Sowell82

My Micky Mouse Platy is over a year old and has thrived in my tank. Now all of asudden after my husband put some water in the tank that he thinks might have been too cold, (now the temp is at 73 and normal) my fish is floating at the top of the tank and one side. Both fins are working and he is eating, and can dart around every so often and go a little deaper then comes right back to the top and on his side. Don't know what to do, all the rest of the fish are fine except my pacosomus (spelling?) died a week ago and it was only a little younger than the Platy.
Also this probly is why the Pecos died but the water is green. No growth on the sides of the tank or on objects just the water is green. We have tried everyting, new filters,partial water changes, full water changes, treatments. Nothing is working. It is a 55 gal tank, with 1 goldfish, 2 irrdesent sharks, 1 Micky Mouse Platy, 2 poweder blue gourami's, 1 Gold Dojo Loach, 1 clown Loach, and about 5 feeder guppies. Any help would be great.
Jenell

Lucy

Hi welcome to Fish Lore

I'm sorry you lost your fish and your platy is not well.

It sounds like it might be his swim bladder. I just read an article that add water too cold or too fast can effect them this way.

Do you know what your readings are for ammonia nitrites and nitrates?
When something goes wrong, that's usually the first thing to rule out.

Have you added any new fish to the tank lately?
Your cold fish is a cold water fish and really not compatible with the rest are tropicals who would benefit from warmer water, more to the 75-76F mark.

Some on the forum was having problems with green water and they had good results from a adding a fresh cut willow branch to the tank. The absorbed whatever was in the water to make it green. Sorry I can't be more specific.

Good luck.

Sowell82

I have not added any new fish lately. My gold fish has been in the warmwater ever since I got it almost two years ago and he is doing great, I even had 5 other goldfish that did great in the warm tank, they died when my neighbor put them in his pond. I used a tester and all of my readings are good,thats the odd thing, they have been fine the whole time. The readings are good and the tank is 74, I just don't get it. Green tank and floating fish.

Lucy

Ok, ruled out incompatablity Obviously, you have taken good care of the fish, given their age.

What are the exact readings for amminia, nitrite and nitrates?

Sometimes feeding a fish with swim bladder problems (if that's what he has) will benefit from a few bits of frozen thawed shelled pea.

How long has the water been green?

mathas

Green water is really just normal water containing a large colony of free-floating unicellular algae, which should not be a cause for fish death in and of itself. The potential causes of green water, however, might. One reported cause is ammonia spikes, which is a possibility given the number of large fish you have in the tank. Lucy's already asked for the exact readings, which will be helpful.

But either way, check out this thread for a good discussion on green water, as it lists several possible cures in case you don't have any willow trees nearby that you can cut branches off of.

Sowell82

The wate has been greenfor a few monts off and on. We have been fighting this problem. I did loose a Powder Blue Gourami too a couple months ago and the water was green. It became very dark, and unbalancened, and layed at the bottom, then finaly floated to the top.
ALso I have natural light energy efficient light bulbs in the room my tank is in, that wouldn't do anything would it?
The test says my water is:
pH- Neutral 6.8
alkalinity- moderate
chlorine- 0
hardness-soft
nitrate-0 or .5
nitrate-0 (far below 80)
I cant read the numbers on the last ones (nitrate and nitrate) but they are the very first before the 80 and the 1 because the sheet got wet and stuck together and ripped, but I can read all the other parts of it. THis is one of those 6 in 1 test.

Sowell82

Its probably been green for 5 to 6 months off and on we have been fighting it

Lucy

The tests you have don't have an ammonia test?

If you're using the strips they're really not too accurate, a liquid test would be recommended. May of us use the API master kit. It may seem costly at first, but in the long run, it's cheaper than the strips.

You've got some pretty big fish messy fish in your tank. My guess would be an ammonia spike.
It would be a good idea to begin daily water changes until you have readings of 0 for ammonia 0 for nitrites with some nitrates showing.

Sowell82

Also I have natural light energy efficient light bulbs in the room my tank is in, that wouldn't do anything would it?
To cure the swimbladder I can just give the fish epsom salt ?

