Hello there!!
Firstly, I must say that I have been reading some of the wonderful adivise on this forum and site... most helpful!!
I need to ask for a little bit of help right now, and I do apologise if I am asking something that has already been answered. I am searching through the answers to questions and articles on this site, and approx. 6 others, and am coming up a little lost in finding what I need.
My partner has built me a new tank, dimensions 150 X 60 X 75 cm. (630 litre capacity) which I am currently in the process of setting up and cycling. I also have a 2ft tank with a 55 litre capacity, which has previously been used for breeding guppies and bettas. Filtration is an AquaOne 101F Power Liquid Filter 400l/hr with the attachment to have the spray sit slightly above the water for agitation and oxygen, as well as one airstone for added oxygen. The tank parameters are as follows:
PH: 6.6
GH: 10 dH (approx. 175 ppm)
AM: 0 0.25 ppm. (have treated for white spot with methylene blue, tinges the test result ever so slightly and makes it hard to determine... I believe this would be closer to 0 due to water changes as explained in a moment)
Unfortunately, I have run out of reagants for both my Nitrite and Nitrate test kits, and am heading down to get the water tested at my LFS as well as purchase new ones, just wanted to shoot this off quickly!! I do however maintain my water changes religiously, monitor food waste and adjust feeding accordingly to minimise any waste and contamination in the water, I also observe my fish closely and so far have been travelling wonderfully, last recorded levels were nitrites 0 ppm and nitrates 0.25 ppm.
Occupants consisted of 3 x adult guppies, tank had been running for approx 12 months.
Nothing had changed in the aquarium other than the addition of an airstone and new plant. The plant I am uncertain about and has since been removed it was artificial, and made out of more like a silk/fabric. I purchased it from my LFS and claimed to be approved on all packaging etc. However, id rather be safe and have taken this out just incase it was possibly breaking down or throwing off some kind of toxin.
The Oscars were added to this tank for the time being until their home has been sufficiently cycled which should only be another 4 weeks at the most. I figured if they eat the guppies then so be it, they are intended as breeders for feeder fish anyway.
I have recently (one week) purchased two juvenile Oscars. One tiger and one red. Both were approx. One inch at the time of purchase, were strong, healthy and paired up at the shop. I bought one to begin with, but she (as ive dubbed her, when shes larger im almost certain it will actually be male judging by behaviour, but right now im calling her a girl) was rather sulky and unhappy, so the following morning I went back and purchased her buddy, who was behaving the same way in the shop. However, when I got him home, approx. 5 hours after realease his breathing became a little laboured and he was quite lethargic, hanging around under the heater. The Tiger O had claimed herself a cave and would head over to him and it appeared to snuggle. Laying close, nudging him up and forward, quite friendly appearing, no tail shaking, fins not extended, no nips. He seemed to perk up after another hour or so and they were happily swimming around and cosying up under a rock. I put his earlier behaviour down to stress and settling in, gave them some blood worms and both were eating.
The next morning, I found one guppy dead and a little battered, figuring the Os had just ganged up on them and killed one. Nothing out of the ordinary for them. The Red O was again under the heater/filter and breathing heavily and more rapidly than the night before. I checked the water parameters and came up with the same result. The remaining 2 guppies and the other Oscar were behaving normally. A few hours later, he was displaying signs of weakness, still laboured breathing, and leaning to one side or the other, but was able to still swim around. The tiger O began to ignore him at this stage. I checked the water again, all fine. I decided to do a 25% change even though it wasnt due incase I was experiencing a nitrite/nitrate spike no ammonia though. It seemed to have no effect on him. I also noticed a little bit of white spot appearing on his fins and on one of the guppies, and treated with 10ml methylene blue in 55 litres of water (dosage is 0.25 ml which works out as 12.5 ml i always slightly underdose with this just to be safer). Raised the temperature to 29C and the next morning the visible signs were gone from both fish. Treated again with a slighter lesser dose (approx 8 ml) 3 days later. However, prior to redosing, I found that the pH had swung dramatically toward alkaline, approx 8.3 I have never experienced a swing as dramatic as this or in this direction. I corrected and it has remained stable again at around 6.8.
