I recently acquired a baby silver arowana, about 2-3" in length. This morning i woke up to find my arowana with what seems to be ill with stomach ailments? He has a a vertical streak of discoloration in his scales right where the pelvic fin is (basically making a ring around his body). On his stomach (only in the area of the discoloration) there are blotches of blood (internal). Could he have been attacked last night by another fish ( I have 2 baby oscars about 2", an electric blue jack demp 4", and 6" African Clown Knife, and an XL common pleco) or is my fish infected? My ph is 7.5, water temp is at 79. Tank has been up an running for a week now.. When I began I added 2 bottles of Fresh Start (Instantly cycles aquariums) and two days ago I added 1 dose of Microbe-Lift's Special Blend. So I don't think the issue is a new tank (due to all the bacteria I've added, and the liveliness of my other fish) The tank is a 90 gallon, with a wet/dry sump. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I want my fish to recover asap! If you need any further information just ask. Thanks again in advance guys!
Sick Arowana? Stomach Ailments?
- Thread starter aNDo3k
- Start date
I dont know whats wrong with your aro, But I doubt your tank is cycled. What are your ammonia, nitrate and nitrite readings?
My tank got the cloudy effect of bio bloom when I added the special blend. But my ammonia is 0ppm, Nitrite is .25 ppm, and nitrate is 0ppm.
You need to get your nitrite down. I'd do a couple water changes today. 20% now then again tonight maybe? Nitrite is toxic to fish. What size is your tank?
It should be 0. Any level of nitrite is bad for fish. It seems to me that if you have 0 ammonia 0 nitrate and .25 nitrite, your tank is not cycled. An established tanks biological filter will turn ammonia>nitrite>nitrate. I would suspect since there is no nitrate and presence of nitrite your bio filter is not established. I don't trust any of that instant cycle stuff. Next time do a fish-less cycle. It takes a while but your fish will thank you.
thanks a lot man. I'm getting worried, I drove 2 hours for him (none in my area at the time of purchase, the next day they're flourishing in every fish shop..) Is there anything I can do besides a water change? It seems like the oscars are starting to take a second look on him (hope this isn't a bad sign)
Another thing: I bought an african knife and alligator gar the day I set-up the tank and threw them in (without the cycle formula) and the next day they were both dead. I'm not ruling out that the tank isn't cycled, I just feel the fish would have floated first day like the other did. It's day 4 with the aro now
Mega Flow Model 3, 50 micron filter pad in the top tray, bag of carbon in the sump, and the filter pad before getting to the pump.