She wants to know if you’ve introduced anything new to the tank in last 60 days. Food, decor, nets, etc.
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Another dead baby goldfish
- Thread starter Jim Sinclair
- Start date
OP
OP
Jim Sinclair
Fish Fanatic
I set up the tank September 5th, so everything in it, including the fish, has gone in in the last sixty-something days. Here is a picture of all 293 of them about to be carried upstairs from a plastic storage box in the basement to the 75-gallon tank upstairs. They were so tiny then!
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She said she’s talking with you. I’ll back out and let her help you. I hope all turns out well. I know how hard you’ve worked with them. Hopefully, someone will give them a home in a nice big pond.
Amazing, isn’t it?
If the OP is doing 2 water changes per day and using the same water supply for the water changes, pH and GH are not going to fluctuate throughout the day. If it does then the water has no minerals in it to stabilise the pH, even then you would have to put huge amounts of fish and food into a small body of water to affect the pH over such a short period of time.
However, having said that, has the GH been tested?
I don't recall the GH being listed by the OP and if the water is very soft (has no minerals), it could be a contributing factor.
OP
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Jim Sinclair
Fish Fanatic
I skipped the second water change yesterday. Only did one. At bedtime found another dead fish in the big tank.
This evening yet another one dead in the big tank. So far all the dead ones have been in the big tank, but this evening I found one with Floppy-like swimming difficulties in one of the small tanks (a plastic Sterilite container, maybe about 20 gallons, 28 fish in it). I refilled the hospital tank and put that fish into it, but I'm not sure there's any point in keeping it there, since nothing I did with water treatment helped Floppy, and besides, I don't have a filter for the hospital tank. Maybe I'll at least see if it produces any poop by the time I go to bed tonight.
The day I took Floppy to the vet, he mentioned he's a fan of salt for goldfish, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. Wondering if I should try that in the big tank, and in any or all of the smaller ones?
This evening yet another one dead in the big tank. So far all the dead ones have been in the big tank, but this evening I found one with Floppy-like swimming difficulties in one of the small tanks (a plastic Sterilite container, maybe about 20 gallons, 28 fish in it). I refilled the hospital tank and put that fish into it, but I'm not sure there's any point in keeping it there, since nothing I did with water treatment helped Floppy, and besides, I don't have a filter for the hospital tank. Maybe I'll at least see if it produces any poop by the time I go to bed tonight.
The day I took Floppy to the vet, he mentioned he's a fan of salt for goldfish, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. Wondering if I should try that in the big tank, and in any or all of the smaller ones?
OP
OP
Jim Sinclair
Fish Fanatic
I think I have GH and KH test drops in the basement, but have not used them recently. I'm doing water changes in the upstairs tanks right up stairs tanks right now. (Water parameters in the big tank same as yesterday, except slightly higher nitrates; still no ammonia.) After I get these changed I'll go downstairs and take care of the two small tanks down there. I will look for the GH and KH tests then.
Judging by the white powder that forms on my humidifier, I would say there are minerals in my water.
Judging by the white powder that forms on my humidifier, I would say there are minerals in my water.
You could try salt. Use swimming pool salt, rock salt (aka aquarium salt), or sea salt for the fish.
Add 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. You can double that dose after 48 hours if there is no improvement. 2 heaped tablespoons of salt will not affect filter bacteria or plants and might help if there is a low grade protozoan, bacterial or fungal infection affecting the fish.
If there is no improvement after 1 week and fish are still dying, you can double it again if there is 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres of water. This level of salt will not affect filter bacteria but will harm some live aquatic plants. Keep the salt level at 4 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres for at least 2 weeks but no more than 4 weeks, otherwise kidney damage can occur in some fish (usually soft water species like tetras and cories).
You need to add salt when you do water changes, but you only add salt to the new water. eg: you change 20 litres so you should add salt to the new 20 litres before it goes back in the tank.
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There is a possibility the fish have a low grade whitespot infection that is killing them and the water changes are diluting the parasites so they are staying in low numbers and not showing up on the fish. If the high dose rate of salt does not help after 2 weeks, then perhaps treat them with a whitespot medication.
