Hi all! My 2 year old oscar (8 " or so) has been acting a bit odd lately. We did a thorough vaccuuming and water exchange last night...and this morning he was laying on his side at the bottom. Tonite he was pretty much flat on the bottom at one point...breathing normally, if not a bit slow. I checked the nitrate levels and they were very low. His fins and body look good. He has swum around a bit tonite...has even made an odd bit of racket....head bunting some plants, then lays down again. He also skipped his meal tonite and he's usually a very enthusiastic eater. My tank is 55 gallons...tankmates include a med blood parrot, 4 good sized silver dollars, a sm golden severum, and a tiny angel. The parrots been acting stressed too and also didn't eat tonite...and is hanging out near the water's surface. I put some melafix, pimafix, and salt in the h2o. Kinda freaked out!!!

He's happen just sulking if you have just cleaned his home thoroughly just give him a day or 2 he shud be ok.One concern is the amount of big fish in such a small tank!!!!

regards

tim

Can I ask you to post ammonia & Nitrite levels. when you changed the water did you dechlorine the new water and heat it ?? Also did you do a clean of the filters if so I hope you only cleaned some and not all and washed them in tank water?? He could just be stressed but lets cover all possibles just in case.

Nitrite Levels are very low....Ammonia level is 0 . I had major water issues about 2 months ago due to uncleanliness....so at least thoses probs are solved! I didn't clean the filters yet...was planning to do that this weekend. Oscar looks a bit better this morning....still resting in corner alot but not completely horizontal at least. My parrot seems stressed yet-headstanding in flower pot. Keeping lights off in tank today....keeping up with mela and pimafix. Angels and silvers are hanging near the top. hmmmmmmm

Nitries should be 0...and are deadly to your fish even in small amounts.. what are you calling small?? you have a problem with your filter by the sounds of it.. it may need cleaning..or damaged when you cleaned the water.. What filter are you using?? Dont clean all the filter, just half will do by washing in old tank water... I would do more water changes to lower nitrites... feed very little or not at all..do you have a air stone or pump that you can use to disturb the sureface with. you could point the pump up to ripple the sureface. stress will cause fish to excrete ammonia from there gills and I am guessing this is the problem as all fish are not breathing so well. I thihk keep a close eye on them.but you need to address the nitrites ASAP. Did you treat the new water with conditioner?? and was it the right amount of treatment ??

marcus wrote:


Don't panic though they are tough and wont die that quick.Eliminate 1 thing at a time they will be fine.Worst thing you can do is change 100 things at once.

regards

tim

Thanks for all the advice:) Nitrites probably are 0...it was only a very very faint pink. We do have an air pump going and the surface does ripple. We have a Fluval canister filter. Temp is 76. Don't use a water conditioner as we have well water that has no chlorine in it..
i just dumped a small bottle of conditioner in a second ago (leftovers from a betta)...but the fish were acting strangely prior to the water change. Oscar actually seems quite normal this afternoon, hopefully he'll have supper. Parrot still looking rough, but it right side up in his pot at least:) Good thing oscars are tough! Hopefully Parrots are too! He's been like this before...at least this time no other fish are picking at him while he's down...

Pleased to report that Oscar has made a full recovery! Ate a few pellets yesterday and is quite active today. Parrot still panting in his pot...severum in hiding....so we're not 100% good yet.

glad to hear that your oscar is doing well. even though your using well water you should still treat it. a good conditioner will not only remove chlorine and chloramides but other heavy metals as well. imo it couldn't hurt.

hope your parrot gets better soon

Oscar still seems fine. Parrot moving around tank a bit....but laying on side alot and swimming weird...prognosis poor i think. And one of my big silver dollars went belly up today. Definately something up with the water....must need a water conditioner. Unfortunately I live an hour from the city and won't be able to get any until tomorrow. I hope no one else dies!!! Can fish recover from a heavy metal contamination?

I think so but it will depend on how long they have been in the contamination for, and what they have come into contact with?? once they start going bellie up i think all is lost (( ..I have never see a fish recover. even my pond fish that i kept when I was younger died as soon as they went bellie up. what test kit are you using?? and are you sure your testing things right?? some liquids can be hard to use and strips not very good. If you have any carbon handy it will not hurt to use it and it may help but 1st I would retest water for ammonia,nitrites,nitrates just to see whats going on. i would say change the water but antill you get conditioner I dont think it would help and may do more harm .Please post the reading.I am woundering if you have swimbladder infection as your 1st problem was a fish that couldnt swim to bottom.?? best of luck.

parrot died...and another silver dollar. the remaining fish appear ok actually. no one's panting at the top! hopefully they'll eat a bit tonite. i have the liquid test kits...no strips. will test again tonite as i'm off to work right away. first prob was actually oscar laying on the floor and parrot standing on his head....so???? could be some bacterial thing too i guess. gawd, this is stressful:(