Fish All Gathered At Surface

[Teacher Martyn]

Hello,

For a few days I've noticed a couple of my fish hanging around close to the surface, noses up.

Today, it was most of the small fish that normally pay no attention to each other all gathered at the surface and I thought, "Uh oh!"

I've immediately done a water change of 50% and they all seem quite jolly and have gone back to swimming and ignoring each other.

What could this be?

Although I did a water chemistry test 24 hours ago I have no details for just before the water change as I rushed to do it.

Results last night were Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, ph 7.5. I didn't do nitrate cause it's a pain in the neck with all that shaking.

However, I can now only assume that nitrates is the problem. They're quite high in the tap water here.

Other info - currently have white spot so have been treating with Interpet Anti-White Spot after Protazin didn't work.

Also added some aquarium salt.

Filter input is breaking water of tank quite rigorously.

Temp is back down to 25 after being up at 28 for the ich issue.

Thank you.

 

[Noahs ark6]

It sounds like your having trouble keeping the water quality high. Having ich/white spot isn't great. How big is the tank and how many/what type of fish are in it?
Does the filter disperse bubbles into the water, if not adding an airstone would be helpfull

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Thanks.

Yeah, a good dispersal of bubbles through the water.

I thought ich and white spot were the same thing. I just referred to both names to avoid repetition.

The fish are; 7 silver-tip, 5 glowlights, 3 cherry barb and two small angels.

80 x 50 x 35 = 140 litres plus 6 litres of external filter capacity.

 

[Noahs ark6]

Sorry, i'm getting tired, yes they're the same, If they still have ich why did you bring the temp down?
How often and how much do you feed them?
They could simply be begging for more food.

Do they gasp at the top, or just gather there?If they're gasping it's almost certainly a reduced level of O2, if so, adding an airstone should sort it

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

If you are treating Ich with an increased temperature, your fish could be gathering near the surface because the oxygen levels have dropped because...

• Warmer water has a lower oxygen saturation point.
• Medication will likely reduce the potential oxygen levels further.

It is quite important to increase aeration while treating, even if that simply means lowering the water level so the filter has an increased splash effect, if adding extra aeration is not possible.

I'm surprised Protozin did not do the trick. You haven't got activated carbon or UV running have you, or been doing water changes during medication without compensating for removed medication (I did not change water until "day 13" since the first day of meds, with a vastly reduced feeding regime during this period)?

 

[Teacher Martyn]

If you are treating Ich with an increased temperature, your fish could be gathering near the surface because the oxygen levels have dropped because...

• Warmer water has a lower oxygen saturation point.
• Medication will likely reduce the potential oxygen levels further.

It is quite important to increase aeration while treating, even if that simply means lowering the water level so the filter has an increased splash effect, if adding extra aeration is not possible.

I'm surprised Protozin did not do the trick. You haven't got activated carbon or UV running have you, or been doing water changes during medication without compensating for removed medication (I did not change water until "day 13" since the first day of meds, with a vastly reduced feeding regime during this period)?

Well, I did the last does of the treatment today and, believing that level of temperature not to be ideal, I started to move it back down.

Took carbon out of filter and no UV.

They didn't seem to be gasping particularly, just gathering, but were not greatly interested in crossing the tank when I fed them.

Have noticed a couple of white spots still on the glowlights so will have to dose again now.

I haven't changed water mid-treatment but do get somewhat concerned about them swimming around in a 'toxic soup' of unchanged water and medication.

Thanks.

Martyn

 

[Noahs ark6]

Have you just finished the latest dose of treatment? if so do a large water change (80%) and re-dose if symptoms haven't gone

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Turned out it must have been oxygen. I've reinstated my internal filter with that device that takes in air via the outlet.

The external's input was breaking the surface and creating bubbles but the power of the internal filter's jet and air production is incomparable.

I'm perplexed. External filter had only been in place a few weeks and it's even less since I gave the sponges a clean (in tank water).

Can't be sure whether the flow of the external has reduced or if I'm imagining it.

Ammonia and nitrite levels were fine though so water was cycling OK.

Maybe, I just need an airstone and pump.

 

[Akasha72]

I have the odd fish that does what your describing. It always seems to be when I put the light on on an evening. If I turn the light out they return to swimming around. It's very odd, but I've just started to ignore it now

 

[OldMan47]

When all fish are at the surface, check your nitrite levels. Nitrites will show up in your tank as an asphyxiant. Nitrites will seem like carbon monoxide might to mammals. It will prevent proper absorption of oxygen by the blood in your fish but will otherwise be hard to detect.

 

[Staxx]

yeah my fish are at the surface a lot of the time now cuz of my poor tank water. going through this mini cycle is horrible lol

after a water change there all back to normal until the levels build up again.

 

[Teacher Martyn]

When all fish are at the surface, check your nitrite levels. Nitrites will show up in your tank as an asphyxiant. Nitrites will seem like carbon monoxide might to mammals. It will prevent proper absorption of oxygen by the blood in your fish but will otherwise be hard to detect.

Nitrites zero. Now and at the point when the fish were gathering at the surface.

As I said, I've reinstated my internal filter, which has one of those devices for pulling air in through the output and the fish are fine now.

I will need to get a pump and airstone although with both the internal and external filters running together, the water has never looked so clean. It'll be hard to go back to just the one.

 

[Martha689]

It is amazing!

 

[Teacher Martyn]

It is amazing!

What is?

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Turned out my external's flow had reduced significantly although I didn't allow myself to believe it could happen so soon.

Pipes were full of gunk. After only about a month in operation.

I think the pipes were a bit too long so gunk had been able to settle in the bends.

It's running like a dream now and, with the internal reinstated in the tank for time being, there's a whole lot of filtration going on.

Note to self: Check pipes more often and buy one of those JBL Cleany things.