Help

[prohopper]

I have a 29 Gallon tank with 3 fish, some coral and some inverts. Anyways my question is about 2 weeks ago I noticed that all 3 of my fish were breathing hard so I brought in a water sample and they told me I had to do a water charnge because my nitrates were high. So i did a a water change and everything was back to normal. Now this morning when i woke up my salifin tang and my perc. clown were lying on the bottom of the tank dead and my lawnmower is breathing hard but is still swimming around. I brought a water sample in and everything is perfect. My question is what could have happened? Is there some disease or parasite that dosent show any visible signs on the fish themselves?
By the way my coral is doin good and all my inverts are still doin fine

 

[beth]

Hello, Prohopper. You don't do your own water readings? High nitrates would not really kill fish over night nor would they appear ok one day and on death's door the next.
Have you added new fish recently?

 

[prohopper]

no i do not do my own water readings and no i have not added anything in almost 2 months except for a protein skimmer about 3 days ago

 

[prohopper]

Also what causes hard breathing? or are there a number of things that cause it?

 

[beth]

Many illness with cause that. It is a stress reaction. There really isn't enough info to tell you what happened. Its sounds like there is a problem in the tank with all the fish dying suddenly. Did the last fish you added also die at this time?

 

[prohopper]

the last fish i added was the perc clown and that was about a month ago. The last thing I added was a cleaner shrimp and that was about 3 weeks ago. They are all peaceful fish and I have never seen any of them attempt to attack another one. If there isnt enough info please let me know what you need to know and I will do my best to answer back quickly
thanks

 

[prohopper]

also is it possible to 'overdose' on B-Ionic?

 

[beth]

Prohopper, it is so very important for you to do your own water readings. You, and me trying to help you, are handicapped because you don't know your water readings.
It could be pH
It could be ammonia spike
It could be anything.
Why don't you get some kits and start testing your water?

 

[prohopper]

That is a good idea to get my own kit and test my own water. Anyways I figured out what is goin on with the chemistry. When I took my water sample in the first time to get tested, the kid who did the test didnt let it sit long enough so my levels read 0. I went back and got another test done today after a 30% water change and my ammonia and nitrates were high. Did another water change today and addes a new filter with some extra carbon and my lawnmower isnt breathing extremely hard anymore but is still breathing harder than he should be. Anyways I am still trying to figure out what caused my levels to spike like that.

 

[beth]

Well, good that you discovered the problem, and, as I said, you must have good testing kits available to you. Good luck!