fin rot

[collossus4u]

I need someone to halp me FAST!!! My 30 gal tank is almost cycled, I have 5.0 ppm, nitrate level, ammonia level is clear 0.00 ppm, ph normal level. I don't believe that my new aquarium is cycled yet though my 2 BIG PACU fish already died so I put the other fish (Oscar) on my 10 gal. cycled aquarium for I don't have any recoarse on what to do. I just bought a bubbler which give ample amount of bubble in my 30 gal. Presently I have 7 Giant Danio fish on my 30 gal to finish the cycle. My question are,
1) When is my 30 gal. tank gonna finish it's cycling biologically
2) What killed my 2 large Pacu fish, I suspect it's "Fin Rot," due to the presenting symptoms which the gelly coat of my fish is tearing apart from it's origin plus my fish were swimming on a 30-40 degree allignment very weak!
3) What specific medication can I buy to cure this ailment, please help me!!!

 

[cichlidmaster]

Let's see if we can figure this out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

30 gallon tanks specifics......

1. Ammonia....0 PPM

2. Nitrate........5.0 PPM

3 Ph................Normal (what is it's value 7.0...7.2 ??)

4. Nitrite No reading......We need a reading on this as this is the step to reduce prior to reducing the nitrates.

I don't believe that my new aquarium is cycled yet though my 2 BIG PACU fish already died so I put the other fish (Oscar) on my 10 gal. cycled aquarium for I don't have any recoarse on what to do.

Were these Pacus in the 30 gallon when they died? How big were they??

Until we get a nitrite reading it will be hard to say what killed them, but I will venture a guess that it could have been nitrite poisoning!!

Pacus are large messy fish and need a lot of food and pristine water conditions to stay healthy.

What size is your oscar currently?? This to will need pristine water conditions to keep it healthy.

Hold off putting ANY other fish in the 30 gallon until it is fully cycled. Even after it is,, you should add fish slowly to the tank.

Remeber the biological colonies have been established for the amount and size of fish you used to cycle the tank.

By adding larger or more fish than the bioload can handle will cause spike to your water parameters until the colonies can adjust to the higher loads placed on it.

If I may give just a bit of friendlt advice about the pacus and oscar..................

If you really are intent on keeping these tankbusters, then you will need to add a 0 to the end of that 30 gallon!!!

IMO to house 2 pacu (whether red belly or black) and an adult oscar you will need a minimum of a 300 gallon tank!!

You will also need massive amounts of filtration....say somewhere in the neighborhood of a turn over rate of at least 8-10 times per hour. This equals out to 2100-2400 gph of filtration.

Pacu IME do not make the greatest bunk mates and this added space a 300 gallon will give should house them comfortably, not to mention adding a 16" adult oscar to the tank!!

I am in no way trying to dissuade you from keeping the kind of fish you like, just trying to save you some headache and heartache if the event you decide on these and the inevitable happens.

Please let us know what the nitrite readin is and we can go from there.

CM