Shawnie

I would guess ammonia or nitrites as she has been changing out the filters where the good bacteria is stored....I would also do daily 50% water changes and get some prime water conditioner as that will neutralize the bad stuff for 24 hours until your next change...74 isnt high temps and some of your fish require 79-80 but not the goldies...dont change out your filter media until its just about shredded as that is what keeps your tank cycled....just rinse it in some tank water that is removed in a bucket ....I dont think epsom salt will help and only hurt some of those fishies...the water changes , prime, and patience will be your best friend...goodluck!

Sowell82

I havnt been changing out the micro filter ( or whatever its called). My filter has 4 filters,the two you change and replace and the other two you just rinse off in the fish water or lightly with water.

Shawnie

once you can get a nitrite and ammonia reading, that will help to see if the tank is in a mini cycle...and alot of meds/treatments kill and destroy a cycle as well ..so im still thinking is has something to do with that..getting some prime like others have said, and daily water changes will help alot

Sowell82

I have put the platy in a seperate tank for overnight, and added epsom salt like other threads suggested. We havnt treated the whole tank with it, we had used Clear Water by Jungle Labs and that didn't do a thing.

Shawnie

theres alot of opinions on the salt ..and most of the time if it is recommended, it should be aquarium salt...im not familiar with any salts as IMO it does worse ..but there are others who dont...I wish him well...and hope he recovers

Sowell82

I have him in one of those small beta tanks about 3/4 full and added epsom salt. Should the water be lower than that, and should I change out the water and start the process over again every day, hour? He is still very full of life, good color, just stressed. Bloated belly and still trying to swim, head goes down when he tries. like he is trying to dive but a floaty is keeping him up.
THanks for all the help so far.

Lucy

These are the instructions I've read about for epsom salt baths:

1 Tbls of epsom salt per gallon of water, leave them there for 15 or 20 or they show signs of distress. It can be repeated 2x per day.

It would be a good idea to try and see if he'll eat bits of pea since epsom salt baths are stressfull.

Good luck, I hope he recovers.

cerianthus

I had good results by keeping the tank dark ( no lighting, no sulight ). With out light , no photosynthesis.
I had many different outbreak of agae including green floating algae. From what i learned in school and from fish keeping is that Nitrate and phosphate is considered as fertilizer.

Nitrate, of course, is derived mainly from fish waster product (end product of nitrification). Phospahate ususally from tap water.

You may want to invest in PO4 test kit or simply take sample of tap water to LFS where you know the staff to run one test for you.
In case your tap water contains PO4, you could use simple Tap Water Purifier by API (RO units are too expensive to buy and maintain) or set up reserve and run tiny filter with PO4 removing granules. Eventually all the water change done with water from reserve will result in lowering PO4 which means less food for the algae. How long depends on how much PO4 is in the tank.

Nitrate? I find it very hard to believe when someone tells me their well established tank is free nitrate.
When any organic matter breaks down producing protein to amono acids which in turn will produces Ammonia as amino acids brakdown, which will eventually be oxidized to nitrate, not to mention Ammonia from fish themselves. Your tank is bound to build up some nitrate. Just have to control it with water changes and amount of food given (leftover foods are not good).

Combination of HIGH nitrate (NO3) and Phosphate (PO4) or by itself with light, can cause such outbreak of algae.

First, try shutting off the light , may get growth of brown (diatom) algae when kept in dark for awhile which will dissipate when more light is given to the tank later.
Try small water changes (Max 30%) on daily basis with PO4 free water until tank water has very low PO4 and NO3.
With these 2 methods, you should be able to control the green algae.
Some might suggest algicide. It may kill the algae but dead algae themselves are decaying organic matter. Green water will probably reappear.

I have tried growing hair or brush algae on the back of the glass ( some w/ live plants and some none) as a FILTER when i was young. I mean thick algae growth which will sway with the circulation. Great environment to grow natural food (microfauna) for the fish, especially fry or maturing fish. It was my belief that Algae is part of filtration in nature. It will remove NO3, PO4 from tank the most cheapest and natural way.