The Oscar continued downhill with his breathing becoming extremely laboured and fast. He stopped eating and became rather agitated. Constantly cranky and displaying aggressive signs, tail shaking and charging anything/anyone (human or fish) who would happen near his corner. At this point my Tiger O became aggressive and would attack and pick on him. He ended up with some wounds an I separated the two within the tank to give him a chance of recovery. I completed another 50% water change at this point. Approx 3 days after this began and he stopped eating, he weakened to the point he became caught up in the current and had trouble staying upright. He would spin around and when he eventually died late last night, his mouth was gaping wide open. I also found the guppy displaying white spot symptoms to do the same thing, and died a little while before the Oscar. Mouth open. I had read some things about whirling disease before, but thought that it primarily affected cold water fishes especially salmonoids... I have been unsuccessful finding information pertaining to it in Oscars and how to treat. Is this even a possibility???????
This morning, I have found my tiger O beginning to breathe slightly heavier than normal. I have immediately upon finding this completed ANOTHER 30% water change, and she appears to have eased a little. She is still highly active and eating however not quite as piggy as normal. I have only had her for a week, but she is already taking food from my hand and coming to greet me when I approach the tank. This morning she was giving me a look as if to say im not well.. help me! Make it better I felt so horrible. The remaining guppy is breathing quite fast but like the O is very active and eating also. I know it sounds like something terrible is going on in my water but I just cant work it out!!!!! Everything appears fine. I am double checking with my LFS once I have posted this, and will update shortly what results they turn up. Perhaps my tests are faulty? ?
Finally, she appeared ever so slightly bloated upon turning the lights on this morning, and then about an hour later after i had completed the water change when I checked her, she had done a HUGE poop and looks ever so slightly emaciated now. This is making me think of internal parasites now, and i have had a look but so many different things seem possible, I think I really need a little bit of more experienced and expert advice to help me sift through the masses of information. Please help me work out what is going on and how to treat this. I am planning to continue daily (up to twice daily if necessary) water changes until I can figure out how to treat this. My thoughts are that if there is a toxin in there, perhaps from the plant ive removed (??) this will lower the concentration, and the same for if im experience Na3 & 4 spikes... I really dont want to lose my girl, ive grown so attached already.
Thank you so much in advance for your time in replying!
Cas
Firstly, I must say that I have been reading some of the wonderful adivise on this forum and site... most helpful!!
I need to ask for a little bit of help right now, and I do apologise if I am asking something that has already been answered. I am searching through the answers to questions and articles on this site, and approx. 6 others, and am coming up a little lost in finding what I need.
My partner has built me a new tank, dimensions 150 X 60 X 75 cm. (630 litre capacity) which I am currently in the process of setting up and cycling. I also have a 2ft tank with a 55 litre capacity, which has previously been used for breeding guppies and bettas. Filtration is an AquaOne 101F Power Liquid Filter 400l/hr with the attachment to have the spray sit slightly above the water for agitation and oxygen, as well as one airstone for added oxygen. The tank parameters are as follows:
PH: 6.6
GH: 10 dH (approx. 175 ppm)
AM: 0 0.25 ppm. (have treated for white spot with methylene blue, tinges the test result ever so slightly and makes it hard to determine... I believe this would be closer to 0 due to water changes as explained in a moment)
Unfortunately, I have run out of reagants for both my Nitrite and Nitrate test kits, and am heading down to get the water tested at my LFS as well as purchase new ones, just wanted to shoot this off quickly!! I do however maintain my water changes religiously, monitor food waste and adjust feeding accordingly to minimise any waste and contamination in the water, I also observe my fish closely and so far have been travelling wonderfully, last recorded levels were nitrites 0 ppm and nitrates 0.25 ppm.
Occupants consisted of 3 x adult guppies, tank had been running for approx 12 months.
Nothing had changed in the aquarium other than the addition of an airstone and new plant. The plant I am uncertain about and has since been removed it was artificial, and made out of more like a silk/fabric. I purchased it from my LFS and claimed to be approved on all packaging etc. However, id rather be safe and have taken this out just incase it was possibly breaking down or throwing off some kind of toxin.
The Oscars were added to this tank for the time being until their home has been sufficiently cycled which should only be another 4 weeks at the most. I figured if they eat the guppies then so be it, they are intended as breeders for feeder fish anyway.
