# My rbp is dying



## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Hi, woke up this morning to find that my piranha is dying, its just staying still in one place not moving. Its breathing slowly. One of its eye is completly white and the other is semi white. If i look closly at the tail i see its starting to fall apart. The fishes body looks kinda torn up, it looks like something is eatting the fish. A small part of its mouth has a big whole in it. I went to school and came back to be surprise its still alive. Before i left to school, i added some mela-fix in the water. Right now i just finished setting up a quarentine* ( sorry for the spelling error, im so scared its not gonna make to tomorow) and will put the fish in it until its healed. I had it for 4 years already, is it dying of oldness? PLease help me!! thanks

sorry, i have dont a pic ... no camera


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Add some aquarium salt and turn the heat up to 85F.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

rchan11 said:


> Add some aquarium salt and turn the heat up to 85F.
> [snapback]868028[/snapback]​


Do i have to use salt? or can i stick with mela-fix since thats whats in the water right now? can both mela-fix and salt be used at the same time? which is better?

EDIT: havnt added salt yet ( ill go out n buy it tomorow), but melafix is in the tank and i have raised the temp to 80.


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## SMITZ71 (Jun 4, 2004)

Make sure you remove any carbon from your filters...This is a key mistake I see many not do when they are trying to heal fish when using products such as Melafix... Good luck bro-


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

yeah, i removed the carbon when i added the mela -fix. Thanks man, hopefully my fish will make it through the night.









Edit: my other question: 
Do i have to use salt? or can i stick with mela-fix since thats whats in the water right now? can both mela-fix and salt be used at the same time? which is better?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

"mela-fix and salt be used at the same time?" Salt will not affect Mela-fix.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

cool, thanks so much guys. ill update u guys with the fishes progress.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

do some water changes, check the water parameters and seperate it from all your other fish if possible, adding aquarium salt is also a good idea (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons)

its likely you have an ammonia problem, but since you provided very little information then this can only be a guess.

more pictures and information please


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Since i dont have a camera, i took some pictures from one of the fourms that would describle my situations.


























hope this helps

Edit: I only have 1 piranha in a 20gal tank


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

When was the last time you did a water change and how much?


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

wow.. last time i did a water change was a while ago.. probly like 4 months ago? i do about a 25-35% change. I often change the filters though.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

TWiSDiT said:


> wow.. last time i did a water change was a while ago.. probly like 4 months ago? i do about a 25-35% change. I often change the filters though.
> [snapback]868140[/snapback]​


That's your problem. I'd do 3 seperate 25% water change now and 25% weekly.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Make sure you vacuum your gravel also.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

my piranha is still alive. Did a 25% water change. I found out that it got the fungus disease. I added some salt, and the jungle Fungus clear tablets, and raised the temp to 85F. So far the piranha is just staying in one place and floating around. Ill keep u guys updated.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Do 3 SEPERATE 25% water change, not only once.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Im gotta do that tomorow. Gotta treat the water first.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

You should be treating your P in clean fresh water, not the old water that caused him to get sick in the 1st place.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

rchan11 said:


> You should be treating your P in clean fresh water, not the old water that caused him to get sick in the 1st place.
> [snapback]869511[/snapback]​


The fish is in the clean fresh water now. Added salt and raised the temp. I see some improvements. The cotton like things on its side are starting to fall off.Before the P didnt move, it would just float around and looked dead. Now its just lying on the the bottom of the tank and moving its fins from time to time sometimes swim. Thanks for all your help so far rchan


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Good to hear that he's recovering








Don't forget to do weekly 25% water change.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

yea i wont forget.. Btw.. how do you determine the sex of a rbp?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

I've no idea...You can make a thread and ask members. I know they know.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Here's a pinned article on sexing rbp

http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=37558


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

i just checked on my P and its swimming around freely, back and forth.. incircles around the tank. The only problem is that it doesnt swim off the ground. Its belly is on the ground the whole time. Is it on the road to recovery?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

He's recovering, give him time to gain his strength back.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Cool!, Hes so lucky. I was about to throw him away this morning because when i checked he looked like he was gonna die in a couple of secs. He wasnt moving, barely breathing, and was pale. I didnt want him to suffer. Thats real good news. Should i do a 25% water change and add just a pinch of aquarium salt tomorow?

wells..ima go watch him swim for the first time in 2 days now


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Change water once a week from now on. I your rbp eating?


