# My Red Bellies Are Poorly Help Pls



## dave11674 (Jan 10, 2008)

hi guys

please give advice

notice my 4 rahan's this morning
as per pic

glazed white stuff over their eyes and they are not very responsive.

i rang local aquatics store and he gave me some anti bacteria fluid to put in the tank
said it would clear it up

ive had the fish in this tank for about 8 months now i think with no other problems
had the fish about 2 years i think.

can any1 give me any nice words as to if this will bring my rahna's round and make them well.

ive also taken out the carbon from the filter as he suggested
bought new stuff for replacement once treatment finished

thanks

hope to hear soon

dave < very worried


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## TheCableGuy (Feb 22, 2005)

My guess is ammonia burn.
What are your water params? Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, PH etc...


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

Could be a bacterial infection, you could use a wide range medicin. Leave the carbon out, 'cause it'll break down medicins.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

As was said def check and post your water params.
What are you running for filtration?
Also what is your water change routine? How much and how often do you change it?

I wouldnt add anything to your water till we get down to the route of the problem, which in this case if I had to guess its probably a water quality issue


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## dave11674 (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi guys thanks for pointers. I don't have means to check water.

Usually change 1/4 per week. But last night did just over 1/2 and took plants n bog wood out for time being. 
For filtration I have a big pond filter more than capable for this tank. 
It's always kept it clean in the past.

I've took carbon out the filter and put all new in exept for carbon as instructed by pet shop.

Last night before I came to bed they weren't looking happy at all. 
So will go down and check shortly.

When I was doing a water change I found a piece of rotting meat behind the bog wood.

Dave


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## dave11674 (Jan 10, 2008)

Ok guys just been down to check on them. 3 seem a little perkier.
The other, biggest of the clan was upside down on the bottom
but still breathing.

The other 3 the white stuff seems to have cleared up a bit so looking positive.
They still a bit dazed tho cos they were letting me touch them, had my hand in tank to move the big lassie which did start swimming when I touched her, but was all over the place and upside down again after a few mins.

Dave


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Glad to hear that seem a lil perkier.
Odds are that you had an ammonia spike due to that piece of rotting food.
I'm sure that the 50% waterchange really helped but I strongly suggest that you go out and get yourself a quality test kit for your water.
Did you by chance clean out your filters lately other than just removing the carbon?
If this is not done properly cleaning using tank water and making sure that it stays submerged as much as possible you could easily kill off your beneficial bactiria, which would cause your tank to recycle.

What size is your tank and what are you using for media in your filter? I am not familiar with pond filters so I dont know exactly how they would be set up. Hopefully someone will chime in about that and be able to better help you make sure that its set up properly.

Anyway best of luck and keep us posted on the situation









I forgot to mention if you can find the API Master test kit that would be great but if not just make sure that what ever one you do get had tests for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and PH. Stay away from the test strips as they are not very accurate.


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## dave11674 (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi guys thanks for the help thus far.
Took a sample to local pet shop it did test fine for ph.
However it spiked on amonia









he gave me 2 medz to put in which I did so yesterday dinnertime.
On my way home now to check them again.

He pet shop asked me what I'd done as of late to the tank.
He said me putting warm water in from the tap is no good as it needs treatment first. Got teartment now.
Also I jet the filter off which he said is no good as it's getting rid of the good bacteria








he said as you said and clean it with a bucket of the tank water.

It's setup as follows...
At the very bottom is an inch thick filter pannel hard sponge type.
Above this and uses up half of the filter is a much bigger piece of the same filter
on top of this is the carbon in a pink tight how it came
then on top of that is the pannel filter which is the only piece I change really
on top is the pump and it all clips togeter and is a stand alone external filter.

Thanks again I'll report back when I get home.

Dave


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## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

I think you killed the BB in your filter; still dont know what type it is? post a name.

It sounds like you have a lot of mechanical (filter pads/sponge) and no real biological...get eheim bio-media, bio-max, something right for this filter you have and get rid of most of the mechanical. Make sure you squeeze the sponges water into your tank to preserve as much BB as possible.

You also dont need any carbon after you have eliminated the meds from the tank...use this space for more bio-media...

It will take about a month for your cycle to finish, place the driftwood back in and hope it still has some live BB.

The best thing you can do is ask/beg/steal some old/established bio-media from your LFS and put it in your filter.

GL


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

What meds did they convince you to buy for your ammo problem?
The best way to deal with an ammonia problem is to do One large waterchange, which you did.
And then smaller frequent waterchanges till your tank is cycled.

The beneficial bacteria is what keeps yor ammo under control by converting it to nitrites, the nitrites are then converted to nitrates which are then removed by doing waterchanges.

Ammonia is your fish and food waste or even rotting plants.

You should def get some proper media in your filter for the beneficial bacteria to grow on or you're always going to have sick fish and an ammonia problem


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## dave11674 (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi guys

I lost my big lady. When I got back she was half eaten









the other 3 are as firey as hell and back to normal.

LFS asked me to do a water sample in a few weeks time. 
It was the ammo problem
I'll post wat medz I used up when I move house .

Thanks guys

Dave


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