Gasping and heaving arrowhead

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I don't think the ph would cause this much disturbance. I am concerned with the nitrate reading being zero. I have never seen one read zero on a tank that has been fully cycled. A low level of nitrates should be there to ensure the Benefitial bacteria are doing what they do.
 
Thanks a lot for looking this up, Merbeast. A couple of the sources we'd checked indicated 7.8 to 8.0. Aaaaah, the world of fish keeping. So difficult to find consensus.

For my other fish, some actually preferring slightly acidic water, I find it really frustrating having a tap pH that high, but I prefer leaving it untampered than risk the fish going through many fluctuations.

Thanks again for looking it up, though.

Merbeast;1301103; said:
I thought for a minute I might be wrong, but the online fish info sites back me up on the pH being a little high:

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/292.htm
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Puffers/KingKongPuffer.php
http://www.**************.com/forum/library/puffers-in-focus/suvattibreeding/

Most site agree that the pH should be in the 6.7 - 7.7 range. Now, that might not be what the problem is, but then again it might be.
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The tank has not been cycled. We didn't have a cycled tank, we bought the set-up with the fish. But problems with cycling are due to nitrite/ammonia though, unless I am mistaken? We're measuring for these every day and there's nothign yet. We're using some gravel and decorations, and a spare filter from our established tanks to kick-start things. With this method, I have cycled a similar-sized tank in about 10 days. In his state, I am welcoming the current zero levels of n'ate/n'ite/a'nia, though.

As we're using meds, I think we could have pretty much kissed our cycle good bye anyways now. I would have put him in the hospital tank but I was stupid and broke a thermometer in there, so mercury flooded on the tank walls. I think I have to throw away that tank now (it was just an old 20L plastic tank I got for free off a friend). I'll get a new hospital tank today.

unknownuza13;1301112; said:
I don't think the ph would cause this much disturbance. I am concerned with the nitrate reading being zero. I have never seen one read zero on a tank that has been fully cycled. A low level of nitrates should be there to ensure the Benefitial bacteria are doing what they do.
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And now for the promised update: his breathing is still very labored this morning. The good news is we've seen signs of ich on his gills and fins, so we know how to target treat hoping there's only one infection. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks a bunch for all the help and suggestions. It really help to have the possibility to discuss diagnosis with fellow fish-nuts.

I am wondering, though: can I use some aquarium salt with him? That's what I use on my other fish when there's ich - that and increasing the temp to 28C - but I am wondering whether he's resistant to even minute amounts of salt.

I think I'll just do a large water change to get rid of the current meds, then I'll target treat with ich meds alone, and I'll increase the temp. Am really wary of using salt with him.
 
Armadillo;1302791; said:
As we're using meds, I think we could have pretty much kissed our cycle good bye anyways now.
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I've used eSHa2000 in the past and it didn't appear to harm the beneficial bacteria. Manufacturer says it's safe to use, also even with eggs and fry.

Armadillo;1302795; said:
The good news is we've seen signs of ich on his gills and fins, so we know how to target treat hoping there's only one infection.

I think I'll just do a large water change to get rid of the current meds, then I'll target treat with ich meds alone, and I'll increase the temp. Am really wary of using salt with him.
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Not sure of this species sensitivity to salt.
If you go down the medication route, I would imagine that the ich meds and dosages recommended for clown loaches would be safest to go for been as they are also a species sensitive to such things.

Good luck.

PS the sticky thread in this section on Ich is worth a read.
 
A pinch of salt is ok. I feel its the constant water changes in an uncycled tank causing the stress. Add a few ghost shrimps, he will like them.
 
Do you reckon? We do it quite smoothly (water back in a watering can and same temp). But indeed the changes might require adaptation each time.

He had some fungus last night, and the ich had not moved. Plus his fins were starting to clamp and his breathing, albeit slower, was still very laboured, as if he was exhausted from the over-gilling.

This morning his breathing's better, but he's still clamped. He's moved and he's still eating.

Am thinking let's wait and see what the ich meds do. They're supposed to be combineable with the specific broad-spectrum med we'd used before. Gawd I hope he makes it or my husband will be gutted.

Thanks for all the suggestions, you guys.

Fish Room Plus;1303612; said:
A pinch of salt is ok. I feel its the constant water changes in an uncycled tank causing the stress. Add a few ghost shrimps, he will like them.
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My instinct is with Nick on that one. As we're using ich meds anyways, I wouldn't want to rock the boat. Normally, I'd just treat with heat/salt, but he's a delicate, scaleless, FW fish in trouble already, so I'll just do heat/meds.
Merbeast;1303108; said:
Salt would be fine, couple it with heat (90 degrees f).
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