Fish Addict

Today I woke up with one of my danios dead. It was acting strange the end of yesterday, but otherwise nothing. Now I have noticed that one of my cories is acting werid. It will perch on a leaf and just lay pointed up... What could this be?
I just bought shrimp yesterday. could that be a reason, since both things were fine until they came in...

Fish Addict

Also, on both of my cories there is a blueish patch behind their gills. Is it bad, or have I just not noticed it before...

Shawnie

sorry for the loss of your danio

take readings for your water parimeters...thats ALWAYS the first place to start then maybe someone will have more answers for you

COBettaCouple

I'd do a 50% water change after testing the water. Nitrites especially could be a problem.

Fish Addict

It is now resting either on its side or flipped over... The last cory that died was doing that the night before it passed...

Alessa

sounds like nitrite poisoning? what are your readings?

Fish Addict

I can't test them till tommorrow morning... do yuo think it will last? I haven't had nitrates for months, so why would they suddenly show up?

Shawnie

you should have some NITRATES, you shouldnt have NITRITES ....even if you cant test, can you do some water changes? that will make a huge difference no matter what it is

Fish Addict

Whoops! I meant nitrites!!

I'll see if I can do a change... would just adding more water be all right? A lot has evaporated/been taken out...

COBettaCouple

It would be best to replace about 50% or so of the water in the tank.. to help lower any nitrites in there. I'd use some Prime to treat the water if you have it.

susitna-flower

Your tank is overstocked. I counted about 54 inches of fish in a 39 gallon tank...This is going to mean you need to do 25-50 % changes every few days to keep the nitrates down. Corys are often the first fish to show a problem with water quality.....but they are all suffering.

Do you vacuum the substrate? You need to be doing this as well as you change water. Good Luck

Fish Addict

I usually do waterchanges every 2 weeks...
Right now I don't really want to change the amount, since it will be hard to keep up once I'm gone.
And, no, I usually don't vacuum most of the gravel, since I have plants, and they use the nutrients... I do vac. where the plants aren't though...

Fish Addict

I put it in my little breeder box.. Right now it is lying on its side with its mouth open. It is still breathing, but i don't know how long it will last...

Lucy

CoBettaCouple and susitna-flower gave you good advice about changeing the water. It's especially important when you have an overstocked tank, sick fish and no way to test the water.

Fish Addict

I just tested my water and it turns out... I have NO ammonia or Nitrites!!

What could it be then?

I did have a low GH & KH (3 & 4) but could that do it?
My test results are on my aquarium info

Fish Addict

With the new results, should I still put in some Prime?

Lucy

I would continue to use it, it can only help.

Did you stop using a water conditioner or switch to Prime to help with the problems you're having?

There are several members who use Prime as their conditioner whether they're having problems or not.

Fish Addict

What do you mean by conditioner?

Lucy

A water conditioner to remove the chlorine chloramines and heavy metals from your tap water.

Alessa

Conditioner is the thing you use to take chlorine and chloramines out of the tap water... (prime, amquel, stress coat...etc) some like in the case of prime help reduce nitrite/ammonia toxicity in tanks when you add over 5 times the normal required amount.

Like Lucy and susitna-flower said the only thing you can do is 50% water changes with prime. Since your tank is overstocked it is the only thing that can help you.

Fish Addict

Yes, I have always used prime as my conditioner...
Also, why would I need to use prime or do water changes if my water is fine?

Lucy

You use a water conditioner to remove the chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals from your tap water, they are deadly to your fish.

Water changes do several things, it not only replenishes oxygen, but helps to keep the nitrate levels down, which in high amounts can be harmful to you fish as well.
Remember ammonia turns to nitrites which turn to nitrates.

Fish Addict

But why now, if everything is fine?

I am also sad to report that the sick cory passed away...

I noticed it had tiny bubbles on its belly. What could that be?

Shawnie

sorry for the loss of your fish its always sad when we loose one

water changes are important no matter how good your readings and your tank looks...just think of it as living in your bathroom without ever flushing?

if your readings are good, then just weekly changes are needed...and depending on the stock and size of your tank, sometimes a few times a week is needed...

my 75 gallon is overstocked, so I have to do 3 water changes a week to keep my BIG kids happy...and my 55 gallon isnt over stocked, but has a weird community so I change that twice a week..my smaller tanks and betta tanks only get a once a week...see what I mean?

as far as the bubbles, im not really sure on that one..but again, im sorry for your loss

Lucy

I'm really sorry you lost your fish.

susitna-flower pointed out in a previous post that your tank is very over stocked.

You've lost 2 fish since yesterday, so everything is not fine and the people here are giving you the best advise they can to prevent further loss. It's your choice if you follow that advice or not.

As Shawnie pointed out, with valid reasons, in an overstocked tank you need to step up the water changes.

Edit: Hmmm...ok just read previous posts and I'm repeating myself.

Shawnie

'S LUCY!

Fish Addict

Yeah, I do usually do weekly/biweekly wc's, but it is sort of hard for me to do a few wcs a week, since I'm usually busy, I'm a kid, I can't lug all of the buckets of water around by myself, etc. So at most in a week, I might be able to do 2 wcs... But its hard...