sincityoscars

First off, hello to the group, I just joined the forum and have owned my tank and fish for over 6 years. I have a 150 gallon tank with 2 large oscars (6 yrs and 3 yrs old) and one jack dempsey. The jack dempsey is a little over 3 years old and I've recently noticed a "spit" like substance both floating at the top of the tank as well as in the mouth and sometimes coming out of the gills of the dempsey. The substance looks like clearish to cloudy spit is the best I can describe. The dempsey has also started being very fidgity of late, not aggressive, just highly jumpy. I remove the substance whenever I see it floating in the tank and neither of the oscars are acting weird. Any idea on what this may be? I've looked at all the basic freshwater diseases and this does not seem to fit any of them. Is it a disease at all? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. Oh, the alkalinity was low so I added a pH increaser to help buffer the tank...alkalinity reading was low 30's.

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!
do you have an airwand or stone to circulate the water on the surface of the tank? your tank is huge and with my 75 gal, i have to keep 2 bubble wands in it to keep the surface water agitating ... ...did he have it prior to adding the buffers ? ..was his tank the one treated for ICH? and having a nitrite reading, means the tank is in a mini cycle for some reason..so that could be affecting him also...if you can find some stress coat+ or prime, (they both detoxify the nitrites to keep him safe, and still help finish up the mini cycle )with daily water changes to get thru the mini cycle, should help....

sincityoscars

I have 2 big bubble curtains going along the back of the tank, a decorative bubble aerator on the bottom, and two big 75 gallon filters running on top, so the water seems to have plenty of movement. He's had the issue for about a week, I just added the buffer today, ich'd the tank last week. I'll do a partial water change and add some stress coat and see if that helps. Has anyone seen this before though? It literally looks like somebody spit in my tank several times. Weird. Thanks again.

Shawnie

it could be a combo of the ich meds and buffer..thats what im thinking....stress coat+ will be whats needed for the nitrite to be safe for the fish....the regular stress coat will not detox the nitrites ...goodluck and i hope things get better!!

would love to see some pics sometime if you can

agabr123

welcome to fishlore

i'm with shawnie, i wouldn't worry about adding the pH buffer anymore, but what are your exact readings for pH? you may need to alter it but there are easier and safer ways to do so than with chemicals. you can add crushed coral or limestone as a substrate if it's too low.