Add 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. You can double that dose after 48 hours if there is no improvement. 2 heaped tablespoons of salt will not affect filter bacteria or plants and might help if there is a low grade protozoan, bacterial or fungal infection affecting the fish.
If there is no improvement after 1 week and fish are still dying, you can double it again if there is 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres of water. This level of salt will not affect filter bacteria but will harm some live aquatic plants. Keep the salt level at 4 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres for at least 2 weeks but no more than 4 weeks, otherwise kidney damage can occur in some fish (usually soft water species like tetras and cories).
You need to add salt when you do water changes, but you only add salt to the new water. eg: you change 20 litres so you should add salt to the new 20 litres before it goes back in the tank.
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There is a possibility the fish have a low grade whitespot infection that is killing them and the water changes are diluting the parasites so they are staying in low numbers and not showing up on the fish. If the high dose rate of salt does not help after 2 weeks, then perhaps treat them with a whitespot medication.
OP
OP
Jim Sinclair
Fish Fanatic
I found the GH test drops. Tried to use them. Instructions said add one drop at a time, shake after each drop, count the number of drops until the water changes from orange to green. Only problem was, it didn't turn orange to begin with, nor did it turn green when I added drops. It was just yellow. Then I looked at the expiration date on the bottle: May 2016. So much for that.
When doing the water change in the big tank, I cleaned one of the filters and pulled a clog out of the intake tube. That got me thinking about water flow and turbulence. Both filters have sponges over their intake tubes to protect the smallest little fish from getting sucked up. Neither filter is producing very strong current. Could the oxygen level be too low, even with the good test parameters I'm getting? Would an airstone help? I have not seen any fish gasping at the surface, but I am seeing reduced activity levels and reduced food intake in that tank.
Meanwhile with the floppy fish in the basement, from the least crowded tank, I put a mashed pea in the hospital tank, set up an airstone, and am trying Gypsy's recommendation for Epsom salt.
If someone can tell me how to get this Whisper 60 filter working, then I can take the sponge filter from the 20 long and put it in the hospital tank:
When doing the water change in the big tank, I cleaned one of the filters and pulled a clog out of the intake tube. That got me thinking about water flow and turbulence. Both filters have sponges over their intake tubes to protect the smallest little fish from getting sucked up. Neither filter is producing very strong current. Could the oxygen level be too low, even with the good test parameters I'm getting? Would an airstone help? I have not seen any fish gasping at the surface, but I am seeing reduced activity levels and reduced food intake in that tank.
Meanwhile with the floppy fish in the basement, from the least crowded tank, I put a mashed pea in the hospital tank, set up an airstone, and am trying Gypsy's recommendation for Epsom salt.
If someone can tell me how to get this Whisper 60 filter working, then I can take the sponge filter from the 20 long and put it in the hospital tank:
Aeration definitely helps if fish are unwell or filters are struggling. Fish need oxygen like people and if they are sick, they have more trouble using it so aerating the water increases the oxygen in the water and makes it easier on the fish.
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Have you taken the motor off the filter case and cleaned the impellor and shaft?
The motor can usually be removed from the case by gently turning it away from the filter case. Then it should come away from the case. Remove the impellor and check the shaft that the impellor sits on. If the shaft is worn or loose the impellor won't draw in as much water.
After you have cleaned the motor and impellor assembly, clean the filter case and smear a thin layer of Vaseline on the o-ring where the motor fits into the case. Then reassemble, fill the filter and turn it on.
Make sure the water level in the tank is above the motor on the filter or they sometimes have trouble working.
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Have you taken the motor off the filter case and cleaned the impellor and shaft?
The motor can usually be removed from the case by gently turning it away from the filter case. Then it should come away from the case. Remove the impellor and check the shaft that the impellor sits on. If the shaft is worn or loose the impellor won't draw in as much water.
After you have cleaned the motor and impellor assembly, clean the filter case and smear a thin layer of Vaseline on the o-ring where the motor fits into the case. Then reassemble, fill the filter and turn it on.
Make sure the water level in the tank is above the motor on the filter or they sometimes have trouble working.
