michellem

Hello, I'm new to the site,hoping for some info. My tank recently had an outbreak of ick. I have successfully ridded my tank of the ick, but now, my fish ( Platy) just lies on the bottom, seldomly moving. I suspected anaerobic bacteria,from reading some of the postings. I did a 90% water change with a major vaccuming. pH has been running high (8)+. Any advice on what to do next?

soldieroffortune1974

The conclusion that anaerobic bacteria is the cause of your fish' distress would be incorrect. Anaerobic bacteria is part of the nitrogen cycle,and necessary.

What is the temp,and water parameters,ammonia,nitrite,nitrates,and how did you get rid of the ick outbreak?

michellem

I used a product called ick away. The water parameters are all reading fine.

Lucy

Hi michellem welcome to Fish Lore

I'm sorry your fish isn't feeling well. Doing a water change was a good place to start.
It would be helpful to know the exact readings that soldieroffortune asked about.
Your aquaarium info.....is that 5 gallons? What kind of fish and how many are in this tank?
The tank has been set up for 1 yr with the current fish?

I'm sorry for all the questions, the answers will help the members figure out what's going on.

Good luck.

michellem

Hello, my readings are- 0 nitrate 0 nitrite , my water is reading hard about150, alkalinity is also high about300, ph is about7.5. I dont know what to do about the alkalinity. My fish is flashing around the tank periodically, and tries to "hide". He lies on his side on the bottom of the tank. His gills are very red. My local fish store suggested gill flukes may be the problem. I purchased a product called Lifeguard, have been using it for a day and a half now. Cant really see a difference yet. Thanks for any help!!!

I have a 5 gallon with one platy.

Shawnie

Im guessing ammonia with the red gills..have you checked that? daily water changes with some prime conditioner will help him alot

Lucy

It sounds like he's suffering the effects of ammonia. Do you have a reading for that?
By your nitrate reading, it looks like your tank isn't cycled unless you have a planted tank.

It would be a good idea to do a water change.

michellem

I have the testing strips and thats all they test for. Could the alkalinity being high have anything to do with this? I really am new to all of this, I'm just frustrated.

Shawnie

No it wouldnt....you need to do daily water changes and get some prime water conditioner as it will neutralize the ammonia for 24hrs until your next change..and maybe pick up an API liquid master test kit which is very accurate and tests for everything...if not at least get the api liquid ammonia test kit...goodluck!

michellem

I have changed the water ALOT, and the readings are still the same, the fish acts the same, I have tried everything medication wise, nothing has worked , I dont know what else I can do?

michellem

If ammonia is the problem, what is causing this? And what can I do to prevent it?

Shawnie

for whatever reason, you have a mini cycle....is this the tank thats a year old? have you replaced the filter? got alot of new fish? after a year, I would assume it has cycled but having no nitrate readings, and not knowing your ammonia readings, I can only guess its a mini cycle issue....and to fix that, and help the fish, daily water changes until you finish it.which could take weeks, days, months, no one really knows...but it will be done when 0 for ammonia and nitrites, and under 20 for nitrates...

michellem

I just done an ammonia test and the test says 0 for ammonia. Yes, this is the tank I have had for almost a year. I have only one platy in the tank. I replaced the filter after I treated the tank for ick. Other than that, I havent done anything out of the ordinary. I use the Jungle brand water conditioner, and I also use Algone pouches. All of my problems started after the Ick problem. Being new on the fish topic, I really didnt know what to do, so I went to my local petmart and they suggested gill flukes were the problem, is anyone familiar with this, and do you have any advice? I am currently treating my tank with Lifeguard. Thanks everyone for the help!!!!!!

Shawnie

ifyou replaced the filter, its almost like starting a new tank..most of your beneficial bacteria are in the filter media..so its probably a mini cycle...just keep up with the water changes and try to get the api liquid test kit to be sure things are cycled...test strips arent reliable to sure the fishies are safe...I dont know what lifeguard is but maybe another member will...goodluck

cerianthus

You may be doing too much. Let's stop everything and think.
Firstable, 90% water change is never good practice with either tap or aged water, especially with vacuuming of entire gravel. Try not to disturb the too much at once.
Secondly, NEVER add two different medication without understanding what could happen.
Medication itself is a pollutant as it breakdown with time and who knows what kind of reaction could take place producing some toxic substance.
As long as NH3, NO2 are 0. Just Monitor the water and fish for now. As far as Hard (high mineral content) and alkaline tap water, I really don't see a problem since you had the fish for a year using same water.
Therefore, let's just relax provided platy is free of Ick and see what develops.
LMK if new situation develops.

michellem

the only reason I did the 90% water change is the water began to smell like rotten eggs. So I thought it was anaerobic bacteria. The water since, smells fine. All parameters are stable, no ammonia, however there is an unusually thick slimey coating on the walls. Lifeguard is an all in one treatment, newly on the market by Jungle. It says it has an ingredient called Haloshield, which is a non-antibiotic agent. This is what the pet store recommended. So far, I cant see much improvement in my fish's behavior, he doesn't seem to be breathing hard , but he still just lies on his side on the bottom. I'm trying not to overdo it, but I panicked, and now I fear I may have made the situation worse.

soldieroffortune1974

Gill flukes are caused by tiny parasitic worms in the gills that excrete a thick mucus that covers the gills.. If the platy is sitting on the bottom,not rubbing against everything,not staying at the surface or not breathing hard,then more than likely it's not gill flukes,and I would discontinue the medication.

