microman2k
Member
help my fish are just floating and not swimming, they are alive and seem to have trouble breathing this just happened suddenly, I NEED HELP!!! they are alive but just floating!!!
Help Fish Floating Not Swimming
- Thread starter microman2k
- Start date
microman2k
Member
i had pH problems and i now they are WAY too low,they went from 8.7 to 7.2 in a few minutes!
microman2k
Member
well, i had a huge mishap with my hdrometer and after i got my salitinty from the bottom lowest readings i got some additives to help it, but the calcium i added raised my pH to 8.9 and so i lowered it with vingegar and a water change but i am afraid to low to about 7.2 and now i added baking soda and now it is at 7.8 i am going to transfer the 3 smallest to my brother's tank, will they die? i am so stressed! i don't know what to do!
karajay
Active Member
Sounds like a chemistry experiment.
Get a few water changes ready with aerated, aged saltwater.
7.8 is not really that bad so long as it is stable. Keep an eye on those fish. If they do die, you'll want to get them out as soon as possible.
I would change about 10% a day until it straightens out. In my experience, most Ph problems can be solved with a few water changes.
Keep us posted.
:nervous:
Get a few water changes ready with aerated, aged saltwater.
7.8 is not really that bad so long as it is stable. Keep an eye on those fish. If they do die, you'll want to get them out as soon as possible.
I would change about 10% a day until it straightens out. In my experience, most Ph problems can be solved with a few water changes.
Keep us posted.
:nervous:
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Sorry about your problems. And as you found out chemical corrections to such things as ph can be very tricky and detrimental
Let the system stabilize.
The combination of low ph and fish breathing heavy leads me to suspect you have a carbon dioxide problem. If you do not have plant life in the system, then that is the cause. I recommend you add more plant life to consume the carbon dioxide. I think you will find you fish much happier and the ph more stable.
Let the system stabilize.
The combination of low ph and fish breathing heavy leads me to suspect you have a carbon dioxide problem. If you do not have plant life in the system, then that is the cause. I recommend you add more plant life to consume the carbon dioxide. I think you will find you fish much happier and the ph more stable.
buzz
Active Member
Oh man...here we go...plants are not a quick fix. It will help stabilize the system long term, but you need fast results...once again you are saying that the cause of the problem is not having plants????? Oh come on. He all ready stated that he added supplements that caused the problem.
7.8 is bad, but not awful. However a swing from normal, up to 8.9, down to 7.2, and then back to 7.8 is a roller coaster of shock to fish. :scared: That is just too much for them to handle. At this point, personally I would not recommend relocating them, as the added stress of acclimating may just finish them off. Get your pH stablized, but do it slowly. Rapid changes are bad.
Your pH is not that far off at this point. Keep it climbing slowly. Yes, the fish may die, as the stress may all ready have been too much.
Do you have good surface agitation? That is all you should need to oxygenate the water.
And I do agree that water changes are a good idea.
7.8 is bad, but not awful. However a swing from normal, up to 8.9, down to 7.2, and then back to 7.8 is a roller coaster of shock to fish. :scared: That is just too much for them to handle. At this point, personally I would not recommend relocating them, as the added stress of acclimating may just finish them off. Get your pH stablized, but do it slowly. Rapid changes are bad.
Your pH is not that far off at this point. Keep it climbing slowly. Yes, the fish may die, as the stress may all ready have been too much.
Do you have good surface agitation? That is all you should need to oxygenate the water.
And I do agree that water changes are a good idea.
