I got new fish! Questions

[Colin_T]

Got it, we used a similar thing in the quarantine rooms when we got shipments of fish in from Asia. We float the bags for 10 minutes and then open the bag to release the ammonia that had built up in the bag, it was pretty bad for us (made your eyes water) so would have been worse for the fish. We then added the same amount of water to the bag that was already in it (if the bag had 2 litres we add 2 litres). Then we fill the bags up with oxygen, seal it up and let them float for another 10 minutes. Then we open the bag and pour the contents into a net. The dirty water was kept in a holding container and later treated with chlorine, while the fish were put into a tank.

The water in the bags had a low pH (usually less than 6.0 and sometimes less than 5.0) and had very high ammonia levels. In addition to this the oxygen levels were very low. By adding some tank water we raised the pH a bit but it didn't go above 7.0 and adding oxygen helped to get oxygen back into the water. The fish were left for another 10-15minutes before being poured into a net. This extra 10-15minutes made a huge difference to the fish and there was less shock to them when they were added to the tank.

We did try to keep the pH of the quarantine tanks around 7.0 so the fish weren't subjected to massive pH fluctuations. Then over the new few weeks in quarantine their pH was raised a small amount to match the shop tanks.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Just an update. Looks like I will be taking that barb out sooner rather than later. I'm seeing too many fins that look nipped. I think it may be stressing the glowlights out too much, enough that I'm still getting deaths. (Not saying that's the complete cause but just part. My water quality is awesome. Checked last night with the api liquid kit.)

 

[Colin_T]

Cherry barbs don't normally nip fins. Unless you actually see it biting pieces out of the glolights, I would say the glolights are biting each other. And if they are still dying then there is a problem that is separate from the fin nipping.

Can you post a pic of the remaining fish that are looking sick?

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I have seen the cherry barb really going after them. But I have seen them going after each other too. I figured the barb may just be doing it since it's the only one. I will try to get pictures after a while of the glowlights. I did get the barb caught already and the one lfs said she would take it to rehome. I'm hoping with the barb out things will help. I pulled 5 more dead ones put today. Good thing I was taking things out to chase the barb cuz I missed some dead ones. I may try a different food for them. They sort of seem like eating but not like I thought they would. One had a really light poo but not sure if it's totally parasitic or not. Might just be lack of eating.

 

[Colin_T]

I don't normally suggest treating fish unless you know what the problem is but the glolights obviously have an issue and you might want to add some medication. However, I am unsure what to suggest. Hurry up and post a pic.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I will post pics hopefully around an hour from now. Just did big water change and they have some air bubbles on them still. Lol. Not ick. Haven't seen any flashing. They did eat a little. And seem to be out more right now since the barb is caught...interesting....will post pics soon as I'm back from town to take the barb in!

 

[cowgirluntamed]

@Colin_T

Pictures and a video. I think the video shows them better. I will say there is rapid brea thing going on with some of them. But now that the barb is gone, they do seem quite a bit more active. They do seem a little pale but some of that could be from their smaller size on some.

Oh, and the dead ones I pulled out were missing all fins. Not sure if that truly means anything but thought I would mention it.

 

[Colin_T]

Size doesn't make much difference to colour in glolights. Once they are 10-12mm (1/2 inch) they have the orange line.

The fish are all faded out pretty badly, altho 1 male was displaying in the video so that was a good sign.

Some of the fish look like they have cloudy fins, is that correct?

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Size doesn't make much difference to colour in glolights. Once they are 10-12mm (1/2 inch) they have the orange line.

The fish are all faded out pretty badly, altho 1 male was displaying in the video so that was a good sign.

Some of the fish look like they have cloudy fins, is that correct?

I don't think they look as faded as they do in the pictures. That may have been the light doing that. They are behaving a lot better now. Displaying to each other and such which is good.

As for the fins, only a few have a slight cloudiness but it's right on the damaged area. So maybe more healing than fungal or bacterial? I don't see any signs of anything else physically on them. But some are breathing rapidly and I wonder if they got damage from the shipping.

I don't want to rush into any medicine. I did around an 80% water change today just in case. (I did stress them by chasing the barb around though). I will take more pictures and such tomorrow to see what they look like now that the barb is out of there. I am surprised they are showing so much more normal behavior now that it's out.

 

[Colin_T]

I didn't see any bacterial or fungal infections on them and the cloudy fins would be excess mucous caused by the fish being stressed.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I didn't see any bacterial or fungal infections on them and the cloudy fins would be excess mucous caused by the fish being stressed.

Ok. I'll just continue to keep an eye on them. Hopefully it was just the barb stressing them out.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

@Colin_T

Well, I just lost another one. Saw it being blown around by what little current my sponge filter makes. Didn't take it long to die. Swam nose up for a little bit. The first couple I noticed did that too. This sucks....out of 40 I think I have just over 20 left... (mostly deaths but I think they left some out....can't say for sure though. Wish I would have tried harder to count them.)

 

[Colin_T]

I think you got a bad batch of fish.

You could try dropping the pH to 7.0 and see if that helps. And do water changes each day. Make up some water, drop the pH before you add it and lower it that way.

Take some out and put them in another empty tank with water from one of your display tanks. See if they do ok in a different tank.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I think you are right about the bad batch. I've never had this problem with glowlights before at all and those were from petsmart. I had thought about ordering some from that lfs later that I book the barb too....but that lady just well, rubs me the wrong way. She's got a lot of experience maintaining people's tanks and such, and she's got great looking tanks at the store (fresh and salt). But she's just got a know it all attitude and this time it was like she was trying to make me feel stupid. The first thing she asked after I told her I ordered these fish online was just "why?". Then she had an opinion on how many were in there.....told her about the tetra safe start and she said to here make sure I test in a week because it binds things and then releases it......I didn't say anything to that. I was going to ask her opinion on the tetras but she just started doing stuff with her tanks and I just got the feeling I was being dismissed......

Sorry, rant over! Lol. I wish I had better options for fish stores but that's why I ordered these online this time. I don't think changing the pH will really do anything if they already have gill damage from shipping.

But I can do lots of water changes if you think that will help. What would be the amount you would recommend? Just 50% or a bit more?

 

[Colin_T]

yeah I would do 50% each day and see if it helps. It certainly won't hurt them and it might help.

if you have any live food like mozzie larvae or brineshrimp, offer it to them. Quite often if you can get them to eat properly they settle down a bit faster.