Rosy red minnow swimming 45 degree angle, nose up

[Minnows345]

Very sadly, two of my three fish died Tuesday morning. I had been monitoring the tank for slightly elevated ammonia and too low ph. But I didn’t think things were that bad. I was shocked and devastated to see the male floating. I saw my two females swimming. Then one stopped dead. She’d gone next to a fake rock and the tank wall. Died that suddenly. I think she swam into the wall too forcefully because of whatever caused her diminished capacity

I moved her and the only surviving fish, Ella, to a one gallon tank, the only other place I could. I couldn’t believe the other female had died like that and kept hoping she was in shock. I left her in the water for 8 hours. She didn’t breathe for all that time. It was gut wrenching.

I did a 90 percent water change in my regular tank. Wiped everything down because I felt all the dosing I’d done with ammonia reducer, ph increase, beneficial bacteria, stress coat, and water declouder had caused a mess and the tank was visually cloudy with white powder looking material lining the top of the filter. But I got rid of everything. I was worried I cleaned it too well. So I put in starter bacteria each day. The first day the levels were all good. Then by day 2/3, the Nitrate went up. Then went down. Then the ammonia went way way up. I used Ammonia reducer, a massive amount. 10 times over. Nothing lower worked. Then It went down. Then the ph went way down. Yesterday I had to add 6 times the dose to see it go up at all. Then it went up to6.4. I know it shouldn’t go up more than.2. This morning it was below 6 again. I put in 2 1/2 times the dose. During all this, I see Ella is swimming at a 45 degree angle, nose up. I don’t think she’s going to make it. I don’t think changing the water and having the ph naturally change again would help. I don’t want to needlessly frighten her while she’s dying.

Does anyone have any helpful advice. I am already sick with guilt. I loved these fish. No need to tell me I didn’t do things the best way. If I could go back I would have just changed the water every day. My mother has stage 4 cancer and ive just run out of energy. Any kind helpful words would be appreciated.

 

[King Fisher]

Two big things that could help you........your tank isn't cycled so doing 50% water changes every other day is a good regimen. Secondly, if your pH is very low, as in the 5's, don't add a pH booster. Swings in pH can kill fish very quickly. Instead, add crushed coral to your substrate to raise the pH gradually and it'll stay stabile which is very important.

Hang in there. You'll get it dialed in.

 

[Minnows345]

My fish recovered. Then a few days ago began to seem like she was almost asleep, against one of the side walls of the tank. Then she’d see me looking at her and snap out of it and panic, darting everywhere. It’s 4 days later. Yesterday this began to happen. Now she cannot stop herself and it seems like she is just going to die. She is vertical, head up, in the top corner of the tank, moving herself to stay in place. I do keep changing the water. I don’t see anything written about this online. I hate to see her suffer. No way I can put her down without mentally getting myself sick. Is there a name for this? How long does she have till she passes?

 

[King Fisher]

Poor water conditions can have several affects on fish. With a fish in cycle, you have to test your water every couple of days if not daily until it's cycled. Water changes are very frequent..... sometimes daily if you threw in a bunch of fish at once.

Your fish sounds like it's suffering from prolonged exposure to bad water conditions. From it's condition the way you explained it.... I'd euthanize the fish so it doesn't suffer.

 

[Minnows345]

I can’t mentally handle doing that. Especially without certainty of what this is. The tank conditions are within normal parameters. But only by using the type of ammoniakit that tests for free ammonia not total ammonia. Ph, nitrite, nitrate, are all normal too. I did a big change this morning. She can hold herself vertical now but still with her head at a bit of an angle upwards. When I was changing the water, she was diving down to the lower level of the tank. But when I was out of there, she resumed at the top. But again more at a 45 degree angle. So she improved with extra air pump stones and 60% water change. The water has been ok. It seems the more I look it up, it’s saying 1) either she’s not getting enough oxygen and all the tests are wrong, or 2) a buoyancy problem. I’ve tried peas in the past cause she looked bloated for a while but it passed. I put the half teaspoon per gallon of salt, water temperature 72. I wish this wasn’t happening.

 

[King Fisher]

If you added surface agitation and the fish is recovering then it sounds like an oxygen problem. Crank up the airstones.