EMERGENCY

[frshwaterfinatc]

Please help me, Im taking care of a friend's sw tank. It had two groupers and one puffer yesterday, and they are sick with parasite/bacteria. I was supposed to medicate them and feed them. I did so, and today, my to my shock and chagrin, one grouper and the puffer are dead. The ammonia tests at .25 ppm and the nitrites at .25 pmm... the water temp is about 79 degrees. Other specs Im unsure of due to lack of testing equipment.

Is there something I can do to save the other fish?

Meds I was charged to give were Melafix and Quick Fix.

Need any info asap I have to get right back to their home and work on saving the other grouper.

 

[Hara]

did they leave any water for water changes? you need to get the ammonia and nitrite down. What other information can you give on the tank? inhabitants ? what might have caused the spikes? I would also forget the melafix and quickfix and just get the other stuff dealt with. SOunds like there is die off from something else that caused a rapid spike.

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

they didnt leave any SRO for me... the tank is a 75 gallon with just one inhabitant now. The one grouper. He's about 3 years old... he's wild-caught and about 8 inches long.

I fed the fish krill yesterday, just about two krill per fish. I tried to spot feed. All three fish ate, but today I note krill lying about as if they "threw up". However, the ammonia was at .50ppm yesterday and I added AmmoLock. I don't understand why the level dropped , but the presence of partially digested krill bothers me and certainly didnt help. I'm going to scoop it all out as best I can.

I don't know what might have caused the spikes... I hadn't been to their house in a few months. This trip they took was spontaneous and all he left me with was medication instructions and food instructions. =[

The grouper that is alive now, the only inhabitant, is hiding behind a chunk of live rock gasping. He's mottled dark brown, and he's mostly tan colored. VERY ill.

Please give me any help you can, I'm so sorry I have such little info to go by.

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

Also, if this may help, the rocks are covered with "hairy" brown red algae. A very unkempt aquarium. =[

 

[Hara]

Do you have a LFS where you can get premixed salt water?
I would recommend doing a 50% water change. Do not feed now. Do not worry about the algae. What about dead snails or crabs? If there are any of those, remove them. Are there any corals? I would doubt so with the puffers and groupers, but thought I will ask.

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

Sadly, there are no LFS open right now. =[ I've had the sinking feeling this whole time that a water change is the answer... but I dont know what to do. My forte is freshwater... not sw. If there is a bag of salt, how might I mix it? I think I recall seeing a freezer bag about 2/3 full of what looked to be sw mix.
There are no other fish or invertebrates in the tank, luckily.
Also no corals, as you said.

Another thing- there is one submerged powerhead suction cupped to the lower portion of the tank, blowing water through. And a wand at the top pushing water through, disturbing the surface. But I'm thinking there just isnt enough oxygen in the water... what can I do about this? Or is this a relevant concern?

thank you so very much for helping me with this, I just feel so helpless and terrible. I never ever wanted an animal to die under my watch like this... never.

 

[Hara]

unfortunately you cannot guess iwth saltwater mixes. Find his hydrometer. Do you know if he has ro water somewhere stashed? Roughly it is about 2 cups per 5 gallons, but that is a close guess only. Each salt mix varies. As far as oxygenation goes, a water change will also help with this. When is this guy do home? He should have left you some instructions "in case of emergency", especially if he had sick fish.