Sick tank

[Angelfish56]

Fish in my tank were looking bad and some died so I tested every thing was fine except the nitrates were very high I did a big water change and they went back down a few days later more fish died and the nitrates were high again did another water change which was yesterday and they wouldn't eat today the waters cloudy and all the fish look bad

 

[HeatherW]

what are your parameters exactly on this tank? ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, PH, temp. how big is your tank, how long has it been running, who all is in there?

 

[LyndaB]

Yeah, we absolutely need more info before we can help.

Readings?

Stock?

Tank size?

Cycled? If so, how long?

Tank maintenance schedule (water changes/gravel vacs)?

 

[Angelfish56]

Ok fish 1 pleco small 3 angelfish 2 rams 2 loaches 5 neon tetras 2 hatchetfish and 2 Cory cats it's a 38 gallon has been cycled since may of last year this is the first time I have had problems with this tank parameters ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates around 200 ph 6.2 temp stays around 79 and I do water changes 1 to 2 times a month

 

[CherryBarb123]

If I were you, I would increase water changes normally to once a week. It keeps on top of things better

 

[LyndaB]

Before I have a heart attack about your nitrate level, what test kit are you using?

What species of pleco? Small means nothing, all fish start off small.

What species of loach?

What species of cory?

How often are you doing gravel vacs? You've got a lot of fish in this tank and I'm sure the waste builds up quickly.

You should be doing 50% weekly water changes.

 

[HeatherW]

Yes nitrates do seem very high. How long have your fish been in there? Anything new added recently? Anything changed? Is this your normal ph?
Keep doing some water changes to get your nitrates down. What are they normally? We normally recommend weekly water changes

 

[Angelfish56]

I was using test strips and double check with the liquid I do gravel vac and I with water changes since I wasn't doing them often I was doing 50% water changes now I doing them like every few days so the nitrates don't explode and this came out of the blue bristle nose pleco and it about 2 in Cory were sold as emerald greens Cory catfish and kuli loaches

 

[Angelfish56]

Oh and it's half sand half gravel

 

[LyndaB]

Toss the strips, they're worthless. Are you using the API master kit, too?

If so, how old is this kit? Maybe it's expired and you're getting false readings. Have you gotten good readings with it before? If not, your nitrate bottle may have crystalized.

Obviously, since you do have fish dying, there is an issue. But we need to do some detective work to see just what the issue is.

Have you made ANY changes in this tank recently, since this problem started?

 

[Angelfish56]

It is the master kit had it since august its been accurate only thing changed was I replaced some ugly plants and got some money wart got rid of it and got this

 

[Angelfish56]

When I just took the pic I noticed my biggest angel has pimple like things on the top of his head and around them it is cloudy white

 

[Fishy Aston]

I would quartine all of the fish which are remaning.

And start your cycle again.

Clean it all and decorate how you want.

 

[LyndaB]

I respectfully disagree. There's no reason to recycle. Plus, we haven't figured out what's going on yet.

Many water changes are in your future, though, that's for sure.

Is that a live plant in the photo? I can't tell what that is.

Have you had any difficulty before with your nitrate testing?

Don't know what the fish might have as far as disease. Can you get a clear close-up photo of the fish?

Is there any possibility that some sort of toxin got dumped into the tank?

 

[Angelfish56]

Could this be doing it I haven't cleaned it in a while

 

[Ryleyman]

Could this be doing it I haven't cleaned it in a while

I think that's your problem

 

[LyndaB]

Could this be doing it I haven't cleaned it in a while

oh...........my...............god..............

Do you EVER clean your filter components? That's disgusting.......

 

[Angelfish56]

I don't even know how it got like that it has a filter cartridge in front of it

 

[LyndaB]

Every water change (weekly), I rinse off all the filter media in used tank water. About every 2-3 weeks, I remove the filter housing and rinse that off in the tub under the faucet. Gunk builds up fast with tanks. You have to stay on top of it.