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Can someone help me? Fish just almost died/filter is pumping out white stuff?!


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Old 06-09-2012, 21:37
EEfan24
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Yep, allow as much of the 'gunky' water that the sponge is holding to get in to the new filter as well and soak in to any new sponges in there, it's all good stuff.

If you are doing a huge water change then the nitrate levels should be fine.
there's no nitrate in the water anyway as I've still not got nitrites! Also, there isn't really gunky water on the sponge, it really is quite a pathetic sponge lol, but the filter is definitely cycled.

Also, will he be ok overnight without his sponge in the filter?
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Old 06-09-2012, 21:46
ghostdreamer1
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there's no nitrate in the water anyway as I've still not got nitrites! Also, there isn't really gunky water on the sponge, it really is quite a pathetic sponge lol, but the filter is definitely cycled.

Also, will he be ok overnight without his sponge in the filter?
One night shouldn't hurt him. I would do a water change on his tank though so he's is nice fresh water for the night and if you can run an airstone or something to keep the water circulating just to help him with oxygenation.

Years ago fish were kept in tanks with no filters, I had two little goldies in a smallish tank without a filter for months until my evil stepmother one day put salt in their tank pretending she thought all fish needed saltwater I got home to find them both dead.
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Old 06-09-2012, 22:14
EEfan24
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One night shouldn't hurt him. I would do a water change on his tank though so he's is nice fresh water for the night and if you can run an airstone or something to keep the water circulating just to help him with oxygenation.

Years ago fish were kept in tanks with no filters, I had two little goldies in a smallish tank without a filter for months until my evil stepmother one day put salt in their tank pretending she thought all fish needed saltwater I got home to find them both dead.
Omg! That's awful! I had goldfish as a child, completely unaware of how to look after them (although thought it was right at the time!). I had 3 in a not even 10 gallon tank It had a filter, but I never tested the water or de-chlorinated it. They lived about 5 years I think. Feel rather guilty now though

Ok the plan is all sorted then for transferring him over, but it's going to have to be put on hold until these blasted carpets are done. I just near enough emptied the tank and can nowhere near lift it so all the gravel is going to have to come out too. There's no way I'm settling him in the new tank to then have to completely empty it and put him back in again, plus I'm sure 100% water changes aren't good once the fish has been in?

He doesn't seem distressed where he is now, swimming around quite happily. I just thought a couple of nights ago he seemed odd, but I have a feeling it was the KH levels.
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Old 07-09-2012, 00:58
xdow
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One night shouldn't hurt him. I would do a water change on his tank though so he's is nice fresh water for the night and if you can run an airstone or something to keep the water circulating just to help him with oxygenation.

Years ago fish were kept in tanks with no filters, I had two little goldies in a smallish tank without a filter for months until my evil stepmother one day put salt in their tank pretending she thought all fish needed saltwater I got home to find them both dead.
she must have added a heck of a lot, how awful

when i had goldfish, i'd dose the tank with salt to treat whitespot, worked an absolute treat too, cleared up in two weeks, where as there was a tank at college being dosed up with chemicals for what seemed like months on end with no improvement whatsoever of the fish
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Old 07-09-2012, 09:56
susie-4964
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Years ago fish were kept in tanks with no filters, I had two little goldies in a smallish tank without a filter for months until my evil stepmother one day put salt in their tank pretending she thought all fish needed saltwater I got home to find them both dead.
That's what we did, in fact when I was a child, it was goldfish bowls, not even tanks. Goldfish bowls looked very pretty, especially with coloured gravel, but the opening wasn't nearly big enough to let oxygen into the water. Every week you'd decant the poor goldfish into another container and clean out the bowl and the gravel. This was in Scotland, where at least the water quality was pretty good (very little chlorine), I'm not sure if it would work in London!
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Old 09-09-2012, 09:14
biskit
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When starting a new tank I use Tetra Aqua Bactozym tablets which I put into the filter it releases bacteria into the water that will start off the cycle but at a much quicker rate, within a day or two the fish can go in with out any problems,
I have two very big Tiger Osca's (11 and 12 inch long) a large sucker and some slightly smaller fish and had no problems at all.
I also water change roughly 40% every two weeks and also clean the filter sponges, every month I change the charcoal and check the Bio balls as they can break down and cause white cloudy water (not good), the water is always crystal clear
Adding some live plants and keep the light on for 8 hrs a day will also help with the cycle process
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Old 09-09-2012, 11:44
Summat
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@EEfan24: What you've done so far is good, and you've shown remarkable patience; If you go down the route of introducing donor filter material, and moving the fish in early then I'd suggest keeping the old tank available (with the existing water) as a back-up, and monitor your water quality each day, just to make sure that the new tank is managing itself properly.

It's a pain, isn't it

Good luck.
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Old 09-09-2012, 13:00
EEfan24
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@EEfan24: What you've done so far is good, and you've shown remarkable patience; If you go down the route of introducing donor filter material, and moving the fish in early then I'd suggest keeping the old tank available (with the existing water) as a back-up, and monitor your water quality each day, just to make sure that the new tank is managing itself properly.

It's a pain, isn't it

Good luck.
Thanks, yes after what happened last time I needed an emergency tank so will definitely be keeping it next to it for a while Really hope the new one doesn't bloom up again!

Yes it definitely is but fingers crossed all will work out fine.
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Old 09-09-2012, 17:50
ghostdreamer1
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Sorry I have't been around the last couple of days, been having a bit of a tropical fish emergency of my own

How are your test readings coming along EEfan24? Did you do the filter thing?
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Old 09-09-2012, 22:31
EEfan24
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Sorry I have't been around the last couple of days, been having a bit of a tropical fish emergency of my own

How are your test readings coming along EEfan24? Did you do the filter thing?
Oh no what happened?

