Gill Burn? Does It Look Like This?

Still a new aquarist so I'm still trying to figure things out. Tank has been up for several months now but I just noticed one of my fish having a reddish color in the gill area.

Is this gill burn? Testing the water now...

 

What is your ammonia and nitrate levels? Any time a fish looks/acts 'different' check water parameters first. I know you just went through the whole "cycling" thing and hopefully got your cloudy water problems under control? Are you doing adequate weekly water changes?
Is the gill on both sides of the fish red like that or just that one side?

One other thing, have those dark spots always been present on this fishes face, gill area and one on the body?

 

Thanks for the reply.
Nitrate is ~ 15ppm
Ammonia appears to be 0ppm

Weekly water changes
Does appear to be on both sides, although one side does look more pronounced.

One other thing, have those dark spots always been present on this fishes face, gill area and one on the body?

Can't say for certain... Why?

 

Can't say for certain... Why?

There are parasites (diplopstomiasis or fluke disease) that can first present like that. Do you have any snails in the tank? The parasite uses snails as a host.

 

There are parasites (diplopstomiasis or fluke disease) that can first present like that. Do you have any snails in the tank? The parasite uses snails as a host.

I do not.

 

I do not.

K, it's a pretty harmless parasite but just wondered.
Back to gills: What kind of black sand is in your tank? It's not blasting sand is it?

 

I picked it up from TSC based upon recommendations from this forum.

 

I picked it up from TSC based upon recommendations from this forum.

Blasting sand.
I hate the stuff. I've heard of several people who have had fish with gill problems while using blasting sand as a substrate. One woman went so far as to dissect her fish and found black micro particles in the gill tissue of her fancy goldfish. I would never recommend using it in any aquatic environment and would encourage you to replace it with a sand substrate made especially for aquariums, or a substrate that is intended for use in water (pool sand is probably safe for an aquarium)
Black diamond blasting sand is coal slag, the molten by product of coal burned at ~2000°F. The residue is cooled, rinsed and screened for different sizes and sold as blasting sand, asphalt additive etc. Nowhere is it recommended that it be used anywhere NEAR lakes, rivers, in aquariums, as a soil additive etc. As a matter of fact, it's illegal for manufacturing plants to dump it near waterways. Here's the latest on coal ash (the ash rinsed off coal slag).

 

Blasting sand.
I hate the stuff. I've heard of several people who have had fish with gill problems while using blasting sand as a substrate. One woman went so far as to dissect her fish and found black micro particles in the gill tissue of her fancy goldfish. I would never recommend using it in any aquatic environment and would encourage you to replace it with a sand substrate made especially for aquariums, or a substrate that is intended for use in water (pool sand is probably safe for an aquarium)
Black diamond blasting sand is coal slag, the molten by product of coal burned at ~2000°F. The residue is cooled, rinsed and screened for different sizes and sold as blasting sand, asphalt additive etc. Nowhere is it recommended that it be used anywhere NEAR lakes, rivers, in aquariums, as a soil additive etc. As a matter of fact, it's illegal for manufacturing plants to dump it near waterways. Here's the latest on coal ash (the ash rinsed off coal slag).

Could you offer some advice on how I would remove the sand and replace it? I don't have a spare tank to house my fish.

 

Could you offer some advice on how I would remove the sand and replace it? I don't have a spare tank to house my fish.

If your tank is well cycled, you can scoop it out Or what I'd do is just suck it out with 1/2 inch plastic tubing (I think you can get that at tractor supply, ace hardware, home depot or just about any hardware store) into a deep bucket (5 gallon) in the yard. Start it like a siphon. Don't use you aquarium vacuum attachment on it, that'll prevent the sand from being sucked into the tubing. How big is your tank?

 

If your tank is well cycled, you can scoop it out Or what I'd do is just suck it out with 1/2 inch plastic tubing (I think you can get that at tractor supply, ace hardware, home depot or just about any hardware store) into a deep bucket (5 gallon) in the yard. Start it like a siphon. Don't use you aquarium vacuum attachment on it, that'll prevent the sand from being sucked into the tubing. How big is your tank?

75 gallon


Is this sand okay to use?

https://www.acehardware.com/departm...YueG_xdJY-tKCCK24QIBVyEEXZ_ntyShoC504QAvD_BwE

 

If your tank is well cycled, you can scoop it out Or what I'd do is just suck it out with 1/2 inch plastic tubing (I think you can get that at tractor supply, ace hardware, home depot or just about any hardware store) into a deep bucket (5 gallon) in the yard. Start it like a siphon. Don't use you aquarium vacuum attachment on it, that'll prevent the sand from being sucked into the tubing. How big is your tank?

I'm sorry someone here recommended that stuff to you! I can't say for sure that ALL blasting sand (coal slag) is bad for fish. Some people on this site use it and claim they've had no problems. It may NOT be causing the red gills on your fish. But because the slag comes from all kinds of manufacturing plants and is processed and handled in a myriad of ways and the coal itself comes from different parts of the country, and the ash is considered toxic, it just makes sense that slag should be regarded suspiciously as an aquarium substrate.

Pool filter sand would probably be fine. It's considered safe for the water people swim in, I suppose it would be okay for fish. Just be sure you rinse it well before adding it to your tank.

 

You've been a great help. Thank you for the information and your time.

 

You've been a great help. Thank you for the information and your time.

You're welcome. I hope everything works out!

 

Possibly Ammonia poisoning.

 

Is that a cichlid? Female?

Is that a cichlid? Female? I just noticed something.... If she's one of the mouth brooders, it looks like she may be carrying eggs or fry.

 

It is a cichlid but I'm not sure how she would be brooding.

 

Possibly Ammonia poisoning.

It's not ammonia poisoning.

It is a cichlid but I'm not sure how she would be brooding.

Why, no boys in the tank? See how her throat is slightly puffed downward? Classic of females carrying.

What kind of cichlid is she?



Here's one of my female Lemon Jakes carrying a mouthful of fry. She's young and when I did a water change, she panicked and spewed them. Only one survived (that I've seen) in my tank full of Mbunas. He's about 1" long now hiding out in the rocks.

 

I believe I do have a few males in the tank. Not sure what she is though. I think I only have one of that fish though

 

I believe I do have a few males in the tank. Not sure what she is though. I think I only have one of that fish though

Cichlids will crossbreed. Are they africans?

 

Yes. They are all Africans

 

Yes. They are all Africans

Betcha she's carrying. Your gonna be an uncle lol!

 

Cool.. not sure how that could even happen. What should I do too keep the fry safe if she is caring? I don't have another tank. Any ideas?

 

You can get a densely leafed plastic plant like this one for the babies to hide in. The female will collect them up in her mouth when they need protection while they're tiny but they outgrow that pretty fast, so if you don't have piles of rocks with tiny crevasses, a plant like this works well


This one measures ~16" long x 12" tall.
I didn't have it in my tank when the Jake spewed her fry.