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

I havent feed him anything yet cause i doubt he can see. One of his eyes is completly white from the fungus. Its like white cotton covering his whole left eye. Half of his body is normal ( no visable infections ) but on the other side, he got the puffy cloud eyes, and patches of cotton like things on his gills ( which is slowly dissapearing)


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Try to feed him a little, your P can smell as well. Clean up anything left over immediately. Keep trying to feed him daily.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

can i feed him some raw beef right now since thats all i got?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Put a small amount infront of him to see if he'll eat it. If he won't eat it, take it out in 10 minutes. Try it daily.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

alright, ill try that. Thanks, you been a great help


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

WOW.. he didnt eat but like 5 mins later he like threw up the meat i feed him couple days ago along with some pebbles! my p ate pebbles! there was like 3 pebbles in his month when he threw up and he swallowed it back and was choking.


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## Powder (Nov 24, 2004)

to determin sex of rbp when they get to adult stage females have no red belly


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

cool, that means my P is a boy


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Did he eat?

I just saw your earlier post. Keep trying to feed him daily.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

no, he didnt eat. Ill try and give some this afternoon. Remember how i said he ate pebbles? well yeah.. yesterday he threw up like 6 pebbles and today like 4. I hope there isnt more in his tummy. He is doing fine right now, swimming around like normal now. I did a water 25% water change this morning and added some more salt. The temp is around 85. When should i decrease the temp? and also whats another good substitute for pebbles?


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

I use gravel myself. Are you adding Mela-Fix along with salt? What is his condition now? Keep the temp up until he's healed.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Theres no mela-fix in the water. I used a product called Jungle Fungus Clear ( its one of those fizzing tablets) His left eye and left gills still have those cotton like things hanging out. His left eye looks the same still completly white but the cotton is hanging like long threads ( is it falling off?







)


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Should be falling off...Give it time, it has only been couple of days. Is he getting more active?


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

oh yeah he can never stay in one place, always swimming around


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Good sign


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Thanks to you man!


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

The white stuff is probably ammonia burn from lack of water change. Give it couple of more days if he's not healing, switch to Mela-Fix.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

ok. Its funny how sometimes when he swims he will ran into the heater with his head since he probly cant see that well yet. Well, ima go clean the plants and filter from the old tank and go clean up the table to put the new tank there.. will be his new home now, went from a 20 gallon to a 45


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Keep him in the 20g until he is healed. It's alot easier to treat a 20g then a 45g.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

yeah, im just preparing the table, plants and filter. So much calcium builds up for the past couple years


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Just went to go check him out and he is now able to swim to the top. Also i saw 2 more small pepples that he washed out his tummy. ( hopefully the last)


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

I wonder why he's eating pebbles..


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

lol i feed him daily.. dunno why


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

Innes said:


> check the water parameters
> [snapback]868120[/snapback]​


so what are the water parameters?


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Powder said:


> to determin sex of rbp when they get to adult stage females have no red belly
> [snapback]870806[/snapback]​


Not trying to be a dick, and not trying to derail, but that's non-sense








You can't determine a Natt's sex just by looking at it - the only way to find out is to witness an actual spawning, or to cut up your fish...

Anyways, I hope your fish recovers soon


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Innes said:


> so what are the water parameters?
> [snapback]871974[/snapback]​


His parameters should be good. He did a 3 seperate 25% water change yesteday and once today.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

im about to do one more in a couple of hours


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Don't overdo the water change or you'll stress out your fish. Once a week is good enough.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

rchan11 said:


> His parameters should be good. He did a 3 seperate 25% water change yesteday and once today.
> [snapback]872020[/snapback]​


so his tank is about to re-cycle?









you cant guess water parameters, tats why we all buy test kits lol


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

With 3 seperate 25% water change, 2 more 25% since, and old filter and gravel still in there, plus a low fish load (1 fish in 20g), his parameters should be good. You are correct, without a test kit, we don't know for certain.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

man.. i wish i had a digital camera. My fish had gone through major improvements. Its body is now very smooth and shiney, fins are fully recovered and grown, and the gills are fully healed. Just workin on that one eye


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)




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## mypiranhas (Dec 28, 2004)

rchan11 said:


