rtc help please

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markx2005

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 15, 2008
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newcatle upon tyne
hi my pal bigcol having problem with his largest rtc, its breathing heavily, not ate out for two month now, all his head has sunk in at top, in his mouth red specles all over, not as active as usuall. please give some ideas to me as bigcol not got his net. thanks
 
We're going to need a lot more information. What size tank/pond? What type of filtration? Water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)? How long has he had the cat? What size is it? This sounds like a very sick fish. What has his owner tried to do in the past two months as far as treatment?
 
8x2x2 glass tank, 4ftx1x1.5 sump, 5000ltr per hour pump, water parameters are fine, he had cat about 1.5yrs, cat just under 2ft long, he been keeping eye on water and tried feeding, he used to hand feed but will take nothing at all now

here link to his youtube
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bigcols2008
 
So he hasn't actually tried anything in the past two months? What are the numbers on water params, and how often does he test them? Does the fish have tankmates? When a cat stops eating, there's something wrong. Any evidence he ate something in the tank and maybe has a blockage now? The redness sounds bacterial. The head being sunken in is likely due to starvation, because I'm guessing he hasn't undergone actual physical trauma, or you would have mentioned it. Heavy breathing is due to low dissolved oxygen or ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels being too high. It could also be due to ich, but there would also be external signs. This is actually a small volume of water for this fish, especially if he has tankmates, and from looking at the youtube briefly, it looks like he does.
 
Still, no numbers, and the symptoms you list are almost always related to water quality. This is a very heavily stocked tank! I only have eight feet worth of fish in my 1000 gallon pond... If numbers are fine, then I'm not sure what the problem is. But, it is common for one fish to be affected first, before other fish, if his immune system is weakened (the bacterial infection you describe would suggest this).
 
ok guys i need some pro advice, my rtc isnt well at all, ive never had a problem like this before so please help. The amonia and nitrate levels in my tank are off the charts amm=8.0+ and nitrates are above 40ppm, he is starting to form gill curl but no other fish in the tank seems to be suffering like he is, he is the largest in the tank at 2ft, i have dne lots of water changes 1 of which was a half tank change, declorinating the water i replace. Like i said i have never had massive spikes like this before so im calling all experts on this 1, what i really need to know is how can i get my water params back to normal and also how can i stop the gill curl on my rtc? It looks like its in the very early stages so i still have time...........

Please please help!!!!!!:(
 
Wow, very high ammonia...water changes and a vacuum into your gravel would help cool off the ammonia a lot. I'd do a 50% water change in my opinion.
A heavy filtration with active carbon also seems to help in most of my cases.
 
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