Help!

[Pyramid_Party]

Hi,

looks like my Blue acara is sick. It seems it has what my Firemouth had in this thread http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...d.php?t=210094


That firemouth passed away within 2 days of getting sick. I dont know whats going on. The Acara was fine this morning and I started hearing some splashing noises and looked and I can see his breathing is rapid and his mouth is moving up and down more than usual, and every few times he makes a gupling reaction, like hes gulping for air. Behavior is different too, hes not swimming around like normal, hes lethargic and his colors are darker than normal. This is just the way the Firemouth was.


I can also see that when my Yellow acara approaches him he gets freaked out and darts around. The Blue Acara is the dominant fish and now all of a sudden hes afraid of the yellow acara. Maybe the Yellow knows hes sick and taking advantage? I dont know what this problem is but its deadly.

My water parameters were checked just now and this is what I got:


Temp: 79
Ammonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 20
Hardness: Hard
PH: around 7.8


I also notices a similarity with the Firemouth and the Blue acara. Ive noticed that their fins get eaten away kinda. Not like fin rot but they get a little tattered. I can see the Blue Acaras tail fin has a few small splits at the tip. What can I do for the fish?

I got plenty of oxygen and aeration in the tank. Its a 55 gallon with (2) AC 110s on it. Please offer me some advise. Thanks

 

[pdbrady]

The only thing I see from what you've said is that when your fm went ill, your nitrates were 40. Now with this one, they're 20. If your paramaters are swinging too much they could be stressing. Check your test kit again, it may be faulty. If so, you could be having spikes that you're not seeing.

 

[Pyramid_Party]

I dont think thats it. The symptoms would be something else. My NitrAtes are usually anywehre from 20-40. I added a new/stronger filter to my tank after the FM died, so that may be why the NitrAtes are lower. I use an API liquid test kit. I really dont think its an issue with water parameters.

Im pretty sure its a disease issue but no one can identify it.

 

[Otherone]

Do 20% water change and Add Aquarium Salt 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water .
Salt should kill the bacteria- add in healing , water change will lower the nitrate.
Also decrease tempature,increase oxygen if your amonia went sky high at some point the lack of O2 combine with bacteria might be killing your fish. Although high temp's excelerate the life cycle of some bacteria it also decreases oxygen .......... higher the temp less the O2
Amonia attacks the fishes ability to circulate oxygen thru their blood stream.

 

[K626]

Do 20% water change and Add Aquarium Salt 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water .
Salt should kill the bacteria- add in healing , water change will lower the nitrate.
Also decrease tempature,increase oxygen if your amonia went sky high at some point the lack of O2 combine with bacteria might be killing your fish. Although high temp's excelerate the life cycle of some bacteria it also decreases oxygen .......... higher the temp less the O2
Amonia attacks the fishes ability to circulate oxygen thru their blood stream.

Isn't it usually customary when treating with salt, to raise the temp 2 or 3 degrees and add another air pump and stone?


I would also recommend melafix and pimafix, along with salt, raising 2 degrees or so, add another strong airpump and stone and pray, I can't help beyond that. those things should cover anything that could be wrong with it other than an internal parasite that you can't see, then you need to look for REAL meds.

 

[K626]

Oh yes, and please don't forget to add another air pump. As raising the temp and adding that stuff will deplete o2 in the water, so the extra air is NECESSARY.

 

[Otherone]

Yep it's customary to raise temps when treating for disease caused by bacteria.
With amonia poisoning it's customary to treat with O2 ; lowering the temp will raise O2 levels.................just read any bottle of pondcare Algaefix.........personally I haven't had a lot of success with chemical treats or herbal.... so ya cross your fingers and pray

 

[K626]

add another airstone. Lowering the temp lowers your fish's resistance to ich and other nasty stuff.

 

[K626]

Yep it's customary to raise temps when treating for disease caused by bacteria.
With amonia poisoning it's customary to treat with O2 ; lowering the temp will raise O2 levels.................just read any bottle of pondcare Algaefix.........personally I haven't had a lot of success with chemical treats or herbal.... so ya cross your fingers and pray

I didn't know algae fix was for diseases...........