Gypsy got me believing in salt. I use it in all my tanks when I see an issue. Just clean water and aquarium salt brought a near death betta back to life after nothing else worked.
OP
OP
Jim Sinclair
Fish Fanatic
I am home with some charcoal, several new filter bags, and a bubble wand. Also several bags of groceries to put away. Once groceries are put away and mammals are fed, I plan to do water changes and see what I can do with aeration in the big tank. And I will try salt in all the tanks.
Flop2 fish is still alive and still floppy after about 18 hours in one teaspoon of Epsom salt per gallon. Gypsy's recommendation was for up to 24 hours. What do I do if there's no change after 24 hours?
Flop2 fish is still alive and still floppy after about 18 hours in one teaspoon of Epsom salt per gallon. Gypsy's recommendation was for up to 24 hours. What do I do if there's no change after 24 hours?
Wait a day after water changes and dose again. If nothing else, it will help gill function. Good luck, Jim. I’m cheering for you!
OP
OP
Jim Sinclair
Fish Fanatic
Do you mean put Flop2 back in the tank with the other fish, then a day later move it back to the Epsom salt tank for another 24 hours?
I was planning to put regular plain salt in all the tanks after rearranging all the fish who are moving tonight. Should I still do that? Or should I leave the salt out of the tank Flop2 goes in, if that fish is going to be moved in and out between that tank and the Epsom salt tank again?
The big tank now has a bag of carbon in each of the two filters, filter bags instead of sponges covering the intake tubes of the two filters so there is more turbulence because of stronger waterfalls coming out, and the sponges I took off the intake tubes have been stuffed into another filter bag and an an airstone stuffed into that, making a kind of impromptu third filter/ bubbler. Is there anything dangerous about using a very old (more than 2 years) bag of Nitrazorb that I found inside one of the filters as ballast to keep that bag of sponges from floating on top?
25 fish, including 15 big ones and 10 small to medium ones, have been removed from the big tank and are in a bucket in the basement awaiting temperature acclimation. My plan is for the big ones to go into the big pond, and the smaller ones to go into the plastic boxes down there while the biggest fish from the plastic boxes also go into the pond.
I have tried to put bigger baby fish into the pond twice before, and both times as soon as what I thought were very large babies were in the pond, they suddenly became much smaller, while my adult fish suddenly became much larger. This made me worried that the babies would be harmed, so I took them back out. This time I am preparing a laundry hamper and some netting as a temporary nursery enclosure within the pond.
I was planning to put regular plain salt in all the tanks after rearranging all the fish who are moving tonight. Should I still do that? Or should I leave the salt out of the tank Flop2 goes in, if that fish is going to be moved in and out between that tank and the Epsom salt tank again?
The big tank now has a bag of carbon in each of the two filters, filter bags instead of sponges covering the intake tubes of the two filters so there is more turbulence because of stronger waterfalls coming out, and the sponges I took off the intake tubes have been stuffed into another filter bag and an an airstone stuffed into that, making a kind of impromptu third filter/ bubbler. Is there anything dangerous about using a very old (more than 2 years) bag of Nitrazorb that I found inside one of the filters as ballast to keep that bag of sponges from floating on top?
25 fish, including 15 big ones and 10 small to medium ones, have been removed from the big tank and are in a bucket in the basement awaiting temperature acclimation. My plan is for the big ones to go into the big pond, and the smaller ones to go into the plastic boxes down there while the biggest fish from the plastic boxes also go into the pond.
I have tried to put bigger baby fish into the pond twice before, and both times as soon as what I thought were very large babies were in the pond, they suddenly became much smaller, while my adult fish suddenly became much larger. This made me worried that the babies would be harmed, so I took them back out. This time I am preparing a laundry hamper and some netting as a temporary nursery enclosure within the pond.
I’m sorry, I misunderstood. I didn’t realize he was in Epsom salt. I wouldn’t do that again unless Gypsy13 recommends it. I was referring to aquarium salt. That is what you mean when you say “plain salt”, isn’t it? I go with that. I wouldn’t think the old nitrazorb would hurt. It usually just weakens and becomes ineffective. I like the idea of the pond nursery for the babies.
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