Parrot problems

[jo_doug]

Hi,
Can anyone help please ?
Yesterday we changed approx 40% - 50% of the tank water, it had become very dirty & smelly due to a clogged filter. During the water change the Parrot went white as she usually does during this. Last night she was very lethargic, not bullying the other fishes as she usually does. This morning when we came downstairs she was in the corner of the tank, pointing downwards & appeared to be struggling for breath. I netted her & blew into her mouth with a straw. To which she usually responds. Today we have had no huge response, she's still white, seems to have a swollen part to her stomach, won't eat & is still extremly lethargic. She can't be bothered with anything. She's also sitting very low in the water. She will swim around a little, then return to the bottom.

Could this be Swimbladder ? or could there be something else wrong with her?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
Joanna

PS Sorry if these pics are too big

How she normally looks

How she looks tonight.

 

[WILDER]

Or bless her she does look pale, write need to no tank size, how many fish and which type, stats results in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, swollen tummy can mean a few things, can she maintain her balance in the water, what do you feed the fish, what does it look like when she goes to the toilet, the heavy breathing is a real concern, not sounding good i'm afraid.

 

[jo_doug]

Thanks Wilder,


Tank size is 182 litres.

22 fish including the poorly parrot
2 x Sailfin Plec
4 X Gourami
2 x Catfish
2 x Silver Sharks
2 x Mollies
2 x Angelfish ( Why they are called angels I'll never know Lol)
4 x Platys
3 x Lemon

PH - 7.0
High Range PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0.50
Nitrates - 1.0
Nitrate - 40

Temp @ present is 27*c
70*f

We feed them Bloodworm, JMC Cat Fish Pellets, Waltham Tropical Flake Food, also prawns.

We're using Fluval 4, Fluval 404 External & Fluval 104 External Filters.

She's been swimming around a little bit in the last hour, she seems to circle then return to the bottom of the tank. This is better than all day where she's been almost on her side.
Not sure about when she's been going to the toilet, except last night it was transparent

 

[WILDER]

Overstocked really the bala sharks are going to need a bigger tank soon, how long has it been cycling, as your tank isn't cycled yet, i would do an immediate water change explain the heavy breathing.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=54527

 

[WILDER]

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...rygop/148_f.php

 

[WILDER]

the plec as you have probably read is a big waste producer, how long has the tank been set up.

 

[jo_doug]

Ok you've lost me now.

We changed between 40 & 50% of the water last night. Does this mean it has to recycle ? Can this be speeded up by adding anything to the tank ?

@ the size of the Sharks when fully grown. I blame my Mum Lol the fish originally belonged to her, we've just taken them over when she moved out.

Believe it or not Wilder (you'll probably cringe now, I can see the look on your face in my imagination! ) These fish used to get transferred into a bucket, my Mum would clean out their tank, fill it back up with Tap water, add NO Chemicals etc & put them back into the tank.

Guess, We've been lucky with them ?? They've been in our possession for 12 months

Jo

 

[jo_doug]

the plec as you have probably read is a big waste producer, how long has the tank been set up.

[snapback]866211[/snapback]​

The tanks been set up for over 6 months, Algae prob in the beginning but up until now its been fine.

 

[tttnjfttt]

When you do water changes, are you using dechlorinator? Also, a water change of 40-50% is way too big and can stress out your fish, as you have noticed from your parot always being pale after a water change.

Have you recently cleaned out your filter, or rinsed it off in tap water?

 

[WILDER]

To be honest i've nearly heard it all, so don't worry, you wouldn't be here if you didn't care, what size filter is it how many gallons does it turn over an hour,, as the filter might not be coping with the load.

 

[WILDER]

Do you do gravel vacs or sand vac if you have either one.

 

[jo_doug]

Hi again Wilder, errrm Fluval 4, Fluval 104, Fluval 404? Not sure how many gallons it turns over. We just assumed three filters, (Two external would be enough)
You're right, we do care about the fish. We've all grown attached to them. It would be a great shame if we lost the parrot as she is such a character

When you do water changes, are you using dechlorinator? Also, a water change of 40-50% is way too big and can stress out your fish, as you have noticed from your parot always being pale after a water change.

Have you recently cleaned out your filter, or rinsed it off in tap water?

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Hi ttnjfttt, we did that % water change due to a filter problem, the water was disgusting. We do add dechlorinater. We cleaned all the filters out last night, they were rinsed out in tap water, but they always have been. The fish were always placed straight back into tap water with No chemicals by my Mum. We now add dechlorinater etc, & have done for the past 6 months. Up until last night/today the fish have been fine. It only seems to be the parrot who is having problems for some reason.

 

[jo_doug]

Do you do gravel vacs or sand vac if you have either one.

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I think its a Gravel Vac.

 

[WILDER]

Never rinse sponges in tap water it destroy the bacteria colony, when they get gunked up you just swill them in old tank water, this is why are tank keeps cycling through cleaning the sponges in tap water, you are destroying the bacteria that converts nitrites into nitrate.