Help please
We have two tanks
(a) 500 litres. Established over 5 years. Contains: 4 silver dollars, 3 Salmon Tails, 6 Tiger Barbs, 2 Loaches, 2 Moris, Numerous electric yellows (that breed rampantly), 2 Electric Blues, 2 Red Empress. All are healthy and happy ... EXCEPT for the Red Forest Jewel (the last survivor from this tank .. now in hospital)
(B) 300 litres. Established around 7 months. Contains: 3 angels, 3 severums, 4 sucker fish, 3 guarmis. Also healthy and happy ... EXCEPT to Two red forest jewels (also in hospital).
Our Red Jewel saga. We have tried repeatedly in the 500 litre tank to house these fish ... any every time, they start off as beautiful fish, exhibiting red colours with blue dots. We were even blessed with two that bred (although most babies were eaten). We managed to salvage around 12 small fry, but only 2 grew up in a separate nursery. When these two reached around 1 inch long, we moved them to the 300 litre tank. They continue to grow, appearing to thrive and reached around 2.5 inches. Then, almost overnight, they started to rest on top of the filters, and then on the bottom of the tank. They started to lose their colour, and began this 'silly swim' where they roll sideways and flick themselves around the tank. Soon after this was noticed, one died. The other was moved to hospital where he joined two others (both from the 500 litre tank).
It is now around 10 days since they were moved. All have the 'silly swim', and their colour is not good. They are in a 40 litre tank. We have been treating it with a Bacterial and Fungal treatment, by Interpret. This is a daily treatment for 5 days - but since all the residents did not arrive together we have continued the treatment for 8 days. We have been performing regular water changes, and also adding (on alternate days) Melafix and Pimafix.
All three are still alive, and will eat frozen food daily. The largest one (around 3.5 inches) stays at the top at a 45 degree angle. One of the others is also at the top at a similar angle. The other just rests on the bottom. They all 'silly swim'.
We are really not sure how to proceed from here. We also have Myxazin and Protozin on hand, but have not used these products this time. Part of the problem is that we do not know what we are treating ?? swim bladder, ?? velvet ??, ???
It would be great to hear from some one who has had similar experiences, and even better if someone can explain what it is that we are doing wrong. As indicated previously, all other fish are fine - but both tanks, either with red jewels bought from the shop, and even those bred at home, end up with the same condition.
------
Here is some further info on our tank chemistry and cleaning routines:
1.The last time we bought red jewels was around Sept 2005, when we bought 6 or 7 from our regular, reputable aquarium shop. All was well for the first couple of months, and then a couple of them developed symptoms as described previouly. The rest were OK, and around January this year we had many babies - most were eaten but 2 grew to around 2 inches. Following the births, some of the remaining jewels also developed the same problem.
We have managed to save 3 - 1 male and 1 female from the 500 litre tank, and 1 of the 2 new borns, that grew up in the 300 litre tank. All three are now in hospital.
2. Tank maintenance. We change water weekly, and do gravel cleans / filter cleans approx fortnightly.
3. Tank chemistry
A. 500l PH 7.4, Nitrite zero, Ammonia zero, Nitrate 35 mg/l
B. 300l PH 7.3, Nitrite zero, Ammonia zero, Nitrate 30 mg/l
C. 40l (hospital) PH 7.4, Nitrite 5mg/l, Ammonia zero, Nitrate 30mg/l
Thanks for reading - I really look forward to hearing from the experts.
We have two tanks
(a) 500 litres. Established over 5 years. Contains: 4 silver dollars, 3 Salmon Tails, 6 Tiger Barbs, 2 Loaches, 2 Moris, Numerous electric yellows (that breed rampantly), 2 Electric Blues, 2 Red Empress. All are healthy and happy ... EXCEPT for the Red Forest Jewel (the last survivor from this tank .. now in hospital)
(B) 300 litres. Established around 7 months. Contains: 3 angels, 3 severums, 4 sucker fish, 3 guarmis. Also healthy and happy ... EXCEPT to Two red forest jewels (also in hospital).
Our Red Jewel saga. We have tried repeatedly in the 500 litre tank to house these fish ... any every time, they start off as beautiful fish, exhibiting red colours with blue dots. We were even blessed with two that bred (although most babies were eaten). We managed to salvage around 12 small fry, but only 2 grew up in a separate nursery. When these two reached around 1 inch long, we moved them to the 300 litre tank. They continue to grow, appearing to thrive and reached around 2.5 inches. Then, almost overnight, they started to rest on top of the filters, and then on the bottom of the tank. They started to lose their colour, and began this 'silly swim' where they roll sideways and flick themselves around the tank. Soon after this was noticed, one died. The other was moved to hospital where he joined two others (both from the 500 litre tank).
It is now around 10 days since they were moved. All have the 'silly swim', and their colour is not good. They are in a 40 litre tank. We have been treating it with a Bacterial and Fungal treatment, by Interpret. This is a daily treatment for 5 days - but since all the residents did not arrive together we have continued the treatment for 8 days. We have been performing regular water changes, and also adding (on alternate days) Melafix and Pimafix.
All three are still alive, and will eat frozen food daily. The largest one (around 3.5 inches) stays at the top at a 45 degree angle. One of the others is also at the top at a similar angle. The other just rests on the bottom. They all 'silly swim'.
We are really not sure how to proceed from here. We also have Myxazin and Protozin on hand, but have not used these products this time. Part of the problem is that we do not know what we are treating ?? swim bladder, ?? velvet ??, ???
It would be great to hear from some one who has had similar experiences, and even better if someone can explain what it is that we are doing wrong. As indicated previously, all other fish are fine - but both tanks, either with red jewels bought from the shop, and even those bred at home, end up with the same condition.
------
Here is some further info on our tank chemistry and cleaning routines:
1.The last time we bought red jewels was around Sept 2005, when we bought 6 or 7 from our regular, reputable aquarium shop. All was well for the first couple of months, and then a couple of them developed symptoms as described previouly. The rest were OK, and around January this year we had many babies - most were eaten but 2 grew to around 2 inches. Following the births, some of the remaining jewels also developed the same problem.
We have managed to save 3 - 1 male and 1 female from the 500 litre tank, and 1 of the 2 new borns, that grew up in the 300 litre tank. All three are now in hospital.
2. Tank maintenance. We change water weekly, and do gravel cleans / filter cleans approx fortnightly.
3. Tank chemistry
A. 500l PH 7.4, Nitrite zero, Ammonia zero, Nitrate 35 mg/l
B. 300l PH 7.3, Nitrite zero, Ammonia zero, Nitrate 30 mg/l
C. 40l (hospital) PH 7.4, Nitrite 5mg/l, Ammonia zero, Nitrate 30mg/l
Thanks for reading - I really look forward to hearing from the experts.
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