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Date: 02 Mar 2004 08:29:43
From: Ray
Subject: fish problem after cleaning
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I have a 40 gal tank with a moor, and 2 fantails in it. Yesterday, as every week, I did a 15% water change, wiped the glass, secured the plants AGAIN, moving a couple slightly - nothing I don't do every week. But the fish now are very sluggish. One of the fantails spends most of its time sitting on the bottom in the corner and when she does swim it's very erratic - dashing all over the tank, rather than gliding through the water like she usually does. I've checked the water - PH is 6.5, nitrates less than .3 - conditions seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, they weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday morning - Anyone any ideas what could be wrong?
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Date: 02 Mar 2004 07:44:00
From: Donald K
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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Ray wrote: > 've checked the water - PH is 6.5, nitrates less than .3 - conditions > seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, > they weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday > morning - Anyone any ideas what could be wrong? That seems like a strange nitrAte number to me, usually they'd be in the units or decades range... The ammonia and nitrIte numbers might be interesting. One GUESS is that you may have stirred up "toxic muck" out of the gravel. (Note: There is a debate in this group if gravel goes toxic). Anyhow, given the strong correlation between all three fish acting strangely and the water change/cleaning, I would say something's wrong. (Duh). If it were me, I'd do the 50% water change with treated, temperature-matched, aged (24 hours if possible) water and see if they perk up. Also smell the tank. Any noticible odors? My $0.02US. -D -- "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." -Herm Albright
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Date: 02 Mar 2004 15:03:44
From: leslie manzara
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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On 2004-03-02 09:44:00 -0600, Donald K <kernsdSPAMLIGHTNINGROD@aol.com > said: > Ray wrote: > > > 've checked the water - PH is 6.5, nitrates less than .3 - conditions > > seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, > > they weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday > > morning - Anyone any ideas what could be wrong? > > That seems like a strange nitrAte number to me, usually they'd be in the > units or decades range... > > The ammonia and nitrIte numbers might be interesting. > > One GUESS is that you may have stirred up "toxic muck" out of the > gravel. (Note: There is a debate in this group if gravel goes toxic). > > Anyhow, given the strong correlation between all three fish acting > strangely and the water change/cleaning, I would say something's wrong. > (Duh). > > If it were me, I'd do the 50% water change with treated, > temperature-matched, aged (24 hours if possible) water and see if they > perk up. > > Also smell the tank. Any noticible odors? > > My $0.02US. > > -D > -- > "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy > enough people to make it worth the effort." -Herm Albright > I agree 100%, proper water change ASAP
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Date: 03 Mar 2004 21:38:05
From: Watkins Lady
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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I did an experiment with my guppies a few months back. They seemed sickly after water changes, too, so I stopped vacuuming the gravel at every change. I don't have the guppies anymore, but I have found that the GF are happier with monthly vaccuuming rather than weekly. My weekly routines are such: wk1, vacuum + water wk2, water only wk3, water and run siphon across top of gravel (do not vacuum deep) wk4, water only. This works, for whatever reason. Now, I have sand in one tank, bare bottom in another and very little gravel in the 3rd. I surmise that the vacuuming was taking out good bio-bugs too often. But, that's just my humble opionion. I think you have to find what works for you since everyone feeds different, different filters, etc... If my gravel was deeper, it could be a different story, too.
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Date: 04 Mar 2004 16:20:31
From: Dark Phoenix
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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"Watkins Lady" <aquascapes@sympaticonospam.ca > wrote in message news:EDw1c.6975$jw2.439454@news20.bellglobal.com... > I did an experiment with my guppies a few months back. They seemed sickly > after water changes, too, so I stopped vacuuming the gravel at every change. > I don't have the guppies anymore, but I have found that the GF are happier > with monthly vaccuuming rather than weekly. >>>>>>>>>> I surmise that the vacuuming > was taking out good bio-bugs too often. But, that's just my humble > opionion. I think you have to find what works for you since everyone feeds > different, different filters, etc... If my gravel was deeper, it could be a > different story, too. > > Perhaps, like cats running and hiding from the floor vaccuum, they are just upset by the gravel vacc whoosing around in the tank, too. Mine do run from it, whereas they don't run from my hands (unless I'm trying to catch them) -- Laurie, Dark Phoenix dark_phoenix@netw.com Here I am! Now, what were your other two wishes?
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Date: 02 Mar 2004 15:25:08
From:
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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do you have gravel? if you moved the plants anaerobic gases could have escaped and toxed the fish. I dont think your nitrates are less than 0.3 whatever. you mean nitrites? your pH is low, and you dont mention using some kind of buffer... what is the hardness of your water? is the pH the same in the tap water? Ingrid "Ray" <noto@NOSPAM.co.uk > wrote: >I have a 40 gal tank with a moor, and 2 fantails in it. Yesterday, as every >week, I did a 15% water change, wiped the glass, secured the plants AGAIN, >moving a couple slightly - nothing I don't do every week. But the fish now >are very sluggish. One of the fantails spends most of its time sitting on >the bottom in the corner and when she does swim it's very erratic - dashing >all over the tank, rather than gliding through the water like she usually >does. I've checked the water - PH is 6.5, nitrates less than .3 - conditions >seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, they >weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday morning - >Anyone any ideas what could be wrong? > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List http://puregold.aquaria.net/ www.drsolo.com Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.
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Date: 02 Mar 2004 14:00:27
From: Geezer From Freezer
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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Ray wrote: > > I have a 40 gal tank with a moor, and 2 fantails in it. Yesterday, as every > week, I did a 15% water change, wiped the glass, secured the plants AGAIN, > moving a couple slightly - nothing I don't do every week. But the fish now > are very sluggish. One of the fantails spends most of its time sitting on > the bottom in the corner and when she does swim it's very erratic - dashing > all over the tank, rather than gliding through the water like she usually > does. I've checked the water - PH is 6.5, nitrates less than .3 - conditions > seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, they > weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday morning - > Anyone any ideas what could be wrong? Not sure, PH seems a little low. Might want to put a buffer in there. Did you temp match the water, did you treat the water for Chlorines/chloramines? What are your Ammonia and Nitrite readings? Do you have an airstone?
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Date: 02 Mar 2004 08:44:04
From: axeman chris
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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"Ray" <noto@NOSPAM.co.uk > wrote in message news:LEX0c.16143$Y%6.1469207@wards.force9.net... > I have a 40 gal tank with a moor, and 2 fantails in it. Yesterday, as every > week, I did a 15% water change, wiped the glass, secured the plants AGAIN, > moving a couple slightly - nothing I don't do every week. But the fish now > are very sluggish. One of the fantails spends most of its time sitting on > the bottom in the corner and when she does swim it's very erratic - dashing > all over the tank, rather than gliding through the water like she usually > does. I've checked the water - PH is 6.5, nitrates less than .3 - conditions > seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, they > weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday morning - > Anyone any ideas what could be wrong? Did you add water treatment to get rid of chlorine & chloramine? Jacqui > >
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Date: 02 Mar 2004 10:31:31
From: Edward Cowling
Subject: Re: fish problem after cleaning
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"Ray" <noto@NOSPAM.co.uk > wrote in message news:LEX0c.16143$Y%6.1469207@wards.force9.net... > seem perfect. They don't seem to have any ks or spots on them, they > weren't caught when I was cleaning and they were fine yesterday morning - > Anyone any ideas what could be wrong? > > Only a guess because everything you did seems per your routine. Did you check the temperature of the fill up water ? If the heater is playing up you could have given them a bit of stress if the water temperature difference is large. -- Edward Cowling - London - UK
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