Last ditch effort to save my fish!!

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Candi1990

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
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I give up! I have tested and changed water a million times. Finally i changed tanks. So i know its not the water its a disease or illness i hope someone can help before the last 2 die. (I have lost 6).
My fish are turning black, gasping for air, then just laying around til they die. The forst sign are they are turning black.

Any help?
 
What are ur water parameters? how big is the tank? what fish? were gonna need more info
 
55 gal tank. Had 8 2 to 3 inch jacks. Had them since they were fry still small. Nitrite was very high ammonia .25. I couldn't get the water right fast enough (they were dying) so I put them in a tank with more fish. This tanks water is perfect. Been 18 hours and they are getting worse!!! Only 3 left. Will probably die soon. I feel horrible but I just about gave up. Don't know what's left to do.

Nothing is in the 55 gal tank so I have to figure out what to do about it. Empty it and start over or try to fix the water.
 
Chances are that they are suffering with ammo and nitrite burns to their gills. There isn't anything you can really do at this point besides cross your fingers and do a fishless cycle on the 55. The black is from the ammonia poisoning. Even if the fish do make it which it sounds like they won't, they will have a shortened life span do to the scaring.
 
Chances are that they are suffering with ammo and nitrite burns to their gills. There isn't anything you can really do at this point besides cross your fingers and do a fishless cycle on the 55. The black is from the ammonia poisoning. Even if the fish do make it which it sounds like they won't, they will have a shortened life span do to the scaring.


I think your right on the ammonia poisioning. I have to research a fish less cycle. Thanks!
 
I changed them to a different tank here at home. They were still were sick and black and just sat there for 2 days. I took them to my sisters tank, ( next door lol) i had given her their siblings about a month ago in her new tank. I took them there as a last ditch effort to sage them and they perked up immediately! swam and ate for the first time in days! They have a new home now i am very happy they are okay!
 
that is great news!

If you test your water you will likely see high amounts of Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate. You need to get a test kit, and test your water. Online the master test kit was costing around 18. I haven't checked in awhile. Over feeding can contribute, economically priced flakes especially, turn into ammonia very quickly. When you have babies changing small amounts of water very frequently helps to keep the water clean since feeding fry several times a day is common practice.

That is why the test kit is important, so you can keep track of how the water quality is so your fish can grow as strong and healthy as possible in clean water.

It takes a little time to do the tests, but it is less work than doing 50% back to back water changes after the fish are already stressed/hurt. And easier than being stressed out about them! :flowers:

The fish will darken as a sign of stress (their color helps them disappear/camouflage better too, which is better for them while they are having the problem, but bad because something is wrong with them. So experience will help you learn about your fish too so you can take good care of them and help you know what to look for.

You can learn about fish in cycling here but you can also do fishless if your little guys are alright in the tank they are in now.

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice
 
I bought a kit right BEFORE they got sick! So i have been checking all my tanks like crazy. They are all off! Even the ones where the fish are happy.

I am convinced that fish adapt. I have never had sick fish until now, and even now its in the one tank... While all of them are high in ammonia (well were high they are down now) nitrites are on the way down, but nitrates are topped off! I am journaling now, and researching but i am quickly getting tired of it!!!

I am doing 50% water changes daily in the tank the sick fish were in. I will get good numbers there before i restock.
 
I bought a kit right BEFORE they got sick! So i have been checking all my tanks like crazy. They are all off! Even the ones where the fish are happy.

I am convinced that fish adapt. I have never had sick fish until now, and even now its in the one tank... While all of them are high in ammonia (well were high they are down now) nitrites are on the way down, but nitrates are topped off! I am journaling now, and researching but i am quickly getting tired of it!!!

I am doing 50% water changes daily in the tank the sick fish were in. I will get good numbers there before i restock.


High nitrites don't burn the gills. nitrites enter the blood cells of the fish and turn haemoglobin to methemoglobin which reduces the cells ability to transport oxygen, hence gasping at the surface. It can also damage internal organs such as the brain and liver and also turns the fishes blood brown. Fish can't adapt to high ammonia or nitrites.

You could use seachem prime as a temporary fix or continue to change water. If your tap water has high ammonia etc you can add prime to the water then add it to the tank. But you really need to find out where this ammonia is coming from. I'd be surprised if the tap water has too high ammonia and nitrites.
 
Getting the levels right in the tank.... So i was advised that the tank was well enough to do a fish in cycle. Ph 7.6 ammonia back down to 0 nitrites .25 (i think very low almost yellow dont have number in front of me) Nitrates high but down to 80 (was 160). 55 gal tank.
Went and bought beautiful fish, turned black immediately!! WTH!!!! Within 10 min! Not Ammonia burns no ammonia! What now????
 
Getting the levels right in the tank.... So i was advised that the tank was well enough to do a fish in cycle. Ph 7.6 ammonia back down to 0 nitrites .25 (i think very low almost yellow dont have number in front of me) Nitrates high but down to 80 (was 160). 55 gal tank.
Went and bought beautiful fish, turned black immediately!! WTH!!!! Within 10 min! Not Ammonia burns no ammonia! What now????

Is it an api master test kit? If so then nitrite test is blue for 0 not yellow and purple is high. 80ppm nitrates is also to high. Even a quarter of that is too high. What is your substrate? What decor and plants do you have in it? Where did you buy the tank? How did you clean every thing? How are you acclimatising the fish?

Have you used any silicone to repair a leak or glue stones together?

Sent from my SM-T210 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Are you using water conditioner with your water changes to neutralize chlorine and chloramine? If your getting high readings of nitrate which indicates your tank is cycled, your under filtered if your getting ammonia readings, or there is a build up of waste somewhere. Make sure your using the test kit properly. Follow the instructions to the letter. I don't think your doing the test quite right.
 
