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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Sick Bass, PLEASE HELP!!!
So I finally got a 5-inch spotted bass or largemouth bass, idk which one, and it has been doing fine for about a week. It has been eating worms and goldfish. His temperature is at about 72 F, and the pH is at about 7, I'm pretty sure. He poops ALOT, and is a really nice looking fish, but today he is almost pitch black, and I am really scared. Any ideas what's wrong with him  His whole body is EXTREMELY dark. Maybe the poop fouled the water ? PLEASE HELP. Thanks. |
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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sounds like hes in an unclcled tank. do a 50% water change IMMEDIETLY. start treating ur water with prime, and read about the aquarium nitrogen cycle
ps. a fish as big as a bass needs a tank towards 100 gallons
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Master
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Hi bassman..can you get a reading of your water parimeters for us? hope he gets better!
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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The thing is, though, that for a little over a week already he's been seeming to be in perfect health. Why would this just happen now??
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Master
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Ammonia and nitrites dont always show up right away in the fish...ive seen it happen even 2 weeks after...depending on the size of your tank and the fish in it...it mite take a bit to affect them  |
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Could it be possible that maybe since it has been completely sunny, dry and not a cloud in the sky for a month here on Long Island, NY, and all of sudden today the whole day has been a cloudy rainstorm?? Maybe my bass is just changing with the weather? He IS right below a little window..? Is there any chance of this? Thanks alot, guys.
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Master
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can you again post the readings of your tank? size, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? I dont think the weather has anything to do with it...but one never knows for sure..being right below a window, mite have made high nitrates from the sun if it directly shines into the tank...
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Mentor
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 My first reaction is to be flip and write something not kind.
I'll try not to come across that way, but basically you chose to take this fish out of its natural habitat, and keep it for your enjoyment....thus you have the responsibility to research what it needs, and take the best care you can.
Please read the post here on fishlore about the nitrogen cycle.
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
Your fish is stressing out! That color change is not from cloudy weather!
You need to do some water tests, we recommend the API Master test kit for freshwater (liquid), and if you will post the results for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. We will be better able to help you.
In the mean time like lilsoccakid stated, you need to do a 50% water change, and continue doing these daily until your tank has completed its nitrogen cycle.
I also believe this fish would be much happier around 60 degrees, than at temperatures over 70.... in the wild they start to spawn at 60 and they tend to live in water where they can get down to cooler spots as the summer warms up. Hope you can get this worked out... 
Last edited by susitna-flower; April 28th, 2008 at 07:53 PM.
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Mentor
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I would research about feeding it goldfish? that isn't a natural food for bass.. they don't swim in our lakes here in the us.. I would be buying shiners to feed it. They do change color w/ the weather btw. However if you didn't cycle your tank.. that will stress your fish out.. the nitrogen cycle should be complete before you put a fish in the tank.
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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I'm almost positive that the nitrogen cycle has been completed, though? I mean, I've never used testing kits before other than pH testers. This tank has been cycling for a little over a month, and I (with plenty of guilt, believe me) have used feeder goldfish to help speed it up. The last 4 goldfish I had (that didn't die) survived for a long time, and the only reason they died was because bassy ate em. I'll still buy the kit and check it up, and also change the water. Any other possible reasons that it became so dark?? I mean, it's still eating worms, as that's the only thing I've been trying to feed it (twice) today.
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Master
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what size is your tank bassman?
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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55 or 60
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Master
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if thats gallons, it will take a couple months with daily water changes to cycle..unless you used some bio spira, filter media from an already cycled tank, decorations or gravel from an already cycled tank...otherwise, you need a test kit to find out what exactly is going on...the api master liquid test kit is the best IMO ...im sticking with the fact its not cycled yet...goodluck and I hope your bass gets better
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April 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Thanks a lot everyone, I'll buy the API test kit and change some water as often as possible. It's strange, because now bassy seems to be doing fine, vigorously wolfing down nightcrawlers, but that DANG dark tint is scaring the heck out of me. You guys think he can still make it ? (if your likely-to-be-correct predictions are right)?
