mindalynn

I own a ten gallon tank with five fish, 2 mollies,1 gumpy, 2 glow fish.I have recently noticed my fish acting wierd, then one died this morning. I know they are sick but I don't know exactly what they have. Here are the symptoms, they have blood red gills and are a little bloated. I do not want all of them to die so I need to find a treatment. If anyone knows about this symptoms please comment, Thank you!

mindalynn

My fish's gills are blood red and their bellies are bloated. What disease do you think they might have. I lost one this morning! I just don' t want them all to die but I also don't want to treat them for the wrong thing.

sirdarksol

#1 cause for red gills is ammonia poisoning. The ammonia damages capillaries (which are very close to the surface in the gills.
What kind of fish do you have? How many? How large of a tank?
What are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings?
The answers to these questions will help us figure out for sure what's going on.

-pinky-

sirdarksol is right, we can't help you unless you answer those questions

catbtony

When you can't test your water-change it-start water changes 50% daily-for at least 4 days and get your water tested so you will know when to stop-when your readings are off on the water test the treatment is "water changes"-get on a schedule and change the water weekly at least 25-50% Mke sure you treat your water if you are on city water lines. Watch over feeding and clean-up any left over food after 5min. or so. good luck

Lucy

Hi mindalynn
Welcome to Fish Lore

I've merged your two threads. I see one of them answers some of SDS's questions.
I'm sorry your fish are feeling well.
It sounds like they're are suffering from the effects of ammonia in a cyling cycling tanks.
You should think about getting a test kit for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. The liquid tests kits are more accurate and less costly in the long run than the strips.

In the mean time, it would be a good idea to begin daily water changes of 50% and use Prime as your water conditioner.
Prime will detoxify the ammonia for 24hrs between water changes yet make it available to the bacteria that needs to go to complete the cycle.

To understand the nitrogen cycle please read the following link:
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

Good luck, I hope your fish feel better.