Ok here comes a noob question :(

[Hondacrx2]

I have been wondering this for a while and I am not new to fish but haven't felt like being laughed at for not knowing. What 1 thing causes fill curl? Nitrates, nitrites, or ammonia? I am sure a combination of all 3 would but is there one that contributes more? Long store short I have a 7" tig in a 75 tank is well airated and filtered. Nitrites are 0 along with ammonia. But my nitrates can get alottle high due to me working a lot. I know this isn't good for the fishes growth. But I also know its the least deadly of the 3. So basically will higher nitrates cause Gill curl?


Note: I am not talking off the scale nitrates and my water is still clear and doesn't look like sewer waste like some ppls who have oscars on Craigslist have.

 

[Hondacrx2]

Bump

 

[amazonfishman]

Gill Curl is caused by all of the above as you mentioned. Are you sure your other readings aren't high as well? How are you testing them? I find it hard to believe that your nitrites and ammonia are at 0 and your nitrates on the high side, generally if your nitrates are high other parameters will be also. What is your pH at? Water temp? By high do you mean 80ppm or 200+ppm? It could just be from continued exposure to high nitrates, gill curl doesn't happen overnight. It usually takes weeks of poor water quality to develope.

Your water can be clear color wise and still be terribly bad chemically fyi so that's not a good indicator.