> Don't overdo the water change or you'll stress out your fish. Once a week is good enough.
> [snapback]872074[/snapback]​


I've only had piranhas for a little less than a year but I've gotten into the habit of doing daily 7% water changes for my reds and it seems to stimulate their appetite. the relationship could be associative but when I don't do it they don't eat with the same insanity. now that they're used to it about 20 minuts after I pour in the slightly colder water they start circling at the top demanding their dinner...( i wonder if they think it rained... I do age the water for 24 hours, use no chemical additives or dechlorinators but do prefilter with sponge and carbon. what could the harm be in doing very frequent small water changes in all my tanks? I'm under the impresion its the ultimate tool for fish health and odour free tanks. thanks


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Some people do change little amount of water daily and some weekly and I do every 2 weeks. Some Ps are more skittish than others and should do it once a week or every 2 weeks. Twisdit has a small fish load, 1 fish for 20g and soon to be 1 fish for 45g. Therefore daily water change is not needed. I just don't like the hassel of changing water daily. I've 9 tanks.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

rchan11 said:


> With 3 seperate 25% water change, 2 more 25% since, and old filter and gravel still in there, plus a low fish load (1 fish in 20g), his parameters should be good. You are correct, without a test kit, we don't know for certain.
> [snapback]872157[/snapback]​


lol not trying to point out the obvoius, but you dont know that, you couldn't know that, firstly you dont know what the water was like because no parameters were posted (most likely not tested) and also none were posted afterwards.
you also dont know what his water supply is like.

the issue I personally have with doing this many water changes in a small amount of time is it can and most likely will cause the tank to re-cycle, if this is the case the water quality will fall rapidly into toxic levels - kinda like it was like to cause the ammonia poisioning the fish was suffering from.

*I would like to suggest a few things to TWiSDiT:*
*regular water changes are needed, can you imagine living in your filth for 4 months at a time?
*test kits are needed, you need to know what your water is like, if you dont know what the water is like you cant sucsessfully prevent any issues like this ammonia burn (or whatever the issue actially is) 
*P nattereri are shoaling fish and have a max size of about 15", your tank is not even 15" wide and you only have one of them

I'm a little suprised you didn't have a problem sooner, you obviously have no idea how to care for your own pet, I'm very pleased that you are at least looking for help and advice







its a shame you didn't do this sooner.
from now on please try to do water changes at least every month, but its a good idea to do them weekly, especially considering you have a relitively small tank for the fish that you own.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

that was very helpful..


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

TWiSDiT said:


> that was very helpful..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


well it would be if you tried it


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

TWiSDiT said:


> that was very helpful..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I doubt (well... hope) you don't get much of a response after that post - if that's the way you thank people for offering advice that is sound from the first to the last word, you don't deserve any advice at all...


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

well.. im sorry about earlier.. its just when u said " you obviously have no idea how to care for your own pet" i kinda got upset made me feel like an idiot. I had the fish for almost 4 years and a half and never had a problem untill couple days, so it kinda freaked me out.. Now i learned my lesson.

Well, i was doing fine with rchan.. he helped me from the beginning to the end and was very polite .Also My fish has recovered and he had to say " i have no idea how to care for my pet" kinda got me mad


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

TWiSDiT said:


> well.. im sorry about earlier.. its just when u said " you obviously have no idea how to care for your own pet" i kinda got upset made me feel like an idiot. I had the fish for almost 4 years and a half and never had a problem untill couple days, so it kinda freaked me out.. Now i learned my lesson.
> 
> Well, i was doing fine with rchan.. he helped me from the beginning to the end.Also My fish has recovered and he had to say " i have no idea how to care for my pet" kinda got me mad
> [snapback]873543[/snapback]​


in all fairness it kinda gets me mad when people dont look after there fish, and 4 months without cleaning it is really not looking after your fish, I am however delighted you looked for advice, and you got things looking better


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

yeah, like i said.. ive learned my lesson and will closely monitor my fish now time to time cause i dont want this to happen again.


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Once again, i wanna thank every one that helped me out especial you rchan11. Thanks everyone


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## TWiSDiT (Jul 13, 2004)

Wow.. Davoo on this other thread posted pics his/hers sick piranha ( looks exactly like mine). Just to show what mine looked like couple days ago ( with white clouded eyes)

http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=71635

but now he is about 95% better


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