Anaerobic bacteria is what starts,finishes and continues the Nitrogen cycle. Anaerobic bacteria breaks down the wastes and ammonia. Anaerobic bacteria is necessary in an aquarium,so I doubt it's the cause of the platy's distress.The wastes from the fish and from uneaten food or decaying matter of any kind produces ammonia,which the anaerobic bacteria breaks down.

The platy could be having adverse affects from the ick medication and the gill fluke medication. It is more than likely,as everyone else has already said,a mini cycle or recycling of the aquarium. 50% water changes daily will help combat the ill effects of the ammonia until the cycle is finished.I would add extra carbon to remove the meds,and help neutralise the ammonia.

When changing the water,make sure to use COLD water,or room temp water.With a good quality water conditioner/dechlorinater.

cerianthus

I just want to make a correction about Aerobic and Anaerobic bacteria.
The Nitrification process (so called cycling) where NH3 is oxidized to NO2 by , If I recall correctly, Nitrosomonas bacteria Then NO2 is oxidized to NO3 by Nitrobacter bacteria These two types of Bacteria is AEROBIC( requiring O2), existing in any surface area in the tank where there are circulation of water.
denitrification process takes place when you have Dead Zone, ANAEROBIC ( No oxygen), for long time. This process will REDUCE NO3 to Nitrogen Gas and with by-product called Hydrogen Sulfide ( which gives rotten egg small, and toxic in high Concentration), just like what takes place in Marsh Area. Where I live in East Coast, there are certain area when tides are low, I need Gas Mask to pass thru due to rotten egg smell.
It is very unlike that someone has ANAEROBIC ACTIVITIES unless you have deep gravel/sand where there can be DEAD ZONE if undisturb for long time. If you perform simple test by poking through the DEEP substrate w/ fingers and see plenty of bubbles rises, may suspect ANAEROBIC ACTIVIES, because those bubbles may be Nitrogen and Hydrogen Sulfide Gas unless tank has lots of bubbles/mist via Air Pump.
When overfed, left over food can decay in DEAD ZONE or CREATING DEAD ZONE on the bottom of substrate where ther is no circulation of water.. VAcuum your gravel partially with every water change which will remove excess organic matter.

I hope this helps a bit and LMK if I can provide any assistance. I will do my best to remember what I learned for past 40 somewhat years in this hobby.

Anyone who has different views, please don't hesitate to correct me since i am always open because I believe it is another way to learn something new.

cerianthus

OH, Another thing, Michelle
Unless some toxic substance such as FANTASTIC, WINDEX, etc.., somehow got in the tank, I would never do 90% water change.
Rather I would do small partial water change with AGED WATER few times in one day, especially when you have such odors come from the tank as you described.
Just remember, chlorine is added to tap water to kill water borne pathogens. I really don't care what the MFG of Dechlorinator says, I had no problem using AGED WATER perculating with Air Stone or circulating via Power Head with Venturi Action.
If worried about metals, just have carbon filtration in reserve where metals will be removed by CARBON through ADSORPTION, not absorption.
I do remember talking and learning a great deal from few Old Timers (they must be in their 70's), they never used these products (chemicals) on the market with great sucess.
I once had 30+ tanks running at one time ( in 80's and single) where I crafted river system somewhat similar to Central System used in LFS.
I build the rack so top most tank (RESERVE) is continuously SPRAYED into where there was vigorous Perculation and Heating. The water from the reserve will flow into lower tanks and so on and will drain automatically into sewerline. This is when I was breeding variety of fish. No, not the breeding tank itself. Breeding tanks were off the system (5Gal, 10G).
Only filters used in the river tanks wer simple sponge filters.
Sudden and drastic changes can be more stressful than the disease the fish is affected with.
One should always reason first before the action.

michellem

Update My water parameters are still stable, fish activity is still the same, although he has been swimming around a little, but when he does, it isnt normal swimming behavior, its very fast and irratic, then he goes right back to the bottom, and lies on his side. I am going to do a 25% water change, and let things be, and hopefully everything turns out ok. Again, thanks everyone for the advice.

soldieroffortune1974

I would continue thinking it is Ick,it may be present and you don't see it,but you don't have to use the medication. With the water change,increase the temp to 83,add extra airstones,for aeration and continue the water changes daily until the platy shows improvement.Changing the water is the only way to remove the ick spore from the water. The spore can't survive in high temps for long,but their is less oxygen in warmer water,so you need the extra aeration.Doing nothing can be as detrimental as doing too much. Good luck,don't panic and hopefully you will see some improvements.

michellem

Ok, I'm not sure how to go about adding more aeration. My tank is a brand called Hex 5. It's a 5 gallon, the top has a built in light, and the back is just a cover that covers the filtering system, they are two seperate compartments that come off easily. Would I need to buy a seperate pump and run air tubing into the tank? What would be my options with a tank like this? I have never dealt with anything like that, so any advice would be much appreciated!!!

soldieroffortune1974

air valves,(to control airflow)air pump,tubing,and air stones is all you need. You can 'dress it up ' a little if you want.There's all types of bubble wands,round stones,short or long stones,bubble curtains you name it. A basic air pump,tubing and stones might cost $10 or a little over.There's lots of possibilities,and most fish like to play in the bubbles.

michellem

Thanks alot, I will definitely get to the store and get these things, and hopefully my fish is on his way to recovery! Thanks so much!!

ScarfaceShaz

michellem

Hey its me again. I noticed a few minutes ago, my fish was swimming a little in the bubbles, and I noticed something strange- He has been swimming with his body somewhat "curved", and I just noticed that on the side that he lays on - he has a big sunken spot almost like a big indention in his body where his fin is!!! What the heck is going on? This is why he doesnt swim much and when he does its not normal. HELP