Red Gills, Tank Troubleshooting

[Arhalster]

Hello everyone! I've been reading this site for months, and I figured that it was about time that I finally join it. I have a problem with my tank, and I'm not quite sure what to do now. I'm relatively new to aquariums, but I've done a lot of reading and research that I'm pretty confident on what I am doing. I do need help though. My 20G tank has been up for several months, and is a community tank with 2 small angels, 3 cories, 3 neons, and 2 platys.

I bought a couple cories a month or so ago from my LFS. One of the cories died within the first week, It was very lethargic, and had extremely red gills. I know that's a sign of ammonia poisoning, and I checked it right away, but I still have no ammonia, and I haven't for months. After I removed that cory, I treated the tank with Melafix and Primafix to help eliminate any possible issues. Fast foreward to now, a couple weeks later, my angels and neons seem to have really red gills, and are breathing a lot. I bought 2 more cores a couple weeks ago, and they seem to be doing just fine. I'm not sure, but the neons look a little greyish to me. It almost seems like they may have a film on them.

Stats:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 10
pH - 8.0 (was 8.4 - I have very very very hard tap water, and I'm using RO to bring down the pH slowly over time to around 7.)
Temp - 78

I'm obsessive about changing 15% of my water every week, and I test quite often.

What on earth could the problem be? I've read up on velvet, flukes, etc, and there are so many things out there, I don't know what to do, and I don't want to lose my fish. I did treat them for a week with Melafix & Primafix, so I feel like I can rule out those posibilities.

Do I start to treat them with something like General Cure?

I appreciate the help

I have a feeling I just joined the best fish forum out there

 

[sobersteve323]

Sorry to hear about your trouble. I don't really have any suggestions but I'd like to follow along with your post since my fish had the same symptoms as yours about 2 years ago.

They also had a little dusting which made me think velvet but it took months of me treating to stop the deaths. But they all still have some red gills even to this day so I'm still curious as to what's going on.

Good luck!

 

[Arhalster]

Thank you

I am thinking that cory brought something to my tank, but I don't know what to treat for next.

I've learned the importance of a QT. Unfortunately, my platys keep having fry, so my QT is now my fry tank. I'm learning its easy for the number of aquariums to multiply really fast in your house

 

[Wiggles24]

Ok I know you didn't ask this but you know angels really don't belong in a 20 gallon tank right? Honestly I would be increasing my water changes, 15% really isn't very much. Platys have a high bio load angels aren't so bad but I can't help but think having two if them in a tank too small to begin with isn't part of the issue, do at least a 50% water change as soon as possible

 

[Arhalster]

I just did about a 40% water change on Monday, and I know the angels get big. I liked the small size that they were, and I'm going to give them to my mom when they get bigger

 

[Florio]

Uhm most plattys I have seen have red gills in the healthiest of tanks. I would probably say that the ph is the problem it's pretty high, I like to keep 6.5-7


I'm by means an expert but that's what I would say the problem is.

 

[Wiggles24]

Red gills aren't normal. Ph isn't your problem unless it keeps changing. Fish can adapt to whatever Ph you have as long as it's stable.

 

[Florio]

Well I have 5 plattys only one of them with red gils and I imagine its just cause his color allows for them to show through his skin :s