Phew.....A big thanks!

[jetson]

On the weekend, I purchased a few more juvies and a couple of new plants.

I came home from work yesterday to find that about 5 of my old juvies were grouped together and had started to lay sideways at the top of the tank. They also had what looked like they were shedding a mucus layer (white??). They pretty much looked like they were knocking on deaths door.

I freaked out!

I read through some of the previous posts to help find a solution as I didn't want to lose my babies!

2 big water changes, lots of airstone action, no lights on and some salt, my fish seem perfect again!! I am glad I didn't run to the LFS and dose them up with meds!

I don't know what the exact problem was but I am assuming it had something to do with the new fish (water quality was fine) but as long as they are all healthy, thats all that really matters now.

I will keep up the daily water changes for a couple more weeks to make sure everything is ok.

Thank you all!!

[Hollowman]

Good save jet,

Now you need to find the reason :wink:

H

[BigDaddyAdo]

Maybe posting some details of your set up, water parameters, maintenance, etc would help.

[Merrilyn]

Hi Jet, glad they are on the mend.

I can't stress enough - always, always quarantine new fish before adding them to an established tank.

I have seen and heard so many times of magnificent tanks ruined by the addition of new fish without quarantine. It's just never safe. After 30 years of keeping fish, it's the one golden rule I won't break.

Good luck, I hope they continue to improve.

[jetson]

Yesterday things took a turn for the worse.

After developing more problems overnight and unexpectedly losing one juvie, they seem to all pretty much have the same symptoms that goes with the plague.

Dark in colour, shedding skin, rubbing up on plants/driftwood, grouping together etc etc.

I bought a hospital tank this morning and after some cleaning, filled with rain water, heated it up to 30 degrees and threw in a big airstone.

I have used some ph down to bring the ph down. I have thrown in some salt and some antibiotic (tetracycline) from the LFS. Couldn't get any metro today.

Can someone advise when I should next be doing a waterchange?

They went into the hospital tank around 2pm today.

[BobbyBruce]

Jetson,

You need to know the parameters of the water they were in.

The water you are transferring them to needs to be pretty much the same as the water they were in. (Ph, Kh, Gh and temperature). You also need to know your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

With rainwater the Ph should be neutral but when you throw in Ph Down it results in a significant decline in Ph because there are no other salts in it for buffering.

Know your parameters and adjust slowly. Make sure the ammonia and nitrite levels are zero. Make water changes to maintain these levels.

Regards,

Bob

[BigDaddyAdo]

Jetson,

You need to know the parameters of the water they were in.

The water you are transferring them to needs to be pretty much the same as the water they were in. (Ph, Kh, Gh and temperature). You also need to know your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

With rainwater the Ph should be neutral but when you throw in Ph Down it results in a significant decline in Ph because there are no other salts in it for buffering.

Know your parameters and adjust slowly. Make sure the ammonia and nitrite levels are zero. Make water changes to maintain these levels.

Regards,

Bob

Rainwater is generally way below neutral. IME is just over 6 if that.

[BobbyBruce]

Hi BDA,

Pure water/rainwater is neutral, 7. Of course rainwater will alter it's Ph depending on what is in the atmosphere or on your roof.

Regards,

Bob

[jetson]

Thanks for your help so far everyone!

The water I have being using has the same parameters as the community tank that they came out of.

The Ph is normally 6.0 in the community tank and the rain water also comes out at 6.0 I have used the Ph Down to bring it down to 5.8 in the hospital tank.

I have been doing 2 80 % water changes each day so far.

A couple of fish still seem very dodgy but most show signs of improvement.

How long should I keep them in the hospital tank?

I possibly won't be able to do a water change for another 28 hours now. Am I able to put in my internal filter from the community tank?

[Hollowman]

I would forget the ph down, it will have no effect, and you are wasting your time imo.
You keep the fish in the HT until they are well again

H

[Robdog]

Of course rainwater will alter it's Ph depending on what is in the atmosphere or on your roof.

I'm sure the quality of the rainwater in the Alice would be far different to what falls on Windsor Rd in Baulko. :lol: :lol:

[jetson]

I would forget the ph down, it will have no effect, and you are wasting your time imo.
You keep the fish in the HT until they are well again

H

Some of the fish appear 100 % better. Can I remove them?

[Hollowman]

I would observe for a few more days at least with the same regime as you are using right now. Best be 100% top health to return them :wink:

[jetson]

I would observe for a few more days at least with the same regime as you are using right now. Best be 100% top health to return them :wink:

Thanks Hollowman!

[Hollowman]

Can I add, that I hope you have seen the difference that clean water makes. Sometimes this is the best medicine for fish ailments. Always the first thing to do imo when things look different to 'normal'

:wink:

[jetson]

Yep!

I have a Brillant Blue and Green Mosaic that lost all their colour now they are more colourful than before.

If only I could make 2 water changes every day!

All the fish seem to be better now. I will still leave them in the HT for another few days at least.

[BigDaddyAdo]

Of course rainwater will alter it's Ph depending on what is in the atmosphere or on your roof.

I'm sure the quality of the rainwater in the Alice would be far different to what falls on Windsor Rd in Baulko. :lol: :lol:

There's nothing wrong with my rainwater mate. :lol:

[jetson]

Just a quick update.

I lost a total of 3 discus. We had a severe storm here on Thursday and had a big power surge which blew up my heater in the HT along with our AC unit and garage roller door! The temp had dropped down in the HT and there was no air which may have been the reason why I lost the other two.

The remaining 9 fish are now fully recovered and are back in the community tank. They are all looking in better condition than ever!! It is amazing what daily water changes will do!!

Thanks for all of your help!