Sick fish? HELP!!!

L

Laz A

In Memoriam
my new clowns seemed ok at the LFS, I saw them eat pellets before i bought them yesterday. Today I just got home and see the males pectoral fins a little beat up (theyre missing piees at the edges), and when I bought them they were sold as a pair and were housed alone together so im sure its not fighting, theyre also always together.
They also seem to be breathing real fast and didnt take mysis shimp i just tried to feed (maybe theyre only useto pellets?).

BTW, i drip acclimated for about 2-2.5 hrs yesterday and the SG matched my tanks perfectly, the PH was very slightly off (theirs was a bit lower, maybe 7.6 or 7.7 and mine is 7.8)
Can anyone help pls? I really dont want to loose these clowns, feel free to call my cell if you can give me some help to save these fish. Im gonna get some pellets at the store now to see if that works.
305-898-0525

HELP!!!
 
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theyre my first fish.
BTW I tested parameters before feeding just now and the only difference is a .001 increase in SG and from 0 to .1 ammonia raise.
 
It looks like the ammonia spike may be affecting them, can you place an airstone with a airpump full blast to try to increase the oxygen level in the water, there is not much more than you can do.
 
yes it is, the ammonia is necessary to get the bacteria population going, water change at this point will only delay the process more and stress the fish.
You could try some of those live nitrifying bacteria cultures, Marineland makes one that I heard is very good, it is call bio (something) ??
 
I'm going to go completely against what Rogger is recommending (sorry, Rog). The ammonia spike you're experience is ccreated by a lack of nitrifying bacteria, but there is NO reason to let it run up excessively. The game of bacterial population dynamics that we call "cycling" does not need to run unchecked to be effective. If response to the ammonia spike, your tank will actually grow excess bacteria to process that ammonia. The more you let ammonia get out of hand, the more stuff it kills off in LR and whatnot, and the higher ammonia goes. The bacteria will continue to reproduce and eventually catch up. Once the excess supply of ammonia is used up, the excess bacteria die off until the population decreases to wehre it matches your rate of ammonia production.

I would encourage you to do substantial water changes as needed to keep the ammonia level below .25ppm (or less) at all times. Bacteria will still develop to process the waste produced by your fish, and you greatly increase their odds of survival. You'll just be smoothing out the bumps in the bacterial populations.

Frayed/torn fins can also be an early sign of brooklynella in clowns. That, and fast breathing were the first indications we saw with ours. The next day they had the obvious white/sloughing skin. Be on the lookout in case something like this develops.
 
I cannot find bio spira anywhere :( if anyone knows where i can find some locally let me know pls. Although im not even sure if "cycle" does anything at all I bought it when I just got my air pump to make me feel a little better.
I would like some bio spira though, if someone knows where to get it
 
Heres a picture of my test today... Sometimes I cant match colors well for some reason specially different shades of the same color. I believe its between 0 and .25 ppm but closer to 0.

IMG_8804.jpg



IMG_8798.jpg
 
Well Hewy and Dewy answered :D I will give my .02 :D take the fish back to LFS or a friend and give enough time for your tank to cycle. The fish are as good as gone if you dont do that :D
 
before getting any LS in my tank I tested 0 Ammonia and nitritres and thats with a dead snail in the tank (i found it during my water change before adding fish). I wasnt trying to be impatient, I did it because from what the tests said I was good. Not to mention all my rock came from an established tank.
 
My ammonia seems to have hit 0 but the fish are still breathing heavyly and not eating. what else could this be? Only thing I can possibly think of is maybe something fell in my water and emitted some toxins (although my tank has the NC hood).
I wanted to put some carbon in the tank but I dont know where in the tank that can be. I have the first chamber which is where the water skims in through empty, the middle has a ball of cheato in the bottom and thats it, and the third has my return pump and heater. Any ideas on how I can do this?
 
hi,

i have a question, when did you start cycling? and when did you place your first fish in the tank?

hope everythings be fine for you and those fish

jun
 
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