Left for the weekend...

[Organized Chaos]

Well to start , I was never told about cycling by the LFS before I bought the fish. After looking on here and figuring it out I cycled my tank over the last month or so.
The NitrIte levels are at or below 0.25, and the ammonia is at 0, the pH is 7.6-7.8, and the temp is at 80. I have added salt to the tank because of the fish in there, and the salinity is 1.008.

I did daily 25% water changes until the levels are where they are now, and water changes every other day for the last week and everything has been constant.

When I came home from a long weekend (2 days) 1 shark was dead, another was swimming upside down and wouldn't eat, and the eel was very sluggish and would not eat. They look like they may be gasping for air. All the levels are where they should be.

Also, the puffers are doing great, they were exited to see me, ate well, and looked to be in perfect health. I have heard they are very sensitive to water conditions, so this is what baffles me.

I am going to get some ghost shrimp soon (the eels favorite food) and hope they just had a long weekend in the dark and are readjusting.


Does anyone have any idea what this could be?

 

[CFC]

Does the tank have plants? If it is planted and the lights have been off for a couple of days the plants will have used a lot of the available oxygen up as there wouldnt be enough light for them to use co2. Balas in particular need very high oxygen levels to survive and are always the first fish to keel over if there is a lack of oxygen.
If the tank is not planted then you need to look elsewhere to what the problem is, 80oF is a little high for balas IMO, i preffer to keep mine at 74oF, the warmer the water the less oxygen it holds. The nitrite level should always be zero, even low levels of nitrite seriously affect the bloods oxygen carrying abillities.
With large fish like balas you need to make sure that gas exchange at the surface is at its maximum, point powerheads toward the surface or if you use a external filter have the spray bar above the water line so that the returning water creates more turbulance on the surface.
When you go away always add additional aeration via a airstone so that if something goes wrong there is a back up, for planted tanks a timer for the lights is another essential item.

 

[Organized Chaos]

No, the plant is not planted. I will lower the temp. and also lower the water level to increase the agigatitation. I never thought of that.

As far as air stones, I have one of those bubble strips along the back wall of the tank, but I didn't think that did too much for adding O2 to the tank, just looks.

I also plan to get a timer soon. I guess thats 2 things I learned today.

Thanks

 

[CFC]

As far as air stones, I have one of those bubble strips along the back wall of the tank, but I didn't think that did too much for adding O2 to the tank, just looks.

The airstones dont directly add oxygen to the water but as the bubbles break the surface they expand the surface area allowing more oygen to enter the water. Personally i dont like the look of them but since losing a lot of fish earlier this year when a powerhead failed and the oxygen levels plummeted i always switch mine on in the tank containing my big fish if i know im going to be out of the house for a long time.

 

[Organized Chaos]

Anyone else have an idea of what could be causing this? They really look like they are gasping for air. I just cleaned the filter and did a partial water change, and the temp. is a little lower. They haven't gotten any worse, but they don't look better either.

 

[Alien Anna]

Anyone else have an idea of what could be causing this? They really look like they are gasping for air. I just cleaned the filter and did a partial water change, and the temp. is a little lower. They haven't gotten any worse, but they don't look better either.

Did you have a power outtage while you were away?

 

[Organized Chaos]

Nope...

 

[Lithril]

IMO Nitrites at 0.25 is too high, with ammonia at 0 you're tank is half way through being cycled but I would look at additional water changes to get the nitrites as close to 0 as you can.

 

[Organized Chaos]

Well bad news. Two of the sharks are dead along with one of the puffers and the Eel. I guess its time for me to start new and cycle the tank like I should have from the begining (learned the hard way not to listen to the LFS).