Getting the levels right in the tank.... So i was advised that the tank was well enough to do a fish in cycle. Ph 7.6 ammonia back down to 0 nitrites .25 (i think very low almost yellow dont have number in front of me) Nitrates high but down to 80 (was 160). 55 gal tank.
Went and bought beautiful fish, turned black immediately!! WTH!!!! Within 10 min! Not Ammonia burns no ammonia! What now????

You need to relax, things in a tank take time to work. Stress makes them change color or get darker.
Fish are very delicate creatures and they stress easily, sometimes it takes days for a fish to acclimate into a cycled tank, never mind one that isn't, realize that a fishtank is not really a natural environment for a fish, its something we make for them!

Im not sure what your situation with your tank is, whether its cycled or not but there are lots of good reading on cycling a tank, actually what you cycle is the filter but it takes time. I dont know what fish you have in your tank now or how many, can you tell us? At this point you have to keep doing partial water changes for a few weeks till things settle and you filter cycles (if it already isn't). Don't get too obsessed with the water's chemistry either, use a good de chlorinator and nothing else, most likely ( notice I said most likely) if your water is good enough to drink. it will be good enough for your fish. Lots of people swear by Prime, Im using it now but my fish haven't told me yet whether they like it or not. :)

BTW yellow on my API ammonia tester is good, just tested my tanks and they are a slight hint of yellow.
 
I bought 2 blood red parrot cichlids and 2 oscars. (I think that's right).
I have an API kit and ver careful about testing. nitrates .25 very light green not yellow

I have a water conditioner and prime.
Doing 50% water changes may start doing 25 I think. 50 seems to be a lot!

I just checked on them this morning they are doing great and the two that turned black were almost back to normal. Then they saw me and turned black again! They are very timid and apparently change really dark when stressed. The oscars are swimming better and doing great too.

Y'all are great I know I sound paranoid I just want a healthy tank! Thanks for all your help I am definitely listening! And learning!
 
Ok. First off you are overstocked. Even small oscars put a huge strain on the bio load of a tank. 55 gallons is hardly enough room for one adult oscar. They say 55 is minimum for an oscar but I wouldn't do it. I keep mine in a 125 gallon with some silver dollars. I've kept many oscars and cichlids over the years and I can say that one oscar in an uncycled tank is a lot of work let alone 2 and 2 other fish. Then there is stress caused by aggression. Even though they are small there is going to be some pecking order getting worked out amongst themselves which will lead to stress. Then there is trying to get 2 oscars to get along. Unless it's a male and female, and the female accepts him as her mate, or 2 females that will tolerate each other, one will end up needing to be rehomed. Oscars are hard to get to live together. Even if they like each other the space will be too small. Water quality is not sustainable in that small tank. They like to be alone. I know right know you think "but they like each other and they swim together and stuff", trust me that will change as they mature and one will end up rehomed or dead unless you get lucky. The best thing and the only thing you should do is pick which oscar you really like and take the rest back. Sorry to be so blunt but your current setup will not work period... You will never have good water with all those fish in there with the tank uncycled. Even with a cycled tank it would only work as a temp setup. Oscars grow so fast and are very messy with the required amount of food they need and clean water with nitrates below 20 is a must. By the way I didn't mention keeping the parrots because they are an abomination and shouldn't be in the hobby.
 
You will need to do the 50% water changes every 24-48 hours even with one small oscar in the tank while it cycles. When the oscar is grown and the tank is cycled you will need to do 2-3 50%-75% water changes a week to keep it healthy in a 55 gallon.
 
By the way an oscar is a great fish that is very personable and interactive with its owner. More so than almost any other fish out there. They really do earn the name "water dog" deservedly.
 
Ok. First off you are overstocked. Even small oscars put a huge strain on the bio load of a tank. 55 gallons is hardly enough room for one adult oscar. They say 55 is minimum for an oscar but I wouldn't do it. I keep mine in a 125 gallon with some silver dollars. I've kept many oscars and cichlids over the years and I can say that one oscar in an uncycled tank is a lot of work let alone 2 and 2 other fish. Then there is stress caused by aggression. Even though they are small there is going to be some pecking order getting worked out amongst themselves which will lead to stress. Then there is trying to get 2 oscars to get along. Unless it's a male and female, and the female accepts him as her mate, or 2 females that will tolerate each other, one will end up needing to be rehomed. Oscars are hard to get to live together. Even if they like each other the space will be too small. Water quality is not sustainable in that small tank. They like to be alone. I know right know you think "but they like each other and they swim together and stuff", trust me that will change as they mature and one will end up rehomed or dead unless you get lucky. The best thing and the only thing you should do is pick which oscar you really like and take the rest back. Sorry to be so blunt but your current setup will not work period... You will never have good water with all those fish in there with the tank uncycled. Even with a cycled tank it would only work as a temp setup. Oscars grow so fast and are very messy with the required amount of food they need and clean water with nitrates below 20 is a must. By the way I didn't mention keeping the parrots because they are an abomination and shouldn't be in the hobby.


Oh you just hurt my feelings!! (Not really but you know....). I chose this stocking carefully! So I thought. The Oscars in my reading said 55 gal for 2. Being that they were the exact same size (both like 2") and they would grow up together they would be ok. I have raised 2 together before, and yes they fought but they grew up well together and one of them never killed the other. That's been 20 years ago my ex husband took them.

Now I got the blood parrots because I wanted them, don't care what you think about the species you can have your opinion... I thought they were cute so I got em. We thought they were safe because they were so much bigger than the oscars and being that the oscars would grow up with them they would be ok. Hmmmm thanks for your info I will keep that in mind.... I will look further into what you have said.

I am far from an expert and welcome all advice sincerely and will look into it, thanks!
 
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