Fish out of control!!! Dying or just sick?

[LT1FirebirdSLP]

So here is my issue....

I have had my tank running for about a month (4 weeks) now. Not really sure where I am at in my nitrogen cycle. But I will start with last nights water specs....
28 gallon bowfront / biowheel / heater / unknown filter
Ammonia 2ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Chlorine 0ppm
pH 7.6
Temp 78°F

I have 10 Black Phantom Tetras, 1 common pleco, 1 snail. The problem is with only 1 of the 10 tetras. He like swims in a seizurelike manner. Upside down, sideways, just starts going crazy! Then he sits and settles toward the bottom and just chills there not moving much. Stays isolated from the school of tetras. Started yesterday morning when I fed them bloodworms (freezedried). I don't know if it collided with another fish or if he was choking or what but all i saw was all the fish go to the surface and then this one came back down and started going ballistic!

Ive been doing 50% to 75% water changes every week. Haven't vacuumed the gravel yet, because I dont know where to get such a device, the local pet store doesnt have a great selection and the petsmart in the town over only has this device but it costs like $90. Last water change was friday, and it was a 2/3s change. All fish in tank have been there since day one. All decorations are original and nothing new has been added to the tank.

I feed these guys flakes and FD bloodworms. More blood worms than flakes. One sitting in the AM and once in the PM. Lights are on from 6am to about 10 pm. All the other fish are acting normal.

Hope I gave enough information! Thanks in advance!

 

[kaiofcanada]

Oppsies...looks like your tank did not cycle. A cycled tank should have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.

So it seems that you are at the beggining of your cycle as your ammonia is high but your nitrites have not peaked yet. Your fish are being poisoned. Ammonia and nitrites are extremely toxic to fish. The best way to cycle your tank is a fishless cycle so that no fish have to suffer through this process. Even if only one of your fish has gotten your attention through erradic behaviour, with ammonia spikes, I assure you the others are suffering as well.

Please red this guide from HN1 as it will be very helpful to help you save your fish. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ady-have-fish-what-now-116287.html#post983258

First thing first, if you have any ammonia or nitrites in your tank you should be doing daily water changes of 50-75% to keep those toxins as low as possible for the fishes sake, not weekly. Secondly, stop feeding your fish twice a day. I would feed them every other day at best. They will not starve believe me. By reducing the feeding, you reduce the waste and thus the amount of ammonia and nitrites that will accumulate in your tank. Only feed your fish what they can eat in 2-3 minutes and no more for now as you want to control any excess food that will fall to the gravel. If you see extra food on the gravel use a net and get it out.

You have stocked your tank very heavily for it not having gone through the cycle. Plecos are very messy "poopy" fish and produce alot of waste. You will need to vacuum your tank with your weekly water changes eventually to keep this from building up. As for a vacuum, most fish store should have these near the nets and buckets. Depending on the size you buy, you could spend anywhere from $6-30 for a gravity siphon or alot more for pythons that attach directly to your faucet. Buy one appropriate for your budget and size of tank.

For now, I would start doing daily water changes to keep the ammonia under control. Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels daily to make sure you know where you are in the cycle and understand why your fish might start to behave strangely or being to be sick.

 

[HN1]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ady-have-fish-what-now-116287.html#post983258

 

[kaiofcanada]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ady-have-fish-what-now-116287.html#post983258

Hehe....I beat you to giving your own good advice. But I gave you the credit monsieur. It's very good advice.

 

[HN1]

Argh.... I didn't even see that. LOL

 

[LT1FirebirdSLP]

So I ended up testing the water again, got the following

0ppm chlorine
0ppm nitrite
0ppm nitrate
2ppm ammonia
pH 7.4
Temp. 79°F

75% water change, the crazy fish isn't acting so crazy anymore. His behavior has dwindled down to somewhat of a drunken swim but it's condition seems to be improving.

At this point can I say it is merely water condition and possibly stress or should I still be concerned that the fish is sick.

 

[kaiofcanada]

Ammonia is poisonous....any amount of ammonia is poisonous. Very small amounts of nitrite are poisonous. So, to answer your question, ...you should be concerned yes. Not that he has some disease or parasite, but that they are being poisoned, which is still a very serious sickness.

Was the ammonia at 2ppm after the water change?

Until your tank has completely cycled your fish are at serious risk. Read HN1s guide please. It will help you finish your cycle and keep your fish alive.

 

[LT1FirebirdSLP]

Ok well its been about 2 weeks. The fish is still as eratic as it was on the first day. I removed the fish from the main tank and put him in a fish bowl. I change the water about every 2-3 days and treat the bowl with stress zyme. He had some fin damage (think he was getting picked on) and since then he has been recovering his fins. But to this day and its been going on for about 2 weeks he still floats on his side, lays vertically with his head in the marbles at the bottom, or swims in just purely insane fashion (upside down sideways heck if he could swim inside out he prob would) But I just dont see this little black phantom tetra getting any better. Im not going to euthanize him because hes still eating and seems to be rather content but I just wish i could make the little guy better. any advice?

 

[spoonman]

Would like to see ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings for the main tank and the fish bowl. If the fish had ammonia poisoning he may not recover. Would be kind of like brain damage.