HELP! Calling all Tigrinus owners!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
amazonfishman

amazonfishman

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 7, 2005
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On the Rio Araguaia, I wish...
Tig is acting weird, like there is something stuck in its throat. It keeps its mouth slightly open lately and has been "sharking" swimming at the top of the tank alot the past couple days. A couple random spasms across the tank as well. I have no clue what could be going on. I checked Nitrites/Nitrates/Ammonia are in check pH is way way low though so I think that might be the culprit. I added alkaline buffer to raise it up so hopefully that will help but its 6.0 at the moment at best, thats the lowest my test will read. Its been that low in the past also with nothing like this happening so I don't know whats going on for sure and am looking for suggestions. Thanks ~Trent
 
BUMP any other ideas? Its health doesn't seem to be improving and it still looks like its mouth is open alot more then usualy, breathing normal then rapidly at random as well.
 
I would suggest a w/c and monitor your ph .If you can try to see if in fact anything is stuck in it's throat ie a piece of gravel , ect . Hopefully it will pull through.
 
it's your ph you cant have your ph that low did you do a recent water change, because if you put to much amquil in the tank it will do that. But if you leave it like that it will slowly kill your fish.
 
I hadn't done a recent water change and I added alkaline buffer to adjust it upwards to 7.0 I am going to check it again today. My ph has been in that range before though for extended periods of time with no ill effects on my fish. I checked its throat and nothing is visible blocking it (my gravel is really fine so I doubt it could be that)
 
Dont know, rapid breathing is a sign of stress do you have an air bubbler in the tank?You could try to put some hydrogen peroxide in their to help raise the oxygen level of the tank ? Then again it might stress him out even more. Try to find out what is making the ph so low and try to fix that without chemicals .
 
Yeah the tank has plenty of aeration. I have two bubblers and my spray bars are above water level so they create tons of bubbles. I don't know what is making my pH so low. I guess I will test the tap water again and see if somehow the local water dropped significantly or something. My driftwood is the only factor lowering my pH these days and last I checked my tap was coming out at about 7-7.1
 
The drift wood is probibly the culprit If you can you may be able to off set that by putting some crushed coral or agronite in your filtration that should help tremendously.And you will save a ton on chemicals.
 
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