What's wrong withthis barb?!?!?!

[monte1214]

- I've had 3 Redline Torpedo Barbs since 25JAN09.
- 1 has since died. He had a what looked like a "bite" form on his side fairly fast, and one day he was floatin'.

- Now this guy has developed something with his mouth!?!

- Any ideas?

 

[new2betas]

The first thing I would do is test your water parameters. How are your ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? I guess it is possible it could be fungal or bacterial. I would do a water change however and see if that helps.

 

[monte1214]

- My PH = 7
- My Ammonia is high = 4-8
- My No2 = 0
- My No3 = 0-3

- Should I assume my Ammonia is the culprit?
- I've lost a couple fish due to unexplained reasons as well.

- All help is greatly appreciated!

 

[new2betas]

Oh yeah....that ammonia is terribly high. I would do at least a 50-75% water change immediately. Just out of curiosity what size tank is it?

 

[monte1214]

- I just did a 75% PWC change 9 days ago.
- Before that I've done 25% pwc's bi-weekly.

- It's a 46g with an Ehiem Classic.
- What exactly would be causing the high Ammonia??

 

[new2betas]

I normally do 50% water changes weekly. You can NEVER do too many water changes ... lol. They are good all around and the fish love them! Fish waste is causing the high ammonia or a dead body somewhere or dying plants can cause high ammonia.

 

[monte1214]

- I know I don't have a body, and I've got 30 fish in a 46g.
- Is that too many fish?

- Dude at Big Al's says that I don't have to change to anything with the filter for 6 months.

- Is there not a treatment for my water?

 

[JaredC555]

- I know I don't have a body, and I've got 30 fish in a 46g.
- Is that too many fish?

- Dude at Big Al's says that I don't have to change to anything with the filter for 6 months.

- Is there not a treatment for my water?

30 FISH?!?!?! in a 46 gallon? Waaayyy too much!

The rule is 1" of fish per gallon, just for them to survive... not even to thrive.
I'm guessing your fish aren't like 1" each...

Your fish are probably 2-3 inches each... so i'd say you should only have 15-20 fish maximum. 15 should be good enough for that size tank... even that it a lot.

 

[monte1214]

- Wow! I've got alot of small Danios, Platy's, and Tetra's. Plus a Gourami's and I didn't think I crowding.

- Would that be the cause of the high Ammonia?

 

[musicman]

Is your tank cycled? Do you know about the Nitrogen Cycle?

 

[monte1214]

- I cycled the tank for 3 weeks, and then put in 3 Platy's, and 6 Danio's for "a test".
- They thrived so I added a few more week by week.
- Out of all the fish I've lost, the original 9 are still here!

As for the "Nitrogen Cycle" I don't know??

 

[monte1214]

Here's what's in the tank...

Silver Danio6Platy2Australian Rainbow2White Fin Tetra2Red Tail Shark0Albino Rainbow Shark1Rummy Nose1Red Eye Tetras2Red Line Torpedo Barb2Yellow Gourami2Kissing Gourami1Kuhli Loach6Pictus Cat1Powder Blue Gourami2

 

[musicman]

The Nitrogen Cycle

Cycling is the establishment of the biological filter in your aquarium.
With the levels of ammonia that you have (4-8 ppm) I bet that your aquarium has not cycled.

The Nitrogen cycle is a natural process in which helpful bacteria break down harmful ammonia (NH3) and turn it into less harmful nitrites (N02). Then a diffrent helpful bacteria turn the nitrites (NO2) into almost harmless nitrates (NO3). I you want to know more about it, read this article.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/24/1/Nitrogen-Cycle-/Page1.html

A fully cycled aquarium will have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites (because the helpful bacteria use it all up.) The nitrates are removed by partal water changes.

------

The amount of ammonia in your tank is frightening. Ammonia is poisonous.

Partial water changes like some of the other members have suggested will help get the ammonia down to lower concentrations. You have an ammonia problem because you have a lot of fish. All of your fish produce ammonia. They produce ammonia when they breathe and when they poop. Help them out and give them a large parial water change. They will thank you for it.

 

[monte1214]

- I'm in the midst of doing a 50% water change right now.
- I'll check the ammonia again in 24hrs and monitor as needed.
- Thanks for all the help!

 

[monte1214]

- Ok, something is really EFFED up here!
- I just filled my tank, and I've had three fish die in the last 15 mins!!

- Temp is ok, I've added my water conditioner and now this!
- I haven't done anything different than my last 8 pwc's.

- As I type, I've got another Silver Danio floating!

- WTF!?!?!
- This is not the way I wanted to reduce the numbers in my tank, that's for sure!

 

[AMDPhenomX4]

Check your ammonia again. If its still high, Go to a friend with a tank and get some of the gravel or filter media.

 

[FastFly67]

when you say 'temp is ok'
is the temp of the water that you're putting in the same as what was already there?
are you conditioning the water before or after it's in the tank?

 

[new2betas]

when you say 'temp is ok'
is the temp of the water that you're putting in the same as what was already there?
are you conditioning the water before or after it's in the tank?

These were questions I was gonna ask too....The temp can only be about within 3-4 degrees of what they were already in or you will have temperature shock and that will kill them pretty quick. and, also, when did you condition your water?

 

[monte1214]

- The temp of the water is the same as wshat is already there, and I condition the water as soon as it goes in the tank.

- It's the same thing I've been doing for the last 3 months.

 

[missileman]

You got a ton of bad advice.
Your filter needs cleaning more than every 6 months. Food and waste gets sucked in there where it rots, that need to be taken out or you will have problems.
I am not harping at you but I here so many people say "I cycled the tank for.... then put fish in" filling with water and turning the filter on is NOT cycling a tank. Cycling a tank involves feeding it an amonia source of some kind and in order to complete a cycle in 3 weeks you would have to of add bacteria as well.
With your amonia levels my bet is your tank is not cycled.
Now you are at a point where the fish have been stressed from the bad water conditions which would lower their imune systems. They could be suffering from any number of diseases or parasites.
The only thing you can really do right now is get the amonia below 1ppm and go from there.
Some aquarium salt will help the remaining fish cope with it better.