the aftermath... i think i killed 'em...

[skye4jc]

well, i have a 3 gal hex which i have been using as a hospital tank for a platy w/ fin and tail rot, and a betta w/ popeye (only on one side).
all was well. i took my carbon out, and began using Maroxy (active ingredient: stabilized chlorine oxides). all seemed ok... the platy was improving.. but then i did a water test. i found chlorine in the water (about 1.0) and my salility was at .42% (i had added salt) and the nitrites were high (about 45-50 i think) and there was a tad ammonia present. so, i did a 30% water change, didnt add salt, and added extra dechlorinater and a little less that 1/4tsp of the meds.
all was well... or so i thought. went away for 2 days, but no-one was adding the meds (i had done 2 or 3 days by then... its a 5 day treatment). came back, tested the water (2 days after the water change), this is what i found:

ammonia: .05
Nitrites: 40
Nitrates: 0
KH: 40
GH: 60
PH: 7.0
Chlorine: 3.0!!!
Salinity: .25

so, being that the platy and betta were still looknig rough, i added 3/4 tsp of decholrinater (1tsp treats 5 gals) and 1/4 tsp of the Maroxy (1/2tsp treats 10 gals) and thought nothing of it. today (about 24 hrs later or so) my platy has gone to heaven, and my betta is fine, but im wondering... did i kill it? i mean, judging by the active ingredient (and it sounds like i O.D.ed on the meds), the chlorine in the water killed my fishes... or the nitrites.... or both. and, if thats the case...

1) why do they sell chlorine as a med?!!
2) why is my Betta not dead??

anyone know? how could i have prevented this now, or in the future? is that a dumb question?

has anyone used this med and had it work for them??

( mean, after i found her dead 5 mins ago, i looked on the package to see the active ingredient... lo and behold... didn't know it before though... arrgh!)

 

[Jezah]

Chlorine Oxides are not chlorine. They do however, read as chlorine on test strips. The nitrites were most likely what killed the platy. Do you have aeration in the hospital tank? Because Nitrites spike usually due to excess Co2 in the water. Co2 is directly effected by the oxygen level in the tank. The betta is probably ok cause he can grab air from the surface...but to me it sounds like you have a lack of Oxygen in the water.

P.S. Hex shaped bowls actually have less surface space for oxygen retention, so that is probably compounding your problems.

 

[skye4jc]

oh... wow. good thing youre here to help. i will throw an airstone in there (will that help??) and stop freaking out about the chlorine thing... and get a better shaped hospital tank asap - for future needs... hope i WONT need it though!

is an airstone (if you answered yes to the last question) the only thing i can do to up the O2 in that tank? should i just make it a betta home and call it quits with that tank??

and while we're talking about him... he has one eye (well, actually the lense - kinda like a blister) that bubbles out badly (even into his cheek) every so often. i mean, its always blown out, but some days its worse than others...

he swims around just fine, happy as a hippo in mud it seems, but the only thing it affects is his ability to see his food. his depth perception is all off (kinda like when we close one eye and try to reach for something a few feet away. lol!) i have tried Maracyn and now Maroxy, but its not better. what caused it and why is it not healing? will he always be like this now, or is there something i'm missing? do you think he's in pain or something??

 

[WILDER]

Is not eye flukes is it, does he look like he's eye s are irratating him.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry read it wrong if the eyes are bulging out you have popeye.
http/www.flippersandfins.net/pop-eye.htm

 

[Jezah]

That is a really informative site Wilder. Thanks. I would guess it is most likely a internal parasite, as gas bubble disease is rare and I am almost positive not the case. Bettas I am pretty sure cannot get it anyways. It is probably septicemia, and the treatment for that is Maracyn two...not regular Maracyn...regular Maracyn is only good for fungus/ich/anchor worms ECT. Maracyn 2 is the only one that is absorbed into the system. I would do a 20% water change and then add Maracyn 2. Just my opinion.