sgjackson
- #1
Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?
65g
How long has the tank been running?
I cycled for five weeks, and fish have been in the tank since Saturday.
Does it have a filter?
Aquaclear 110 with pre-filter sponge.
Does it have a heater?
2 Hydor 200w - the heaters are very aggressive and I am only running one on 74 at the moment to keep the temp at 80.
What is the water temperature?
80.
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)
1 angelfish (formerly 2), 2 male variatus platy, 2 male platy
Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
Once a week - I changed before getting the fish and have not changed yet. Would normally do it on Saturday.
How much of the water do you change?
Haven't had to do it yet.
What do you use to treat your water?
Seachem Prime, Seachem Stability, crushed coral in filter and hanging from bag under filter.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?
Haven't had to do it yet.
*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
Yes.
What do you use to test the water?
API Master Test Kit
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
As of ten minutes ago:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
pH: 7.4
The tank has been at these numbers since Saturday EXCEPT for 5/31 at 9pm, when ammonia registered at .5ppm. I put in a cap of Prime to detoxify ammonia and went to sleep. In the morning it was normal. I test at least once daily, and when I started having issues with the fish, tested multiple times daily.
Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
Did twice for a few days, have pared down to one.
How much do you feed your fish?
Small pinch.
What brand of food do you feed your fish?
I have done New Life Spectrum pellets, blanched peas, Omega One freeze-dried bloodworms, New Life Spectrum flakes, and Hikari Vibra Bites on different days (trying out different things to see what they like).
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods?
I did freeze-dried bloodworms once.
Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
Saturday
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
They were stressed Saturday, and seemed mostly fine Sunday. Monday is when one of the platies started behaving strangely.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
Long, stringy, white or red poops, issues swimming, lethargic, hiding, clamped/twisted fins, skimming the side of the tank or sucking on air at the top of the tank
Have you started any treatment for the illness?
I ordered the quarantine trio (Mardel Maracyn, Aquarium Solutions Ich-X, and Fritz ParaCleanse) but it hasn't gotten here yet. I did not quarantine before adding to my main tank, but I have ordered a 10 gallon setup to quarantine future fish.
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
I do not know, it is entirely possible.
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?
Lethargic, issues swimming, one of the variatus platies went from looking fat to having a sunken-in stomach after a large poop that got stuck to him.
Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)
I bought fish on Saturday from Petco - 2 angels, 2 variatus platies, and 2 regular platies (all the platies are male). They were a little stressed on Saturday but mostly fine on Sunday, other than one of the variatus platies having a long, stringy, white poop. I fed them a couple of blanched peas Monday to account for constipation, which all the platies ate voraciously. One of the platies started to be lethargic, had clamped fins, a long, stringy, white poop and spend most of its time at the top of the tank, looking like it had issues swimming on Monday. An angelfish had similar symptoms on Wednesday - its fins were twisted and it was skimming the side of the tank or hiding most of the time. I found this angel stuck to the filter intake sponge this morning - they were still alive (I think, fins were moving), but unable to swim and was being pushed around by current after rescue so I euthanized him. Now I have multiple fish sucking on air and lethargic and having swimming issues. The other variatus platy had a long, stringy, red poop today, and is now sucking air from the top of the tank and his stomach looks sunken in.
What is the water volume of the tank?
65g
How long has the tank been running?
I cycled for five weeks, and fish have been in the tank since Saturday.
Does it have a filter?
Aquaclear 110 with pre-filter sponge.
Does it have a heater?
2 Hydor 200w - the heaters are very aggressive and I am only running one on 74 at the moment to keep the temp at 80.
What is the water temperature?
80.
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)
1 angelfish (formerly 2), 2 male variatus platy, 2 male platy
Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
Once a week - I changed before getting the fish and have not changed yet. Would normally do it on Saturday.
How much of the water do you change?
Haven't had to do it yet.
What do you use to treat your water?
Seachem Prime, Seachem Stability, crushed coral in filter and hanging from bag under filter.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?
Haven't had to do it yet.
*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
Yes.
What do you use to test the water?
API Master Test Kit
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
As of ten minutes ago:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
pH: 7.4
The tank has been at these numbers since Saturday EXCEPT for 5/31 at 9pm, when ammonia registered at .5ppm. I put in a cap of Prime to detoxify ammonia and went to sleep. In the morning it was normal. I test at least once daily, and when I started having issues with the fish, tested multiple times daily.
Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
Did twice for a few days, have pared down to one.
How much do you feed your fish?
Small pinch.
What brand of food do you feed your fish?
I have done New Life Spectrum pellets, blanched peas, Omega One freeze-dried bloodworms, New Life Spectrum flakes, and Hikari Vibra Bites on different days (trying out different things to see what they like).
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods?
I did freeze-dried bloodworms once.
Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
Saturday
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
They were stressed Saturday, and seemed mostly fine Sunday. Monday is when one of the platies started behaving strangely.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
Long, stringy, white or red poops, issues swimming, lethargic, hiding, clamped/twisted fins, skimming the side of the tank or sucking on air at the top of the tank
Have you started any treatment for the illness?
I ordered the quarantine trio (Mardel Maracyn, Aquarium Solutions Ich-X, and Fritz ParaCleanse) but it hasn't gotten here yet. I did not quarantine before adding to my main tank, but I have ordered a 10 gallon setup to quarantine future fish.
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
I do not know, it is entirely possible.
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?
Lethargic, issues swimming, one of the variatus platies went from looking fat to having a sunken-in stomach after a large poop that got stuck to him.
Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)
I bought fish on Saturday from Petco - 2 angels, 2 variatus platies, and 2 regular platies (all the platies are male). They were a little stressed on Saturday but mostly fine on Sunday, other than one of the variatus platies having a long, stringy, white poop. I fed them a couple of blanched peas Monday to account for constipation, which all the platies ate voraciously. One of the platies started to be lethargic, had clamped fins, a long, stringy, white poop and spend most of its time at the top of the tank, looking like it had issues swimming on Monday. An angelfish had similar symptoms on Wednesday - its fins were twisted and it was skimming the side of the tank or hiding most of the time. I found this angel stuck to the filter intake sponge this morning - they were still alive (I think, fins were moving), but unable to swim and was being pushed around by current after rescue so I euthanized him. Now I have multiple fish sucking on air and lethargic and having swimming issues. The other variatus platy had a long, stringy, red poop today, and is now sucking air from the top of the tank and his stomach looks sunken in.