kenferrari
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2019
- Messages
- 2
My Roseline Shark or Denison Barb has been loosing it color for over a month. Otherwise he seems perfectly healthy, when fed he darts around and seems to be eating well. I noticed this about a month ago when I took this picture:
I used API Fin and body cure for the whole tank and did the full treatment, this seemed to help with his tail but not the color issue. So I thought it might be a water quality issue as the Nitrate had gotten up to 40PPM. I did several water changes and cleaned gravel and have lowered the Nitrate. All other readings are fine with a PH of 7 and a water temp of 76. But the fish continues to loose its color/scales, pic from today:
He does not seemed to be picked on by the other fish and no other fish are affected and I do not see any abnormal activity like rubbing against plants or wood. Chasing or being chased, etc.. To me he seems to be acting totally normal. I have noticed at night when I have the moonlight on I see the Roseline sharks being very active and seem to be playing, or chasing each other. I have not seen this for a while but will keep a lookout.
I am now leaning toward stress or being picked on at night by the other larger Roseline sharks as being the cause (he is the smallest of three). I might have stressed him out by cleaning gravel and changing water several times (10% water changes when I cleaned gravel). But I now purchased a vacuum and should be able to clean the gravel without having change the water. In a few days I am also going on vacation for a week so he should be stress free while I am gone.
Fishmates (yes it is a bit overcrowded)
3 Roseline sharks (total) - 3 inch
4 platys - 2.5 inch
2 clown plecos - 2.5 inch
2 marble catfish 2.5 inch
3 honey gouramis - 2.5 inch
Whole tank pic:
I have had the 29 gallon tank with live plants and a Penguin Bio-Wheel 200 for about 3 months and nothing really new has been added. Food is Tetra Tropical Color Flakes twice daily, an Algae wafer at night (for the catfish who hide all day) and bloodworms every so often.
I used API Fin and body cure for the whole tank and did the full treatment, this seemed to help with his tail but not the color issue. So I thought it might be a water quality issue as the Nitrate had gotten up to 40PPM. I did several water changes and cleaned gravel and have lowered the Nitrate. All other readings are fine with a PH of 7 and a water temp of 76. But the fish continues to loose its color/scales, pic from today:
He does not seemed to be picked on by the other fish and no other fish are affected and I do not see any abnormal activity like rubbing against plants or wood. Chasing or being chased, etc.. To me he seems to be acting totally normal. I have noticed at night when I have the moonlight on I see the Roseline sharks being very active and seem to be playing, or chasing each other. I have not seen this for a while but will keep a lookout.
I am now leaning toward stress or being picked on at night by the other larger Roseline sharks as being the cause (he is the smallest of three). I might have stressed him out by cleaning gravel and changing water several times (10% water changes when I cleaned gravel). But I now purchased a vacuum and should be able to clean the gravel without having change the water. In a few days I am also going on vacation for a week so he should be stress free while I am gone.
Fishmates (yes it is a bit overcrowded)
3 Roseline sharks (total) - 3 inch
4 platys - 2.5 inch
2 clown plecos - 2.5 inch
2 marble catfish 2.5 inch
3 honey gouramis - 2.5 inch
Whole tank pic:
I have had the 29 gallon tank with live plants and a Penguin Bio-Wheel 200 for about 3 months and nothing really new has been added. Food is Tetra Tropical Color Flakes twice daily, an Algae wafer at night (for the catfish who hide all day) and bloodworms every so often.
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