Mysterious Problem With Fish

[lucc]

Hello everybody, this problems folow us for a while now. I don´t know what is wrong. The water seems ok - the tests done on the strip are ok. I don´t remember know but the one which supposed to be les then 0,2 is 0 and the one which is best less then 20 is always definately less then 10. Ph normaly between 6.3 - 6.8 - my last readings are always 6,8 (the colour is not as strong on the tester as on the box but lets say the shade is resembling more the one which is 6.8 then the one below). Our water has been always soft because the water in taps on this island is desalinated one. I had first bigger pebbles on top then smallerones beneath and propper fishtank soil for plants. When we had black stuff accumulated underneath and that was releasing gas we took 90 percent of the pebbles including soil out. That was 6 months after we began with our aquarium.... The fish recovered this ordeal and new one began. 2 out of 3 silver dollars died. The symptomes in silver dollar are: - TWICHES IN THE BODY
- OUT OF CONTROL MOVEMENETS WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCHED OF SUCH AS HITTING
EVERYTHING INCLUDING GLASS, SWIMMING FAST AND ERRATICALLY
- FLASHING

also constantly begging for food. Also the twiching is visible and some fast swimming when the light is on
but at night that is when the hell breaks. (all the symptomes described erlier) yet the fish is still eating - good apetite. But since the problem started if water is not constantly changed they stop eventualy eating. We know it is not only silver dollar because he is the most sensitive one - but u can see similar behaviour in botia macr. and harlequins. What we have to do - that is the only thing which helps is to change water 40-60%, often we have to do it again the next day. The silly thing is this lasts only about 3 days before the symptomes are very bad and have to change water all over again!! We are exhausted mentaly and fysically. Yet the water readings are as good as I have described. The other thing is when we went on holiday we put this bloc of holiday food made in Czech republic. We came back after 7 days and the fish were in perfect condition!!! We removed the block when back and changed water - this time I went away alone - they had normal food - flakes and tablets and 10 days later the same situation. Since then we keep changig water, first it lasted 6 days and now we have to change it every 3 days. This problem started about 3 months ago.... What could it be? I honestly don´t know what to do..... I put about 2cm high natural pebbles in in case that was the problem, but that doesn´t work either. Thanks for any advice!!!! Lucc
The only thing I didn´t check is amoniac, amonia - I don´t have the tester, but if the nitrates and nitrites are ok shoudn´t amoniac and amonia be ok too?

 

[stubert]

Test strips arnt accurate, use liquid test kits.

Ill let other people give advice on the behaviour ive no idea

 

[lucc]

Test strips arnt accurate, use liquid test kits.

Ill let other people give advice on the behaviour ive no idea

Thanks for your advice, do you think the difference could be so big - strips are showing very low levels....

 

[stubert]

Test strips arnt accurate, use liquid test kits.

Ill let other people give advice on the behaviour ive no idea

Thanks for your advice, do you think the difference could be so big - strips are showing very low levels....

I just wouldnt trust a test strip result personally as other people would say, as for the actually difference i dont know. Alot of fish shops will test your water for free with liquid kits, better to have your own tho

 

[lucc]

I have got feeling that they told me in the petshop that they don't test watter. I will ask again, but if they don't it is time to get the hell out of this island!!! If the strips are not accurate and the watter levels is not good what shall I do, to keep changing watter every 3 days "forever" that is insane.... Shall I change more like 70% of the watter, but I did that before and the problem returned later. What shall I do? Lucc

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.

Test strip cards are not accurate, liquid test kits are the best.

Take a sample of your tank water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

Do the fish show any of these signs.
Flicking and rubbing.
Excess mucas or slime.
Red sores, or red pin prick marks.
laboured breathing.
Erratic swimming.
Swimming in circles fast.
Do the fish look thin.
What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.
Do the fish swim in a jerky movement.
Do the fish spit there food out.
Is there a greyish white film on the fish, or a blue greyish film on the fish body.
What do the fish gills look like.

