Cloudy water, fish dying

[djmatthewblack]

Before I went to bed last night I noticed my tank water a little murky.  This morning an angel and a tetra were dead in the tank.  I did a water change and added some melafix.  My remaining black angel looks like he has scales missing everywhere.  I am wondering if it could just be poor water quality.  I am using a penguin internal sponge filter, and I have been frequently getting pollution on the top of the water.  Not happy to loosing my angel just as it started breeding recently.  If anyone has any ideas to what causes this I would like to save my tank.

[CichlidFan]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Well, I would suggest you post more info, like size of tank, all/total filtration you have on it, water temp, feeding program, water parameters? How many fish total do you keep in this tank?

Sorry for your loss....

CF

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

How long was the tank set up?
How long have you had the fish?
What was done previously or added to the tank?

[semper]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

i dont think you want to add melafix straight to your tank

would be better if you setup a 10 gallon tank to treat or quarantine fish before introducing to your main tank

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

It is a large male angel and couldn't fit it in a 10 gal qt..  I think I know what caused it.  I cleaned the sponge filter with faucet water and killed all the beneficial microbacteria and I read that if you do need to clean a sponge filter at all, just squeeze it gently in a bucket of treated water.  I was trying to get all the snails out but should have just left it alone.   It is a tough lesson to learn as I really cared alot for my fish.
I think things have stabilized.  The water changed helped the murkiness and I tried adding stresszyme and extra stresscoat to try and get things cycling back to normal.  I read somewhere that keeping the light off for a day or two might help reduce the bacteria in the water.  I did a water test and there is no chlorine or nitrite and the nitrate is a reasonable level.  Everything seems normal.
There are 4 corries, a bristlenose pleco, a botia (stripped small one), two zebra ottos, 2 remaining xray tetra, and a dwarf gourami that all appear fine.  My angel hangs in a corner of the tank near the surface mouthing it, I tried a light feeding and it wasn't interested.  It is acting weird, probably misses it's friend.  If it remains healthy I am going to find it a new home.

Oh, tank is a 36 gal.

[rrocket2002]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Yea, sound like it went through a cycle.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

dang.... all you have on a 36g is a sponge filter?


I hose down any and all media/pads when I clean my filters... never wasted my time with using dirty water to clean them .

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

I believe it is a penguin 550 with an attached sponge filter.  It is rated at 150 gph or something, and suppose to work way better than an internal whisper filter mechanically.  I faucet wash my other tanks that have the Whisper internal pads and have the cotton/activated carbon filters in them and no problem there.  It is the only thing I can think of that I really changed, cause I really washed that sucker out good.

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

What the hell is going on?  The fish is freaking out, attacking the top of the water, swimming sideways, I tried lights on, lights off.  It is going to kill itself if it keeps doing this.

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Just lying there on the bottom barely breathing now.  I have no clue why this would happen.  Very sudden, once again all other tankmates are fine.  Well, probably wasn't the sponge.  Barely moving upside down in some grass.  I know it probably isn't going to make it, but why would this happen?

[Zulaab]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

dj --

This is what I would do.. I know some people would say something else, but this is what I would do.

You are looking at what affectionately called water poisoning (the fish freaks because of it).. either from ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates or Chlorine.  Please ADD a double dose of prime/amquel/stresscoat asap so as many of the things that will hurt your fish will go down.  If you have a canister or HOB and access to some FRESH activated carbon add a bag of it to the filter to try and grab out any bad chemicals that will hurt the fish.
Now add additional air to the tank via a sponge filter or at least an airstone.  If you have access to this.. do a massive water change now, and then one more in 3 days from now... and all should be good again.   STOP FEEDING YOUR FISH FOR 1 WEEK -- DONT ADD TO THE PROBLEM.. your fish will not die from starvation...

If you dont have access anything but stresscoat/amquel/prime then do a massive water change like 80+ percent so you can get the "bad" water out of the system.  STOP FEEDING YOUR FISH FOR 1 WEEK -- DONT ADD TO THE PROBLEM.. your fish will not die from starvation...
You will have to do water changes every 48 hours for a couple of days, then after 2 water changes change to every 72 hours for the next 6 days, and on the 10th day everything should be back to normal.   Bacteria should have gotten a hold of your filter and started to multiply enough.   The longer periods are to allow the bacteria to grow.  

This is just what I would do.

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Thanks, that is what I was wanting to know.  I think it is too late and probably could have moved the fish to a quaratine earlier.  The nitrite was low but there really isn't a test for ammonia is there?  Going to change the water again for the remaining guys, and hopefully he makes a turn.  But probably not, but thanks for the info.

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Well the new tank seems to really have helped alot.  It is a 20 gallon with a UGF and HOB with just a two rams and a few danios in it.  Small, but if I can keep him alive to the weekend I should be able to find a new home for him.  Just want to keep him alive.

I don't understand how my water could have become so foul so fast, and it had been established for almost a year now.....and when water tests show nothing.  Thanks for everyone's help and support, it is really nice to be able to come here during a crisis and have so many helpful minds to assist me with my little friends.

[CichlidFan]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Sometimes there is something in the house that rides in the air or gets sprayed in another room, who knows....

Just stick to your water changes and keep those filters clean every 30 to 45 days.....

Good Luck  &  Happy Holidays..

CF

[TaTeR ToT]

Re: Cloudy water, fish dying

Sometimes there is something in the house that rides in the air or gets sprayed in another room, who knows....

Just stick to your water changes and keep those filters clean every 30 to 45 days.....

Good Luck  &  Happy Holidays..

CF

+1
a few months back, i had an open top 37g, i was using it as a planted tank.
anywho, i never use any chemicals around my tanks, but my mom didnt know anybetter, she went into my room when cleaning the house, and sprayed some febreeze air effects spray with my fan on 8O anywho, i wasnt home, but 4 hours later, i got a call from her saying that my 2x small apisto borrelli, 8x congo tetras, and my 2x sterbai cories were all dead 8O    but that was the only tank it happened in. i rushed home, and tested the water, no nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, and temp, ph, and all other stats were unchanged, and completly stable, but the water had some of  the febeeze on the surface, all of the other tanks were fine. so i think it could very well be an airborne chemical or toxin, if this is the case, your best bet on gettin it out would be a fresh bag of activated carbon.

hope this helps.