I've had to halt everything until we get new carpet, as there's no way we can move the tank even with a bit of water in so it'd really disrupt him if we had to empty it all.

I have a REALLY bad feeling though that something else is wrong and he could have a swim bladder problem. Just today I've noticed he's spending a lot of time at the bottom, and when he comes to the top it's very brief and goes back down, like he can't hold his own weight. He's also hovering in a vertical position a lot with head down. It's just 1 thing after another if it's that (I can't see how the water conditions can be to blame, I've been keeping a very close eye and if ammonia is creeping towards .25 I do a 10-20% water change, and nitrites are always 0).
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Old 09-09-2012, 22:46
sarah0890
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Oh no poor fishy

I'm not an expert on fish (although somehow my Gilbert celebrated his 7th birthday last month) so I can't advise you but I want to wish you well.

You deserve all success in fish keeping after all your worry and patience
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Old 09-09-2012, 23:47
EEfan24
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OK since I posted that, if I go near the tank he will swim around the top with what doesn't seem like any effort...maybe I jumped to conclusions and he's just resting? Just seemed really wobbly the way he vertically hovers!!
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Old 10-09-2012, 07:14
Summat
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Try feeding him a frozen pea, defrosted and skinned.
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Old 10-09-2012, 08:50
ghostdreamer1
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It's amazing how paranoid you get with fish once you've had a problem. I used to spend hours counting my neon tetras after I'd bought a bunch of cardinals that were not very good stock and just kept vanishing. I replaced them with the neons and still have all but 1 (and they reckon that cardis are supposed by tougher than neons these days - go figure).

My recent problem was that I bought 6 small angel fish for my new tank on Bank Holiday Sunday. 1 died Thursday, 2 Friday and 1 Saturday. Up to Thursday they'd been absolutely fine. My water parameters were spot on. Now I have to see what the shop where I bought them says when they check my water. But I keep obsessively checking the remaining 2 Angels . The other fish (6 Odessa barbs) that had already been in the tank have been fine throughout this entire disaster.

Anyway, EEfan24, hopefully he'll be fine, but I do understand that every little thing he does which to seems different will be worrying. Fingers crossed.
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Old 10-09-2012, 13:16
sarah0890
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OK since I posted that, if I go near the tank he will swim around the top with what doesn't seem like any effort...maybe I jumped to conclusions and he's just resting? Just seemed really wobbly the way he vertically hovers!!
He could just be resting.
Mine scared me half to death last week, when he started casually resting at the bottom and only swimming occasionally/when someone was near. Checked his water and all was normal, I was so worried I went to the local pet shop to ask and the woman there said that occasionally they do that. She herself said that her goldfish is now 13 and does that.

Is fishy still eating ok? I think thats when you have to worry.
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Old 10-09-2012, 13:35
EEfan24
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Glad it's not just me that's paranoid! Seems to be eating OK, though I would say he looks like he's having more trouble finding the food than he used to?! But when he's found it he will eat it fine.
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Old 10-09-2012, 15:19
EEfan24
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Sorry to hear about your troubles Ghostdreamer- wish I could offer advice like you have to me but sadly I have no idea what it could be! Hope the remaining 2 make it.
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Old 11-09-2012, 10:58
EEfan24
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Definitely has a swim bladder problem Going to try the pea and not feeding for a couple of days. If that doesn't work then no idea what's wrong :/
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Old 11-09-2012, 11:40
EEfan24
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He's just floating around upside down most of the time and won't take/can't find the pea and seems to have deteriorated loads in the space of a few hours
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Old 11-09-2012, 17:40
sarah0890
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Oh no how's he now, EEfan?
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Old 11-09-2012, 18:13
ghostdreamer1
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I just read that your fish is worse. So sorry to hear that. Any sign of improvement at all?
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Old 11-09-2012, 18:23
EEfan24
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No Just floating around upside down and still won't eat the pea. I don't see how he's supposed to if he's upside down as he can't find it! Anyone got any tips on that?!

I'm going to try fasting him for a couple of days as if it's diet related it might help? I checked nitrates as well as my kit arrived today and they're 10ppm so it's definitely not the water. It's breaking my heart to watch him- hope he's not in pain
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Old 12-09-2012, 15:25
BadLadAsh
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As some people on here might know I've just invested in a bigger tank for my goldfish as I was sold one too small.

Basically I just arrived home and I noticed the water was a lot cloudier than when I left, and my fish was constantly at the top of the water getting air and not swimming down. Literally 2 minutes later I came back in the room and noticed the filter was pumping out what looked like some form of white powder and my fish had sunk to the bottom almost dead. I managed to get him out, clearly oxygen deprived, and he is now OK. The filter came as part of the tank and is inbuilt.

My question is what on earth could have happened?! Should the filter be pumping out this stuff? Or does it sound faulty?

Edit: I should have said, I left the tank for a day before putting him in. Put water conditioner in, and put some of his old tank water in so it wasn't a complete water change.
It sounds like the filter has blew up and the white powder might be smoke.
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Old 12-09-2012, 15:42
EEfan24
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It sounds like the filter has blew up and the white powder might be smoke.
Thank you but this happened a while ago so I'm on the road to sorting everything out (or I was till my fish got sick!)
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Old 12-09-2012, 16:45
ghostdreamer1
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How's he doing today EEfan?
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