you can really well, making sure you protect the beneficial bacteria, and start over more or less.

With good filtration, cleanliness, and water quality you will get a clearer tank than you will from any clarifying chemicals.

 

[jvbfamily]

Thanks for everyone's help! Really appreciate it. Alls well with the tank now and remaining fish are happy. Although sad because this mistake cost me 3 dead fish. The clown loach reappeared yesterday but woke up to him wrapped around filter suction

 

[Jace810]

It's good that we can all learn from our mistakes as we go. It's hard to loose fish but we are that much more prepared the next go around. Hopefully we don't have to keep learning those lessons. Everyone on the forum can give advice because they have either learned the hard way or knew someone else who did. I'm glad that your remaining fish are doing better now. Hats off to you for saving the fish that you did! Be proud that you saved most of them! May the other three rest in peace in the great fish paradise.

 

[jvbfamily]

Thank you everyone for help

My boys all happy and healthy and living in harmony.

Have moved my 2 inch Butti to my other tank with my two 3 Inch Oscars because i went out and got my favourite Frontosa (1.5inch) and worried the Butti looking the same may harass him to death.

Really don't know what to do with the Butti as in Hong Kong LPS I don't believe take back fish