Poorly Blackmoor

[Woolf]

Hi, wondered if I could get some advice / reassurance?

My new blackmoor doesn't look to healthy

The story so far - I set up this new tank 4 weeks ago, waited a week for it to settle (I hadn't heard of cycling at the time) a bit before buying a little blackmoor.

He was fine for a few days but as the nitrite rose he started getting a cloudy white coat, which is now covering his eyes too. His fins have been clamped for the last 2 weeks too.

He's still feeding (lightly) and swimming around, but spends a lot of time gulping at the top, or hiding under things.

I've been doing a 20% water change every day since the nitrite started rising, and a weekly 50%. It's staying at around 0.25 - 0.5ppm. The ammonia is virtually zero, and the Ph is around 7.8.

I've also added some aquarium salt for temporary protection, and some anti-internal bacteria in case he's got a bug.

Is he likely to get over this? Two weeks seems a long time

 

[black angel]

How much salt is in the tank?
Because he is black, the slime coat is showing. The reason it is thickening is probably due to the water being wrong or there is a parasite on him.
Add 1 level teaspoon of aquarium salt to each gallon of water to raise the salinity to .1% and then do the same again 12 hours later to get to .2%. Hopefully this will help him shed the slime coat and help him breathe better through the nitrite phase.
Once the levels are 0 for ammonia and nitrite then you can take the salt out by doing partial water changes.
When doing water changes just now though remember how much water you take out so you can re add the salt.

 

[Woolf]

Thanks for that

Guess I just need to be patient a bit longer...

 

[George&Ade]

Good luck with the black moor.
Ive got one too...cute arnt they?