My Pacus are in horrible health...I need help please!!

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Poets_Love

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 12, 2011
19
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Virginia
I hate to join this forum and go directly to a question, but I'm beyond desperate for help. I promise a true introduction in the very near future, right now I have to focus on my sick babies.

I have 3 red-bellied Pacus which are approximately 3 inches long. They had been in perfect health up until earlier this week. I realize that Pacus grow to an enormous size, and I am preparing myself for this.

We purchased them from PetSmart around Thanksgiving, well 2 of them, and the other was purchased a month or so before. Since then, they have been moved twice to new tanks. They started in a 75 gallon tank and did fine, but we started to have a problem with cloudy water caused by overfeeding and overcrowding. They were then moved to another 75 gallon with an oscar, pleco, jack dempsey, and dragon fish. They were in that tank for a couple months, then moved to a 125 gallon tank with just the 3 pacus and a pleco. The 125 gallon tank was acquired from Craigslist and I believe was a saltwater tanks before. It was cleaned and filled, ran for a few days before the fish were added. Earlier this week, I noticed they were not eating any of the feeder fish (I know now not to feed them anymore). Then I noticed all their eyes were filmed over and extremely red. One has lost all its color except for a dull gray, no red on its belly, no black on the fin tips. His eyes are the worst too. The other two have their eyes all filmed over too. Ive noticed they can't see a thing. They will swim into the pleco and it scares them to death.

We have been treating the tank with Melafix daily for the past 3 days. 2 nights ago we ran out and had to make a trip to PetSmart. The sales associate said to remove all carbon while medicating. That was done, and we have been feeding them krill by hand. Only one will eat though, the one in the worst shape. I'm so scared that I'm going to lose them!

My love is in there now doing a water change as fast as he can. I tested the ammonia and it was off the charts.

Please, somebody help me save my fish.....please.
 
Should I put the carbon back in? Will it affect the medication? Should I move them back to one of the 75 gallons and risk infecting the other fish? We are running a canister pump and 2 filters on the top of the tank, each with bio-wheels for up to 75 gallons each.
 
I agree with Colin. Ditch the Melafix and stick to water changes. It's pretty much the only solution you have. Adding any antibiotics or even herbal meds will not help them. A teaspoon per gallon of salt will help but clean water is more important.

What are the water parameters in tanks where the pacus are? Please check the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH of your tank water and then tap water. Post the results here. If you don't have a test kit, now is the right time to invest in API liquid test kit.
 
Poets_Love;4882885; said:
Should I put the carbon back in? Will it affect the medication? Should I move them back to one of the 75 gallons and risk infecting the other fish? We are running a canister pump and 2 filters on the top of the tank, each with bio-wheels for up to 75 gallons each.
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Carbon removes the meds especially Melafix but I don't advise you to use Melafix in this situation. Time to add the carbon, wait for 2-3 days to allow carbon to remove Melafix completely while doing water changes. Water changes also remove Melafix so the process of removing Melafix is quicker anyway. Salt cannot be removed by activated carbon luckily so you can still add salt while the carbon is around. Make sure your water is well aerated as both salt and Melafix can reduce oxygen levels. Pacus are very sensitive to low oxygen supply.
 
I've tested the water and this is what I've came up with, and I know the ammonia is deadly at this point, thats why I'm spending my Saturday night at home....

Ammonia 4.0-I'm sure its higher though
Nitrates- 5.0
High Range (Not sure what this is) 8.4
pH- 7.6
Nitrites- .25

The meds are gone, the carbon is back in, and the water is being changed now. I do have some Instant Ocean Sea Salt that I acquired when I bought the 2nd 75 gallon tank. Is this what I need to use? Does this stuff go bad after awhile? How much do I use?
 
Not sure what a tank cycled means really. All I know is he cleaned the tank and filled it with tap water, added water stabilizer and let it run with the canister filter for 2 days before we added the Pacus.

I appreciate all this. I don't know what I would do if something happens to my babies....I swear these fish are so addictive. I think kicking a herion addiction would be easier...
 
Yikes! Your ammonia is dangerously high. No wonder the pacus are suffering badly. Time to sink it back to zero with water changes. Do you have Prime with you? Use it to detoxify ammonia.

No, get rock salt, pickling salt or aquarium salt. Just sodium chloride only. Do not use the one containing yellow prussiate of soda (YPS), a toxic additive to fish. Iodine and calcium silicate should not be an issue however so you're fine with those if they're in the salt you buy. Just no YPS. It'll help neutralize the nitrite's toxic effect as well.
 
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