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May 1st, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Oh yeah, can anyone let me know how I should clean bassy's poop? The filter won't get it; it's too heavy. Should I use a fine net or something?
Thanks.
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May 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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Use a gravel vacuum attachment when you are doing water changes.
Someone here said that your fish needs a tank around 100g. That's nowhere near close. These guys get HUGE. I would say 200g would hold you over for a year or two, maybe a bit more, but eventually, he/she will need a pond that ranks in the thousands of gallons.
Susitna also hit an important point with the temperature. I wouldn't even bother with a heater in that tank. Bass are temperate fish, like goldfish. They aren't tropical, and don't need a steady water temp. Further, if your house gets too warm, you may have to figure out a way to cool the tank (shading it will go a long way towards this, if it becomes necessary).
Lastly, I wouldn't feed it goldfish, or any other "feeder" fish from the pet store. They're worthless as far as nutrition goes and will likely end up poisoning your fish. Bass eat bugs. Crickets from a petstore would be good. Bass eat smaller fish. I would suggest breeding minnows. They also eat frogs (I have no cost-effective suggestions for this one). Worms are an okay filler meal, but you want to be changing the menu constantly so he's getting a good diet.
Edit: One more question: You say you're not sure if you got a spotted or a largemouth. Did the seller not know? There is a way to tell, though. The spotted bass' jaw doesn't extend much beyond the eye when the mouth is closed, while the largemouth's jaw extends far behind the eye.
Last edited by sirdarksol; May 1st, 2008 at 06:36 PM.
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May 1st, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sirdarksol
Use a gravel vacuum attachment when you are doing water changes.
Someone here said that your fish needs a tank around 100g. That's nowhere near close. These guys get HUGE. I would say 200g would hold you over for a year or two, maybe a bit more, but eventually, he/she will need a pond that ranks in the thousands of gallons.
Susitna also hit an important point with the temperature. I wouldn't even bother with a heater in that tank. Bass are temperate fish, like goldfish. They aren't tropical, and don't need a steady water temp. Further, if your house gets too warm, you may have to figure out a way to cool the tank (shading it will go a long way towards this, if it becomes necessary).
Lastly, I wouldn't feed it goldfish, or any other "feeder" fish from the pet store. They're worthless as far as nutrition goes and will likely end up poisoning your fish. Bassn eat bugs. Crickets from a petstore would be good. Bass eat smaller fish. I would suggest breeding minnows. They also eat frogs (I have no cost-effective suggestions for this one). Worms are an okay filler meal, but you want to be changing the menu constantly so he's getting a good diet.
Edit: One more question: You say you're not sure if you got a spotted or a largemouth. Did the seller not know? There is a way to tell, though. The spotted bass' jaw doesn't extend much beyond the eye when the mouth is closed, while the largemouth's jaw extends far behind the eye.
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First off, thanks alot for the help.
1. My tank is 55g. The bass is only 5 inches, and he still seems big in the tank. My buddy has a nice pond, so when the bass gets too large, I'm guessing that'll be around 10 inches, I will release him into the pond, where he will be fine I'm pretty sure.
2. After the suggestion, I lowered the temp from 72 degrees F to about 68-69 degrees F. Believe it or not, bassy seems to be better today, maybe because of the temp change, who knows.
3. As far as his diet goes, he mostly eats nightcrawlers (I have a VERY steady & easy supply of those at my house). Every 2 or 3 dies I switch it up and feed him goldfish, mainly because the only baitshop/petstore near me that even had shiners went out of business. The pet shop that renevated the old baitshop only had feeder goldfish (thus I feed him them). THANK GOD, this same petstore just recently introduced more types of bait!! (shiners, crayfish, etc.) So I think I'm switching from goldfish to shiners. Do you think crayfish are good for him? Does the claws/shell of them get stuck in the bass's system or something?
4. No one sold me this bass, my brother caught him. I'll check those clues that you gave me to tell if its a spot or bucketmouth.
Once again, THANKS!!!! |
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May 2nd, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Small crayfish would be a nice treat. I have caught plenty of largemouth with them. Although it seems that smallmouth really like them a lot more. Shiners would be your best bet as its main diet though.
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