Crazy fish or tank problems ???

[seranko]

Hello there,

I have a 2 month old planted 75 Gallon tank, with 4 discus, 8 neons, 4 glolite, 2 plecos, 4 apples nails, I don't know how many baby apple snails, 10 algae shrimps, 3 rummy-nose tetras, 3 cory catfish and 1 botia tiger.

My equipment is : Fluval 404 filter, CO2 with Carbo plus, 240 watts in 12 hours cycle, 2*150 watts heater. 1" of Shultz's Aquarium Planted Soil (Bottom) and 3" to 5" of flourish substrate.

Tank Parameters : PH = 6.6, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, KH = 2 and GH = 3. I used to check those with liquid testers. Nitrate < 10, checked with strips. The temperature is 82 to 84 F. I have been checking those parameters every 3 days and check the water in my LFS weekly. Temperature checked in the mornings and evenings.

Water changes every week, 25 % and shyphon the tanks every 2 weeks. I use flourish Iron and flourish from Seachem for my plants.

I'm not an expert but I think that everything looks normal, until this morning..... BTW I love this website because helps me all the time. I check it every single day, thank you guyz.

This morning before work, like most of you, I checked my tank, the fish (I count one by one) and the plants, and I saw my little Discus (Martin is it name) swimming weird. Martin was swimming without control, like it could not control itself, disoriented, some times side down, some times head down, some times normal. "Well this is it", I though, I lost my Martin.

To be honest with you guys, I was thinking the whole day about Martin. I can belive what a fish can do with me. But ohhh 8O surprise when I get home this evening and Martin is good . Swimming normal and all around the other discus, it ate frozen bloodworms... Now I'm the one disoriented. What happened with Martin ?????

Please, give me an advice because I don't want to lose Martin.

Thanks again,


Seranko

 

[Allivymar]

How bizzare! I'm guessing there was a problem with the swim bladder (is what helps the fish keep proper orientation), but to have it happen overnight and then resolve 8 hours later is sorta surprising.

Sometimes overeating can cause swim bladder problems; too much food, often dry is a culprit as it swells once the fish eats it, can put pressure on the swim bladder and cause problems. What did you feed them last nite, and did you notice if Martin pigged out?

And thank YOU for the kind words

 

[Fruitbat]

I second Allivymar's suggestion. Fish get indigestion too and it can cause a build-up of gases in their digestive tracts. This can be enough to cause the erratic swimming behavior that you describe.

 

[seranko]

8O wawhhhh 8O guys I'm so impressed, you were right. I showed these answers to my sister and she confessed, she fed them yesterday many times. Because death penalty is too much, not more access to my room this year (where the aquarium tank and the playstation are) was her sentence.

Thanks again, Seranko

 

[seranko]

Hey guyz, just to let you know, Martin is doing good.

Tnaks again....

 

[Allivymar]

Yay! Always good to hear positive news

Wish all fish healthy problems were this easy to diagnose LOL have a coupla kudos for giving us an easy one