Help please

[liljack]

Went outa town for 4 days, i have some one feeding fish once a day got home and a few have died! the water test shows HIGH nitrite-everything else ok, 125 w/eheim 2260, i changed some water because some of the others are gasping. any suggestions??

[fishboyt]

Put as much air in the tank as possible.

[Mzungu]

What did this someone do when the fish were fed? Did you ask how long the fish had been dead, or if they were acting strange, etc?


Do a large water change, take out the dead fish if you have not already, and like fishboyt said, if they're gasping, aeration will help.

[Mzungu]

Also, is everything equipment-wise working how it is supposed to?

[liljack]

she took out 1 dead fish and then 2 more died today. the filter doesnt seem to be spraying as hard as it was, but still a lot. I also heard there was a power outage while i was gone.

[rrocket2002]

Water change and add some aeration.

[semper]

power outage did it

run airstones

[wesleydnunder]

Your tank is going through a cycle, probaably due to oxygen starvation of the bacteria bed in the filter while the power was down. As suggested, do a large water change or even two or three in succession to get the nitrite to zero. If it starts climbing again, stay with the water changes. Also, 1tsp per gallon of salt added very slowly will help offset nitrite toxicity. The reason the fish are gasping at the top may not be lack of oxygen in the water, but the blood's inability to carry oxygen because of high nitrite...a condition called brown blood disease.

Mark

[cope]

help

Jack, I know you will stop by today but I thought I might reply for those who may encounter the same issue...
first off... Fish do die... but normally just one......
so since the have had 6 die all of a sudden.. then this would indicate that something is killing them... as you mentioned they look like they are gasping for air..... that may indicate that there is lack of oxygen in the water. Normally if the surface of the water has movement then that will oxygenate the water but if the power goes off of a long time then that water movement is not there thus making less oxygen.. But I Highly doubt that is what would have killed them... you say the nitrite is off the chart... this would indicate some sort of bacteria spike... your tank is establish and this should not be... so you may have a dead fish or shrimp or pleco that you do not see and that is causing the nitrite spike. also you told me that you have not cleaned your canister filter..... you also say you feed twice a day.... remember all that feed becomes waste and waster will create your spikes..... you have a filter full of waste and that might be causing the spike. you have also said that your water has never been cystal clear like my tanks..... I think that is in part to your over feeding... you said you put a feeder block in the tank when you left out of town..... your fish can go for days without food....

My suggestion at this point would be.... do a 1/2 tank water change and clean that filter...
change you charcoal bag (charcoal becomes exhausted over time) the charcoal should help take any poisons out of the water that you do not know about. clean you filter media with fish tank water .. not tap water... as tap water will kill your benifial bacteria...... you filter does not need to be spike and span..... replace you fine filter media and clean your sponge filters if you have them..... Do not feed what fish you have left for a couple days... they should be fine........ your water should be cryal clear in at least 2 day.... I know when I do a major cleaning on my tank.. I have taken 3/4 of the water out.. replaced it and the tank was clear the next morning.... stop by the shop and I can discuss more with you... I also have some fish I will give you to replace the ones that died.... sorry to hear about the loss....

Also for those who keep up..... be carefull when you exterminate.. make sure the guy stays away from your tanks.. I know this is not the case for Jack.. he said no one has done anything like that lately...

hope this helps... Chuck (cope)