water emergencies (moved over from tropical forum)

[turnip]

So I'm all confused, I set up my first tank on April 18th, got the temp all set (24c) and everything was fine, checked pH level, which was perfectly fine (7.5), made the tap water safe etc. From following the instructions in the test kit I bought, on day 3 I added my fish, 2 lion heads, and added the Filter start solution. I followed the daily instructions for the 2 weeks it said it would take for the tank to mature. Gradually the nitrite test results became less pink - as instructed to aim for a totally clear test I was hopeful all was going well. On the 27th April my nitrite test results were still coming back in the region of 0.25 mg/l to 0.1 mg/l. During this time I noticed one fish (Squishy! -dont laugh!) appeared rather more bouyant than he should, resting at the top of the tank in the corner alot, seemed as though when at the bottom he was being dragged up and couldn't help it. I immediatly thought of swimbladder. I conducted a 25% water change, treated the new water with fresh start, checked the pH (still fine) but the nitrite was slightly more pink, I estimated approx 0.5 mg/l.

I bought interpet swim bladder solution and added the first dose on sunday May 2nd, along with a table spoon of Doc Wellfish aqurium salts. Apparently the swim bladder treatment is of 4 doses added on day 1,4,8 and 12. In the booklet with the medication it said to remove the carbon filter medium from the aquarium so I took out the black carbon sponge (as my tank has a Juwel compact super filter system, 1 fine blue sponge, one course blue, the black carbon sponge and a white filter pad). It also said to take out the zeolite (ammonia remover) but I dont know what that is?! I also added the filter care (no. 1 filter start) solution as it said it was still safe to use. Today 4th May I checked the nitrite levels again and was alarmed to see that the results were bright deep pink- 4.0 mg/l the worst result I've had, and since it was supposed to be decreasing over time I dont know whats going on why its suddenly leaped.

I dont know what to do, is this result because I've added the salts and medication? Is it because I took the black carbon sponge out? Since nitrites are harmful I wouldn't have expected the levels to rise when adding disease treatment. I dont know how to fix this problem.

I have no live plants in my tank, I only have 2 fish at the moment as I was establishing the tank properly before introducing anymore. The tank measures 24x12x12 and is therefore approx 50.5 litres (5.5 gal) so its not an over stocking problem either! There's nothing dead in there (as I read from another post). I increased the aeration by adding a bubble diver as the medication said it affects the oxygen carrying capacity of the water. I'm all out of ideas. HELP!!

 

[koimom]

Would the green pea method work here, I wonder? Some people have recommended feeding a bit of cooked, squished green pea to the fish to help it out. I don't know if this would work for you, but maybe someone else in the group could have a recommendation...

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I would not feed for 1-3 days and then feed with peas as koimom recommended.

What size is your tank? You might want to look in the beginners secion about avoiding new tasnk syndrome. You are cycling your tank and will have to be careful for your fish whilst the chemicals are at unsafe levels.

Aquarium salt will not have harmed your fish, I find it very good for goldfish as an aid to medicine and as a general stress reliever.

GL

 

[turnip]

Thanks,

How mant peas should I feed them? Somone else suggested live blood worms...any suggestions?

Dawn

 

[ryan]

Taken from a previous post of mine involving swim bladder and treatments:

1. Feed your fish a couple of peas. That's right, peas. Just get some frozen peas, thaw them, and feed them to your fish. A professor of fish medicine at N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine has done this in several cases with very good results. He thinks that the peas somehow encourage destruction of the impaction. No hard scientific evidence, but it's worth a try.

2. Fast your fish for a couple of days. Withhold all food for three or four days, and sometimes this alone will break up the impaction and return things to normal. Most fish can go a week to ten days without food and be just fine.

3. Periodic aspiration of the swim bladder works very well. Basically, you stick a needle in the swim bladder and suck out some of the air. Not something to be entered into lightly, but does work well. This is not a cure, but a successful treatment.

Some of these treatments seem a bit extreme but it is worth giving a couple of them a try before going to the vets. There is also a Partial pneumocystectomy. This is another word for surgical removal of part of the swim bladder. But this is for the Vetnary side of things so is probably out of the question unless you know a vet that has performed such a procedure. (Very rare, heard about it through a Goldfish breeder).

Hope this helps.

 

[kaz petts]

Live blood worm or peas. Blood worm does help reduce swim bladder problems and when my fish had problems with swim bladder I fed it peas, as many as it would eat in a few seconds, probably about 3 or 4.
It will take some time for your tank to settle totally and you will get peaks here and there, I had ammonia problems when I set up my tank.
I lost an awful lot of fish this way, they had problem after problem. The fact that I overstocked the tank didn't help either.
How big is your tank. The general rule is 1 goldfish per 10uk/8us gallon (appologies if you already know this rule)
Good luck,
Kaz Petts

 

[LaineyG79]

Hi...you could also try floating the affected fish in a small jar/container to equalise the pressure in the swim bladder. I used this method on a Black Moor and it worked wonders.

You take a jam jar or similar type of container, fill it to about 2 inches from the top with water from the aquarium and then add the affected fish. Leave the jar to float around the surface of the aquarium for up to an hour. Then just release it back......this seems to equalise the pressure, and has never failed for me!