 

[lucc]

How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.

Test strip cards are not accurate, liquid test kits are the best.

Take a sample of your tank water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

Do the fish show any of these signs.
Flicking and rubbing.
Excess mucas or slime.
Red sores, or red pin prick marks.
laboured breathing.
Erratic swimming.
Swimming in circles fast.
Do the fish look thin.
What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.
Do the fish swim in a jerky movement.
Do the fish spit there food out.
Is there a greyish white film on the fish, or a blue greyish film on the fish body.
What do the fish gills look like.

Hi Wilder - thanks for your posting. 100l tank, 1 silver dollar, 10 harlequins, 4 punteus titteya, 2 botias
macracanthus. They are OK now, but it doesn´t last - lately 2-3 days - they are ok after water change,
the symptomes are: erratic and fast swimming, they eat well - (silver dollar eats a lot - maybe that is the reason - poluting the aquarim by excrements too much), jerky movement specialy some time after the light goes off, when bad also when light on, also flashing. Excrement ok - normal to me, they look very healthy otherwise.... if I ignored the symptomes they would stop eating, but I don´t leave it to get to that stage (my 2 dollars and punteus titteyas died because of this before so now I start changing water when I see the symtomes developing). Thanks Lucc

 

[WILDER]

Your tanks looks overstocked to me.

For now I would take a sample of your water to the lfs and have your water tested by liquid test kits.
We need to rule out bad water quality first.

It's pointing towards a number of things from bad water quality, toxins, flukes, etc.

 

[lucc]

Your tanks looks overstocked to me.

For now I would take a sample of your water to the lfs and have your water tested by liquid test kits.
We need to rule out bad water quality first.

It's pointing towards a number of things from bad water quality, toxins, flukes, etc.

Thanks Wilder, do you think the tank is overstocked? The harlequins and punteus titteya are very small fish - punt.titt. up to 5 cm (they didn´t reach it yet - they are around 3 cm now and I have 4 of them) and harleq. up to 4cm (I don´t think all 10 of them reached it yet if any) botias are still very young - maybe 6 cm long (there is 2 of them) and silver dollar (there is one) is about 8cm long now. The tank is 100 l. One thing is true... the silver dollar and botias too, begg food a lot and even that I decreased the amount of the food I still could feed them less, they still espeacialy silver dollar eat a lot (I feed them 2x a day and they beg allways for rest of the day if they see me (especially silv. dolar - but I don´t give him more). thanks again, lucc.

 

[moochy13]

assume the fish dont have any whitespots on them ?

 

[lucc]

Hi - I was replying - longer reply about my plan and asking your opinions and when almost finish everything desapeared and I lost the whole posting!!! Ok. again.... The fish have no spots or anything visible at all - look very healthy. Eat very well. The local "fish" shop - they don't test water at all - they don't provide this service. The tank was treated for numerous things two months ago included flukes (multicure) which they didn't have or any other deseas - all it did, that the oxygen dropped and it killed one of my silver dollar and made second so unwell I had to let him go. Maybe it is that the strip is not accurate. Maybe I am cleaning the aquarim too much.... I siphon the gravel every two weeks - my "fish" shop told me that it is too much.Also I will be more gentle when cleaning the sponge - I am worried about the flow and maybe I clean it too much. I ordered stronger pump for my filter - it is coming in two weeks. My plan is keep changing water if the symptomes are more then mild. For example - last two nights - the silver dollar - the most sensitive of all the fish I have - had the typical movements after some hours after switching the light of, but only for littlebit and after settled down for a sleep at the bottom of the aquarium as he supposed to. So I didn't change the water yet. Daytime - today - no symptomes at all. I will keep watching and when the movements increase - start changing water again. My question is how often you and all of you siphon the gravel and how easy I should be on the sponge? What do you think about my plan? Thanks Lucc