I have recently (one week) purchased two juvenile Oscars. One tiger and one red. Both were approx. One inch at the time of purchase, were strong, healthy and paired up at the shop. I bought one to begin with, but she (as ive dubbed her, when shes larger im almost certain it will actually be male judging by behaviour, but right now im calling her a girl) was rather sulky and unhappy, so the following morning I went back and purchased her buddy, who was behaving the same way in the shop. However, when I got him home, approx. 5 hours after realease his breathing became a little laboured and he was quite lethargic, hanging around under the heater. The Tiger O had claimed herself a cave and would head over to him and it appeared to snuggle. Laying close, nudging him up and forward, quite friendly appearing, no tail shaking, fins not extended, no nips. He seemed to perk up after another hour or so and they were happily swimming around and cosying up under a rock. I put his earlier behaviour down to stress and settling in, gave them some blood worms and both were eating.
The next morning, I found one guppy dead and a little battered, figuring the Os had just ganged up on them and killed one. Nothing out of the ordinary for them. The Red O was again under the heater/filter and breathing heavily and more rapidly than the night before. I checked the water parameters and came up with the same result. The remaining 2 guppies and the other Oscar were behaving normally. A few hours later, he was displaying signs of weakness, still laboured breathing, and leaning to one side or the other, but was able to still swim around. The tiger O began to ignore him at this stage. I checked the water again, all fine. I decided to do a 25% change even though it wasnt due incase I was experiencing a nitrite/nitrate spike no ammonia though. It seemed to have no effect on him. I also noticed a little bit of white spot appearing on his fins and on one of the guppies, and treated with 10ml methylene blue in 55 litres of water (dosage is 0.25 ml which works out as 12.5 ml i always slightly underdose with this just to be safer). Raised the temperature to 29C and the next morning the visible signs were gone from both fish. Treated again with a slighter lesser dose (approx 8 ml) 3 days later. However, prior to redosing, I found that the pH had swung dramatically toward alkaline, approx 8.3 I have never experienced a swing as dramatic as this or in this direction. I corrected and it has remained stable again at around 6.8.
The Oscar continued downhill with his breathing becoming extremely laboured and fast. He stopped eating and became rather agitated. Constantly cranky and displaying aggressive signs, tail shaking and charging anything/anyone (human or fish) who would happen near his corner. At this point my Tiger O became aggressive and would attack and pick on him. He ended up with some wounds an I separated the two within the tank to give him a chance of recovery. I completed another 50% water change at this point. Approx 3 days after this began and he stopped eating, he weakened to the point he became caught up in the current and had trouble staying upright. He would spin around and when he eventually died late last night, his mouth was gaping wide open. I also found the guppy displaying white spot symptoms to do the same thing, and died a little while before the Oscar. Mouth open. I had read some things about whirling disease before, but thought that it primarily affected cold water fishes especially salmonoids... I have been unsuccessful finding information pertaining to it in Oscars and how to treat. Is this even a possibility???????
This morning, I have found my tiger O beginning to breathe slightly heavier than normal. I have immediately upon finding this completed ANOTHER 30% water change, and she appears to have eased a little. She is still highly active and eating however not quite as piggy as normal. I have only had her for a week, but she is already taking food from my hand and coming to greet me when I approach the tank. This morning she was giving me a look as if to say im not well.. help me! Make it better I felt so horrible. The remaining guppy is breathing quite fast but like the O is very active and eating also. I know it sounds like something terrible is going on in my water but I just cant work it out!!!!! Everything appears fine. I am double checking with my LFS once I have posted this, and will update shortly what results they turn up. Perhaps my tests are faulty? ?
Finally, she appeared ever so slightly bloated upon turning the lights on this morning, and then about an hour later after i had completed the water change when I checked her, she had done a HUGE poop and looks ever so slightly emaciated now. This is making me think of internal parasites now, and i have had a look but so many different things seem possible, I think I really need a little bit of more experienced and expert advice to help me sift through the masses of information. Please help me work out what is going on and how to treat this. I am planning to continue daily (up to twice daily if necessary) water changes until I can figure out how to treat this. My thoughts are that if there is a toxin in there, perhaps from the plant ive removed (??) this will lower the concentration, and the same for if im experience Na3 & 4 spikes... I really dont want to lose my girl, ive grown so attached already.
Thank you so much in advance for your time in replying!
Cas