Why one has one particular algae thrive and others with another type of algae? I guess one needs to have Biochem Lab in the garage to analyze the water as outbreak takes place. LOL


If need assistance, LMK.

cerianthus

Oh, I have mentioned on numerous occassion that I don't believe in chemical additives includng dechlorinators, especially Products that removes NH3 as claimed by MFG, excluding Meds. HAHAHA!!!
I believe natural ways is still the best way if one has enough patience, which is the key to successful fish keeping, IMO. Impulse buying usually leads to frustrations and heartaches.
I know, I've been there. I also learned the hard way a long time ago.

Lucy

I couldn't imagine not using a dechlorinator. I would never think to add straight tap water into my fish tank.
They not only remove chlorine but chloramines and neutralize harmful metals.

cerianthus

Chlorine is added to tap water and chloramine as needed ( during summer when E. coli increases according to DEP), if I remember correctly.



That is why I keep mentioning to use aged water.
You may even use rain water unless you're near Industrial plants. All you need is aeration in reserve. Could even run small Mech Filter on the reserve with specific medium to ADSORB specific substance when possible and if desired.
Heavy metals are found in nature, probably in higher concentration than found in tap due to pollution (mining, etc) which is very unfortunate. Use RO/DI water if so concerned rather than water conditioner. More business you give them for simplicity, more synthetic products on the market. Who know what kind of adverse effect it can have, not to mention by-product if any during synthesis, to our environment where our beloved fish came from. Carbon can ADSORB heavy metals out also. Neutralize all heavy metals??
It is still in the water and given enough time it may loose the bond to original ionic state.

All I am trying to say is that it is so easy to take simple and convenient route, but there are other method which will achieve the same if not more all around. It is very difficult for me to understand why everyone is recommending such products because what it says on the bottle. Who know, all the different additives might react w/each other to produce a substance/toxic substance (which we will never know) which might have caused algae bloom ot other events when the all the ingredients are derived for cetrain type of algae , not every kind, since different organisms may have specific preferable conditions.
Lucy, I hope you see my point.

Lucy

I see your point and respect many things you have added to the forum.
From what I understand r/o systems are expensive and I can imagine a teen going to their parents and saying hey, I need this new water system for my guppies :P.
While letting water age will get rid of chlorine it doesn't get rid of chloramines.
As a personal choice, I don't use carbon. I prefer to use a water conditioner to neutralize heavy metals, remove chlorine and chloramines.
One thing about fish keeping and many other things in life, there's more than one of doing things. What might work for one may not work for another and how one person prefers to condition their water may not be another's preference.

I agree about products on the market leading to frustration, have seen it here many times.

Now to un-hijack Sowell82 the only product it was suggested they use was a good water conditioner.
A willow branch and peas, both of which are very natrual.

Shawnie

very well said!

Sowell82

Is there a point of no return? Like a day I should just give up? I am trying the epsom salt, and not able to get peas yet. Is there a certain day or sisign that he is a gonner? He has a more curved spine today, stillsame temperment.

Lucy

I'm sorry he's not showing improvement.
Each person has to decide if they think they've done all they can do.

cerianthus

There you go! I've learned something new from this forum. Will keep in mind to try Willow Branch when such event occur in the future. It's never too late to learn when one is willing!!!

Sowell82

Ok, so still no improvment, and now I have introduced the pea, maybe that will help, but I don't know if he can reach it to eat it. I have the depth at less than8 inches, maybe shallower so he can reach it maybe, not sure if I should lower it more becasue then he couldn't move his fin. Also now he has white stuff on him on his head ( two spots) and hits finthat flops out side the water when he trys to swim, could this just be whwere he injured it?
ALso I have read if all else fails I could use a pin and poke a hole in his abdomin to relive the pressure? any ideas?

Sowell82

Barely moving now, should I call it a loss?

Sowell82

just to let you know, he didn't make it. Thanks for all the helptho, we are getting the willow branches to try to fix the water

Lucy

I'm really sorry he didn't make it, that really stinks.
He lived a good long time so you obviously took very good care of him over the years.

Good luck.