Dead Snail and now Dead Clown with Pink gills

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randytester

Guest
Bought two clown fish about 3 days ago and one just died. He and his friend looked fine a few hours ago, and when i just looked a few minutes ago he was barely swimming and then started floating and gasping for breath. His friend looks like hes doing fine. I noticed that his gills were a bright Pink.
All this is in a 12G Aquapod with about 10lbs LR and 10lbs LS.
I also had a turbo snail die the other day also, but my other 3 are turbos are doing fine. I last performed a water change 2 days go. Acclimated both fish for 3 hours and tested my water just right now they are.
Amonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = ~5-10 (now)
PH = 7.8
SG = 1.025
What am i missing? What do the Bright Pink gills mean? Any help is appreciated
 
fishygurl

fishygurl

Active Member
Maybe beth or someone that is good with diseases and stuff could help u with the pink gills what were your nitrates before? how long has your tank been set up? how long ago did you add all the live rock and sand?
 
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randytester

Guest
the nitrates were 20 when i put them in. and i performed a 15% water change the next day. Both were eating well before the one died (even this morning)
 
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randytester

Guest
Tank was set up about 5-6 weeks ago. Tank was tested after 3 weeks and looked ok. Put a CUC in at 3 weeks, they cleaned up a lot of algae. Then put in a Green Chromi at week 4. He's been doing fine. And now at week 5 I was supposed to be finished with my pair of tankbred False Percs. I'm hoping its not something more serious as my Turbo and then my clown died in back to back days
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
What is the water temp? What kind of Turbo's do you have, Mexican or Zebra? Mexican Turbo's don't do well in very warm waters.
 
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randytester

Guest
Water temps were about 78 yesterday. Of course the temps in the tank have been fluctuating wildly with the heat wave we had last week. One day temps got up to 86 and i had to open the cover and blow a fan to bring them temps down. The last few days the water temps have been about 76-78
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by randytester
http:///forum/post/2594755
Tank was set up about 5-6 weeks ago. Tank was tested after 3 weeks and looked ok. Put a CUC in at 3 weeks, they cleaned up a lot of algae. Then put in a Green Chromi at week 4. He's been doing fine. And now at week 5 I was supposed to be finished with my pair of tankbred False Percs. I'm hoping its not something more serious as my Turbo and then my clown died in back to back days
IMO you did too much too fast. The tank is new and three fish, plus a clean up crew, have been added already. This tank is small and needs time to establish. Fluctuations are not tolerated as well in smaller tanks. I am willing to bet that you had an ammonia spike when you added the clowns.
Originally Posted by randytester
http:///forum/post/2594898
Water temps were about 78 yesterday. Of course the temps in the tank have been fluctuating wildly with the heat wave we had last week. One day temps got up to 86 and i had to open the cover and blow a fan to bring them temps down. The last few days the water temps have been about 76-78
This is the problem with smaller tanks. You really have to watch the parameters closely. The fluctuations are very stressful on the life within the tank. When the temperature rises, the disolved oxygen in the tank drops.
 
fireangel

fireangel

New Member
Originally Posted by randytester
http:///forum/post/2595852
Any ideas what the pink gills are from tho?
Ammonia burned gills turn pink. Also, him breathing/gasping at the surface means that the gills were so badly burned he couldn't breath using them anymore.
Test your water.
How are the other critters in the tank?
 
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randytester

Guest
Musta been an amonia spike then. Although my other Clown died this afternoon too (no pink gills tho). My CUC is okay, and I checked the water right after and got the following:
Amonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 20
PH = 7.8
SG = 1.025
Temp =76
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by randytester
http:///forum/post/2596392
Musta been an amonia spike then. Although my other Clown died this afternoon too (no pink gills tho). My CUC is okay, and I checked the water right after and got the following:
Amonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 20
PH = 7.8
SG = 1.025
Temp =76
I am sorry to hear that. Wait three weeks before adding any more fish. If they had a parasite then they will be dead by then. This will also give your tank some time to mature. You may want to think about setting up a quarantine tank during this time.
 
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randytester

Guest
i tested it this afternoon. and yes it is usually about the same. How would i raise it? Gotta admit that it could be off, since the color on my API test wasnt really that close to the card.
 
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