Royal with acidic water?

[frozeneclipse]

My 4" Royal had recovered from sunken eye and stomach one week ago. Now he/she has stopped eating and stay in one spot after I changed about 30% water. I tested everything and found that my water is some what acidic = 6.0 could this be the problem? Info : 55gal + 2 drift wood , feed on zucchini, cucumber, and carrot.


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[frozeneclipse]

Tankmate: 4 gouramis and 1 upside down catfish (whom I have removed after he starts chasing my royal which I think is also why it got sick/stress)


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[sincebeen]

That's nitrites on the left, ammo in the center and nitrates in the right, right?. Have your nitrites always been that color?

What fish did you add to the tank?

Or, did you clean your bio media?


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[frozeneclipse]

That's correct in the order u said. I never change my bio just clean with tank water and put new filter in. I use eheim 2217. I had my royal for about 3 weeks. The first week he/she was in really bad shape and after I removed my upside down cat, it starts getting better n eating. Now idk what's going on


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[frozeneclipse]

Just realized.... My nitrate is slightly darker than usual like yellow to almost orange in that 5.0 could this be it


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[sincebeen]

Thats weird that you removed a fish and still have a nitrite reading above zero.

What are your normal nitrite readings?<---

if they were not zero, you did good by removing that catfish because your filtration was not sufficient.

What bio media are you using? And when did you remove the catfish?

Do you have Prime? If so dose 75 gallons worth to neutralize the nitrites. Leave cucumber in there (replacing daily) until the royal eats.


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[sincebeen]

Just realized.... My nitrate is slightly darker than usual like yellow to almost orange in that 5.0 could this be it


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Absolutely. Plecos hate NO2 and NO3 more than most. Use Prime until your bio is fixed.

What do you use for a dechlorinator?


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[frozeneclipse]

I only use stresscoat and aquariumsalt. Should I change water for like 25% again ? As for bio, I used the one from eheim that round shape ball-like.


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[frozeneclipse]

My nitrite is usually in that mark.


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[sincebeen]

I only use stresscoat and aquariumsalt. Should I change water for like 25% again ? As for bio, I used the one from eheim that round shape ball-like.


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Stresscoat does not neutralize nitrites. Prime is cheaper (per dose) than stresscoat and does neutralize ammo/nitrite/nitrate. If your LFS does not keep it on the shelf they can get it. (In your case call around to other LFS until you find it). Prime is the ticket IMO

Because you don't have prime now, yes, if it was me, I would do a 25% change. Your nitrates may get higher over the next few days, but it's just part of the cycle change you've got going on.

Don't stress a lot though, your water levels are not that bad at all. If the issue with your pleco is water alone, he/she will be fine.

That is a nice looking royal by the way.


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