Need Emergency Help.

[Shirako]

Yesterday a few of my fish started dying and my water was gettin a little cloudy, I tested the water and the nitrates skyrocketed, so yesterday I did a more than 50% water change and that helped a little bid and later that night I added some aquarium salt, this morning I woke up to another dead fish and most of the other fish have a peeling effect going on an their eyes are whited out, I dont know what to do, I have several plants in the tank aswell, could the plants have something to do with it?
The tank is assorted with a pleco, some catfish, and tetras.
Nitrites ar about 1.0
Hardness is about 75
PH has dropped below 6.0
and my nitrates are definately in unsafe levels.

 

[Themuleous]

Do you know the ammonia level? How old is the tank? How big is the tank? Has the filter been off for an extended period of time? Is it even still working?

I would worry less about the nitrAte and more about the NitrIte. If fish are dieing I reckon you've got some ammonia in there too. The best thing you can do is to check that all the equipment is working and do daily 50% (the more the better) water changes, until it returns to normal, you might not save all the fish but that should help.

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

A nitrite of 1ppm is dangerously high and shouldn't occur in an appropriately stocked tank with mature biological filtration. As Sam suggests your ammonia levels may be high too.

Is the filter mature? Did you recently clean it? How old is the tank? What size and how many fish?

Plenty of water changes will help but long-term you need to figure out what has caused this spike.

There are also products available that neutralise nitrite and ammonia but as I suggested these are only a short term solution.

I doubt your plants will have not caused the problem. Unless they are severally rotting they won't contribute to any toxic nitrogen compounds, indeed if they are growing they use them as food.

I've moved this thread to the Emergency section.

 

[black angel]

Could be a ph crash.
Do you know the kh and gh as well?
What is the usual ph level and also check it from the tap.

How many gallons and how long has it been running?
What size of filter and is it new. How do you clean it out and how often.

I agree though that if youve got nitrites then ammonia will be there as well so get that tested as that can cause the same symptoms.

How much salt have you added? There might be a problem there.

Which fish are dying and whats your full stocking list and sizes

If you take a sample of the water to your fish store most can test for you, but ask them to write down the values.

 

[Shirako]

Sorry about posting in the wrong place, I was in a panic this morning as I wqas late for work and was in a rush, and thanks for all the replies, I tested the water and the ammonia was off the charts, I lost several more fish, but all the same species of tetra, I moved my pleco into my bettas 10g tank for now and moved the betta into his old gallon tank.
I am changing the water and will add ammo lock aftewards. I dont understand what happened it is a 55g freshwater tank, im running dual penguin bio-wheels, anf they both had new filters.
The tank was filled with mostly tetras, about 3 of them, about 6 neons and the rest medium sized guys.
1 big pleco
2 striped raphael catfish, one small one alittle bigger than the smaller one
Also I have had the tank running since the beginning of the summer.

 

[WILDER]

You say new filters, did you use the old sponges from the old filter.

 

[Shirako]

Sponges? The bio-wheel doesnt use sponges, it used turning wheels which collect beneficial bacteria, and the filters hold the carbon wrapped in filter material. both bio-wheel units are the same model, one is just newer than the other, when I bought the new unit I didnt think and put the old one in a box and let it dry up without letting the old filter cycle through, so I decided to just run them both, but this was several months ago.

 

[WILDER]

Right I see now.
How often do you do a gravel vac as plecs are massive waste producers.
The ph as altered as the tank stats are high.

 

[Shirako]

I admit I let my last water change go a bit longer than usual, but this occured just after about a 30% waterchange and gravel vac, I never change the water without vaccuming the gravel. I generall change it every week or two.

 

[WILDER]

Plec are messy and make a real mess in the substrate, get your vac out and remove ornments be surprised how much waste and debris there is underneath them the water will be black.

 

[Shirako]

Already did, hehe the water under there was pretty dark, but the gravel is as clean as I can get it, though I have a small gravel cleaner, im going to get a bigger one soon.

 

[WILDER]

Did water results go down.
Also have you used any meds in the tank.
I would also do some test on your tap water in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate.

How many gallons does that filter turn over as it sounds like its not doing its job.

 

[WILDER]

Been feeding any prawns and they have been rotting.
Sorry for all the question have to investigate to see whats causing the high test results.

 

[Shirako]

P Penguin BIO-Wheel 330 For aquariums up to 70 gallons Two BIO-Wheels, two Rite-Size "C" Filter Cartridges and two BIO-Baskets. Certified Flow: 330 GPH
I'm running two of these, one is just the older version of the new one.
No meds, all I have added is ammo lock and so far nothing, tested the water coming straight from the filterm no change. I havent tested since the ammo lock but ill do that in a little while, I'll test the tap water then too.
Also is ther eanything I can do for my Pleco? hes in a tank with clean water now but his eyes are glazed white, and hes sitting on the bottom at an angle im really worried about him right now. My 2 catfish seem unaffected by the amonia in the tank so I left them in there for now, no white eyes on them or anything.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Filter size is good so it can't be that.
I would look into your water supply.

Cloudy eye is a symtom of a desease not a desease in its self.
Bad water quality can cause it, parasites to bacterial infection, old age, stress, etc.

Look under cloudy eye.

http/www.2cah.com/pandora/Disease.html#Cloudyeye