Nitrate poisoning of flowerhorn

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
E

Emkat89

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 27, 2018
7
1
3
37
Hi! I’m in desperate need of help. My employer had a FH and didn’t clean his tank enough. Over time he started laying on the bottom of the tank and had a loss of appetite. I got his water tested and his nitrate levels were really high. So after about another week of finding this out my employer decided to give me the fish so I can try to nurse him back to health. I’ve gotten a completey new tank with water at perfect levels and put him in it. I did the “drip” method to get him acclimated to the difference in levels of the tank but I’m worried I did something wrong. He’s in a 10 gallon tank which I know is too small but I was planning on getting him a new one once he starts to get better. But when I first put him in he swam around a little bit (more than he had in awhile) and now he’s at the bottom of the tank on his side kind of curled up. Did I do something wrong? Is the tank too small? Or was he just too far gone?

image.jpg
 
Did you measure the total dissolved solid level of the old tank and new tank with a TDS meter? Tanks that have not had enough water changes, slowly rise in TDS levels. If not, then the flowerhorn could be experiencing osmotic shock, and losing minerals faster than his body can keep.

If he is still alive this morning, you can raise the TDS levels by dissolving salt in aquarium water and adding it to the tank. I would start at 2 teaspoons of dissolved salt per gallon.

If your 10 gallon is not cycled, you will need to do a 100% water change by today, since that is a large fish, and they produce a lot of ammonia. How long did it take for him to curl up in the bottom of the tank? A few hours since you put him in?
 
Salinity shouldn't be changed quickly. That means salt should be added gradually and not dumped in all at once. Likewise, water changes that change salinity should be done gradually or the replacement water adjusted to the same salinity ahead of time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Emkat89
Okay so I have an update. I tested his tank for ammonia and it’s high. Probably because I’m an idiot and got a super small tank. I’ve changed out about 30% of his water just by scooping some out and then filling up another gallon with tap water treated with prime conditioner and putting it back in. Should I still put some salt in there or should I just completely take him out of the tank and replace all the water right now?? Or... should I slowly continue replacing the water throughout the day? Sorry. I’m so lost.
 
Scientists have long suspected there is a sodium-ammonia exchanger in the gill cells. If true, the addition of sodium chloride would help fish cope with ammonia exposure.

You don't have to remove him to change the water. You can just drain it really low--down to the point where it just covers his gills--if you're quick refilling it. Of course, quick water changes require salinity and temperature to match.

So, it's up to you whether the potential benefits of salt outweigh the extra effort of making sure he isn't subject to rapid changes in salinity.

Prime should detoxify ammonia and should be used in conjunction with large daily water changes. I would not rely on Prime alone if there are more than low levels of ammonia.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Emkat89
Emkat89 said:
Okay so I have an update. I tested his tank for ammonia and it’s high. Probably because I’m an idiot and got a super small tank. I’ve changed out about 30% of his water just by scooping some out and then filling up another gallon with tap water treated with prime conditioner and putting it back in. Should I still put some salt in there or should I just completely take him out of the tank and replace all the water right now?? Or... should I slowly continue replacing the water throughout the day? Sorry. I’m so lost.
Click to expand...
squint said:
Scientists have long suspected there is a sodium-ammonia exchanger in the gill cells. If true, the addition of sodium chloride would help fish cope with ammonia exposure.

You don't have to remove him to change the water. You can just drain it really low--down to the point where it just covers his gills--if you're quick refilling it. Of course, quick water changes require salinity and temperature to match.

So, it's up to you whether the potential benefits of salt outweigh the extra effort of making sure he isn't subject to rapid changes in salinity.

Prime should detoxify ammonia and should be used in conjunction with large daily water changes. I would not rely on Prime alone if there are more than low levels of ammonia.
Click to expand...
Okay. I will go ahead and change all of his water out and then add salt?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom