Urgent help needed! Flowerhorn sick.

[Naman]

My flowerhorn started to gasp for air, is not eating and has become lethargic. It was indeed a very active fish begging for food but now it suddenly has become dull. Also I noted that the mucous coat of my FH is coming off. Please help.

 

[strollo22]

What are the water parameters? My first guess is ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

 

[Naman]

I checked for the water parameters and found that my Ammonia level is 2.0. What might be the factors that would have led to the increase in the ammonia levels suddenly?
I recently started using an external canister filter on my tank with mechanical filteration and ceramic rings as the media with carbon pads. All of the media are new.

 

[strollo22]

What were you using previously for media? Did you leave that in or remove it? Do a large 80% waterchange in the mean time and add prime or an equivalent to help the fish.

 

[Naman]

I was using the stock filter pads and carbon pad. I just added the ceramic rings for biological filteration (i am bit weak at the concept of establishing biological filteration). I removed 2 filter pads and 2 are still present in the filter. Also do i need to add bacterial additive(sera nitrivec) to the tank after i do the waterchange.?

 

[strollo22]

Yes I would. It sounds like your tank is cycling now so it could take a few weeks. Do 20% water changes every 2 or 3 days and add ammonia detoxifier. Add bacterial additive like you mentioned, I personally have used Stability by Seachem but I'm not sure if that's available by you. I would also add a little salt to the water to help with stress as well.

 

[Naman]

Thanks a lot Alex.

 

[strollo22]

Any time. I hope your fish is ok.

 

[Naman]

Hey Alex a little update. I did as you said and i have seen improvements in my fish. It has stopped gasping and started to move out a bit in tank. But the problem now is that it isnt eating. What shall i do.?

 

[Aquaticfan]

Fish can go for several days without food no issues. So no worries. What's your ammonia level at? How about nitrite? Both are toxic to fish nitrite more so then ammonia. What do you have for circulation in the tank? If your ammonia is at 2.0 and you did a water change of 50% your ammonia would go down to 1.0. Still toxic levels but much better. I'd recommend doing daily water changes of 50% not 20% so you can get that level down. Same thing would go for nitrite issues. With the tank cycling I'd try to keep the max levels of ammonia or nitrite no more then .25 to .50. Really though none of either will be optimal. Feeding less right now is better anyhow as the food will raise those bad levels higher. Make sure you water surface has good agitation on it as it will induce more gas exchange bringing more oxygen into the water. Besides that being good for your fish it is also something the beneficial bacteria need to establish and live. Dont waste your money on the products that add bacteria. Personally I don't find them to really work. What is your substrate? Or bare bottom? Your BB will also form in the substrate. This is another good reason for decent tank circulation.

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