# In need of HELP!! Badly!!!



## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

I been having water problems lately, real bad. 5 days ago I tossed in feeders, left for awhile, came home an hr after, and noticed all the feeders were dead.. untouched. Did water change. Today, did the same exact thing. Tossed in the feeders... 1/2 hr later, they're all dead again, and an hr later their outsides looks like someones rubbed them up against sandpaper.. but none where ever touched.

Also 3 Pygos have white spots on both eyes, looks like a hole (hith) is forming on 2 of 'em. Most aren't active (4 wont move) even when tapping on glass. Did 2 tests.. one brand Tetra, the other Aquarium Pharmceuticals. Both had 2 different results.
Tetra brand reading: ammonia/nitrate .2-.3, PH 7.5 
Aquarium Pharmceuticals: ammonia/nitrate: 1.0, PH 6.0

What do you think is happening and what can I do?? Just finished 35% water change and used Amquel stress coat w/ Melfix to intensify the balance.

Hope you can help, DonH!!!


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## tecknik (Jul 18, 2003)

Hope all goes well :sad:


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Have you contacted your water supply source and asked if they have recently added anything to the water that might affect aquatic life (maybe higher chlorine/chloramine levels)? It must be something in the water if the feeders are dying that quickly. Are any hobbiests that you know nearby having the same problem?

If it's confirmed that it's not the water supply, I would do another water change and put in a bag of fresh activated carbon to take out any toxins that might be in the water. Don't feed your fish for the next few days. From the sound of it, they won't eat anyway. Good luck...


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2003)

What a nightmare!









Have you double-checked your temperature? Maybe the heater or thermometer is reading wrong.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

DonH, one of the canister is hosting a brand new bag of carbon, while the other has crushed corrals. Plus if carbon were placed, wouldn't the stress coat or melfix be inactive in tank?



Bullsnake said:


> Have you double-checked your temperature? Maybe the heater or thermometer is reading wrong.


 Checked all temp readings on both sides of the tank and its in its normal reading of 80-82.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

Are you using test strips or a kit? I found the strips that i have used in the past on my tank and my pool were totaly unrelyable. ( I have tried a bunch of them) The ph could be a big difference than the ph in the tank the golds came from. But the way it sounds it could be a nitrate problem.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

This sucks







.....Sorry Rhom....Hope everything clears up fast


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## Noe (Aug 22, 2003)

That suck hope everything turn out fine............


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Raptor said:


> Are you using test strips or a kit?


 Ive only used kits all my life. Actually used 2 different kits to test the water but both ad opposite reading from each other. Man I dont know what to do


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

Well you can conclude from both tests that your amonina is to high, i would work on that for sure!


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

Rhomzilla, you've done the 35% water change. Stop adding more medics. And don't stress them anymore, i.e. turn lights off, no tapping on window, and no food.

As long as there is some salt, this should lower the affect of high amonia/nitrite by shielding your p's gills. My red lived through 5ppm nirtrite and god knows how much amonia. But I kept my temp at 82 with 1 tablespoon for every 10 gals, and they seemed fine.

As for the white spots and dead feeders, I would say you bought a bad batch of feeders that were sick and probably infected your piranhas. But with what you added to the water lets hope they'll be fine and that the parasites will die.

Keep us posted and try and keep a close watch while staying away from tank.


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

do you have another hospital tank that is established and read to house sick P's? I hope you did incase you'd need one now.

Again keep a very close watch you don't want to be too late on your reactions, though I think you've done a good job so far with your treatment.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

DonH said:


> Have you contacted your water supply source and asked if they have recently added anything to the water that might affect aquatic life (maybe higher chlorine/chloramine levels)? It must be something in the water if the feeders are dying that quickly. Are any hobbiests that you know nearby having the same problem?


 DonH.. You were right on the money AGAIN!!!!







Woke up today, ran to the bathroom, read the closest newspaper near me, and behold... "San Mateo county will be switching from *increased* chlorine addatives to chloramine disinfection for driniking water". Also, I remember Tecknik telling me that the feeders he's tossed in his tank recently has been dying also, untouched. So besides Amquel and chlorine/chloramine removers, are there anything else more potent I can use? And whats the difference between the 2??

Thanks again, DonH!!!





















DAMN your good!!!


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## Kain (Mar 13, 2003)

Amquel removes ammonia and chloramine, while novaqua removes chlorine. Just increase the amount of novaqua you use bro. It should be safe for fish since it's really not a med of any sort. It states that you can increase the dosage to remove excess chlorine in the water on the back of the novaqua bottle. And I agree with you, Donh is da man :nod: If it werent for him and Frank, Id probably lose my current fish.


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## JReezelle (May 18, 2003)

Daaaaaaaaamn...I live in the same city as RhomZilla and I just found out the hard way. I did about a 30% w/c and my p's look jacked up.







I thought it was like a bad ass ammonia spike but they damn near changed condition right after I was done with the w/c. Luckily I logged onto the site I havent been on here for a while and I seen this post. My p's (I got 4 caribas and 2 pirayas) skin got spots of white looks like ammonia burn and some have a little white on their eyes. What should I do? Should I do another w/c and add more detoxifiers? I use Bio-Safe when I do w/c should I just add more? Or should I use something else and what dosage? I got 2 Fluval 404's on this tank which is 100G. Holler at me with some help folks this is scarin the sh*t outta me. Oh and have a safe and happy new year to all of you.


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2004)

JReezelle said:


> I use Bio-Safe when I do w/c should I just add more? Or should I use something else and what dosage?


 I pulled this off a web site selling Bio Safe:


> Bio-Safe Water Conditioner
> Use Bio-Safe when setting up a new aquarium or when making water changes of 50% or more. It removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia from tap water to make it safe for fish in freshwater and marine aquariums


So it appears that it removes chloramines. If you still feel the fish are reacting negatively to the new water, I guess you could add more to the clean water before adding it to the aquarium.


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## JReezelle (May 18, 2003)

I just added salt to the tank and waited the night out and after about a day and a half they seem to be doing fine and their skin doesn't look messed up no more. I'm just going to cure the water before i put it in the tank from now on instead of putting it directly into the tank.


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## andymel (Oct 27, 2003)

JReezelle said:


> I just added salt to the tank and waited the night out and after about a day and a half they seem to be doing fine and their skin doesn't look messed up no more. I'm just going to cure the water before i put it in the tank from now on instead of putting it directly into the tank.


 Very good idea.


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