StevesPrettyCool
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hi everyone. I have, well had, 7 synodontis petricola catfish in the 55 gallon tank with 2 angel fish and 11 tiger barbs.
All the catfish are small still, no more than 1 1/2 inches. I have had them for a couple months so far and they been doing great. The day before yesterday right before bed I noticed that one was up at the top dying, getting swept around by the filter. If I caught it sooner maybe I could have saved him, but it was too late. All the other fish seemed fine, the angels and barbs were great as usual, I did a water test just in case and came up with: pH: 7.8, NH: 0, NO2: 0, NO3 20. So everything was fine there as normal so I passed out.
When I woke up the next morning, the remaining 6 catfish were all clinging to life up on the top of the water! I do not have a hospital or anything so I thought they were goners. They all were extremely sluggish, breathing heavy flipping belly up or sideways, barely there. They were dying in my hand and the angel fish were starting to circle so I decided to put them in my newly purchased 30 gallon, but that just begun its fishless cycling process and has high ammo and trites. I know that this is usually a terrible idea but you must understand they were pretty much gone and the angels woulda seen opportunity if they stayed much longer.
So I tossed them in the 30 one at a time, and as each one was placed in the water, it was like a shock to them (kinda expected i guess with the terrible params haha) and they all came right back to life! swimming around the bottom and eatting at a food pellet i tossed in. I kept them in for about 3 hours and they seemed great acting like normal.
Since all the other fish in the big tank were fine, I slowly returned them to their home after thoroughly cleaning the debris and aerating the sand. They took to their home like nothing ever happened, but they were really so very close to death like their poor friend. Its now been a day and they are looking perfect, just like their old selves.
I'm completely stumped about what may have happened to cause them to almost all die like that, anyone have any ideas?? They were looking bad for about an hour after I noticed, who knows how long before i woke up. I'm shocked they came back so quickly in such terrible water. Last time I tested the trites it test tube was glowing purple hahaha!! I'm just happy they are looking good for now, I hope it doesnt happen again....
All the catfish are small still, no more than 1 1/2 inches. I have had them for a couple months so far and they been doing great. The day before yesterday right before bed I noticed that one was up at the top dying, getting swept around by the filter. If I caught it sooner maybe I could have saved him, but it was too late. All the other fish seemed fine, the angels and barbs were great as usual, I did a water test just in case and came up with: pH: 7.8, NH: 0, NO2: 0, NO3 20. So everything was fine there as normal so I passed out.
When I woke up the next morning, the remaining 6 catfish were all clinging to life up on the top of the water! I do not have a hospital or anything so I thought they were goners. They all were extremely sluggish, breathing heavy flipping belly up or sideways, barely there. They were dying in my hand and the angel fish were starting to circle so I decided to put them in my newly purchased 30 gallon, but that just begun its fishless cycling process and has high ammo and trites. I know that this is usually a terrible idea but you must understand they were pretty much gone and the angels woulda seen opportunity if they stayed much longer.
So I tossed them in the 30 one at a time, and as each one was placed in the water, it was like a shock to them (kinda expected i guess with the terrible params haha) and they all came right back to life! swimming around the bottom and eatting at a food pellet i tossed in. I kept them in for about 3 hours and they seemed great acting like normal.
Since all the other fish in the big tank were fine, I slowly returned them to their home after thoroughly cleaning the debris and aerating the sand. They took to their home like nothing ever happened, but they were really so very close to death like their poor friend. Its now been a day and they are looking perfect, just like their old selves.
I'm completely stumped about what may have happened to cause them to almost all die like that, anyone have any ideas?? They were looking bad for about an hour after I noticed, who knows how long before i woke up. I'm shocked they came back so quickly in such terrible water. Last time I tested the trites it test tube was glowing purple hahaha!! I'm just happy they are looking good for now, I hope it doesnt happen again....
