My Arowana recently just started swimming at the bottom and stopping and I saw possible causes is water quality dropped or live food. I do feed my fish only live food, usually minnows that I raise in my pond, but I also added a little bit of treatment for a fish. I also did a 10 gallon water change(tank is 100 gallons). Should I still be concerned or add treatment of some sort?
Arowana help
- Thread starter Calipredfish
- Start date
What are your water parameters and how often do you do water changes. Has anything changed in the tank or around it that could have spooked the fish?
I’ll check the parameters because currently I have not but the tank is only two weeks. And I change water every one-2 weeks. The only thing different I could see is the treatment but otherwise not sure
Have you left the tank to cycle or just put a sensitive fish in
Sounds like your tank isn't fully cycled, so there is probably ammonia and/or nitrate in your water. You need to get a water test kit asap to confirm this, while doing frequent 30-50% water changes every day or two until your cycle (beneficial bacteria) can catch up.
Ok I guess that could be possible but he was fine and eating two days ago. So that’s where my concern is. It does seem like when the water was getting changed he was swimming more
It’s more strange to me because I have other fish that are doing perfectly ok so I have to assume that something for him specifically. Ph should be around 7 cause I use ro. Temp should be 70-78 but Ill check with a thermometer tomorrow
That is a large swing 70 to 78. Other fish are in the tank with the arowana? It's a new tank? And no test kit? Tank was uncycled? How many water changes have you done in the (2?) weeks it was set up? Seems unclear yet clear at the same time. Sounds like you could have some cycling with fish in the tank issues going on. But like I said unclear. Please test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Post results.
Edit* treatment why for what?
What are you feeding the minnows? Are they gut loaded when you feed them to the arowana? May not be the most nutritious meal. Try getting it on a quality pellet at least a few feeding per week.
Edit* treatment why for what?
What are you feeding the minnows? Are they gut loaded when you feed them to the arowana? May not be the most nutritious meal. Try getting it on a quality pellet at least a few feeding per week.
70 is way, way to low for an Arowana, should be closer to 80 (and not swinging like that). Also different fish react differently to bad water parameters -- again it's clear your (only 2-week old) tank is not fully cycled, and there are fluctuations that are affecting your Arowana (and at any time could affect your other fish too -- too much ammonia = death). Also 10 gallon (10%) water changes are too small, you should be aiming for at least 30-50% minimum.
Arowanas are like canaries in a coal mine, they can be much more sensitive than many other aquarium fish, if things are deteriorating they will be the first to fall ill, or show signs of distress.
In total, how long has the tank been set up, from the time the 1st fish was added?
When you say you did a 10 gallon water change, is that your normal volume of water changed per week?
What are the other species in the tank?
How many are there?
How big are they?
In total, how long has the tank been set up, from the time the 1st fish was added?
When you say you did a 10 gallon water change, is that your normal volume of water changed per week?
What are the other species in the tank?
How many are there?
How big are they?