EMERGENCY!!! NEED HELP ASAP

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

KATALEKEEPER

Dovii
MFK Member
Nov 18, 2020
783
695
105
Brooklyn, Ny
Have you tested your water?
Yes
If yes, what is your ammonia?
0ppm
If yes, what is your nitrite?
Oppm
If yes, what is your nitrate?
20ppm
If I did not test my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
Do you do water changes?
Yes
What percentage of water do you change?
81-90%
How frequently do you change your water?
Every week
If I do not change my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
Hey guys I need help with my tank. Everything is going wrong at once.

It started yesterday. I caught my pleco chewing on the corpse of my prize peacock.

Then, Another fish Died, and he did the same thing.

I thought he had acquired the taste for fish (he is well fed, eats alage wafers, and veggies), and decided to euthanize him.

After that, I thought it was best to do a WC, so I did a 90 percent one. In the middle of it, my mom asked me to walk the dog, so I said yes. She was watching the tank drain, and let it drain to like 4 inches of water. (tank is a 40 g). I came back in 20 mins, filled the tank up, with dechlorinator, and checked the temp, and all was well. Then I noticed my fish were gasping at the top of the tank. I added a little more dechlorinator because I thought that was a sing of chlorine poisoning. Go to bed. Wake up to another dead fish. Something is wrong. Notice all the fish have terrible HITH, and some fungus patches, some are spasing out. PLS help!!!!!

What could have cause this? Was it to much dechlorinator? I heard its almost impossible to overdose.

I left some cabbage in there during the wkend, and forgot to take it out. It was a little mushy, but mostly eaten? Could it rotting somehow effected my fish???

Could the fish being in low water levels have stressed them out?

I cranked the temp up to 84, added salt, beneficial bacteria, and doesed with a fungus medication supposed to help with ich and others.

Pics to come

Also noticed n the dead fish the area behind the fins was red
 
kno4te kno4te duanes duanes
 
Charney Charney Gourami Swami Gourami Swami
 
Do you have pics? Sounds like nitrate poisoning but I don’t think 20 would kill them like that. I think red by fins is related to nitrate poisoning.
Are all acting up or just a few. Could be aggression?
 
So 5 dead fish so far. How many left? What is the stocking of this 40 gallon tank? How big are the fish? Your Pleco might have been too much for that tank on its own!
 
Hello; You are running what I call a tightrope tank. The stocking density is very high. Everything will have to go just right, like walking a tight rope, to avoid problems. Just one dead fish left to rot for a short while can tip the balance. I will also guess you feed every day and do not skip feeding a day or two each week.
The rotting cabbage may have been enough to start the decline.
Then I noticed my fish were gasping at the top of the tank. I added a little more dechlorinator because I thought that was a sing of chlorine poisoning. Go to bed. Wake up to another dead fish. Something is wrong. Notice all the fish have terrible HITH, and some fungus patches, some are spasing out. P
Hello; it is my understanding the de-chlor will start to attach oxygen and remove it from the water after it binds with the chlorine/chloramines. So yes the extra de-chlor may have added to the demise of more fish.

If you decide to continue with the hobby, perhaps try to stock less densely than before, or do a WC two or three times a week with just enough de-chlor.
 
More info is needed to understand the cause of the problem.
How long has the tank been set up?
How was it cycled before fish were added?
How many original fish? What size are they?
What are water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, pH? Before and after water changes?
What are tap water parameters?

Pleco's, are ultimate scavengers. They are omnivores, that never pass up protein, they are not vegans.
Whenever I drop fish meat in a tank, the pleco's are always first in line, and will fight to keep it.
BCDA6F2E-9657-4A2D-A48A-FAA516642B43_1_201_a.jpeg
 
I caught my pleco chewing on the corpse of my prize peacock. I thought he had acquired the taste for fish and decided to euthanize him.
So because he might have been doing what is natural you decided he needs to die?
 
Think you have to answer the Duane’s posted first and hope can figure out a solution. For now I’d reduce the temp to 78.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Matteus and dr exum
MonsterFishKeepers.com