# Fish at top of water



## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

After a recent water change the fish in my grow out tank are hanging around at the the top of the water. Tank is a 29 gallon 30 x 15 x 12? Ph 7.4 lower than normal Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate bright red. Last night i did a 30% water change and also the night before. Water temp 79.9 no heater..girlfriend keeps the house way to hot. Changed some filter media last night, vacuumed the crushed coral. Filtration is a Fluval 306 canister. Tonight i come home test the water... Nitrates bright red. I have added a HOB filter with two bags of API Nitra-Zorb as of 30 minutes ago. I have to many fish in there at the moment, and have a friend coming by in a little while to stock his tank with as many babies as he wants to take. Stock is mostly Peacock juveniles, two autorus? one yellow top hongi and 3 red top hongi. If the nitrates arent dropping after the water changes and the filter maintenance...what can i do to lower them quickly as the fish seem very stressed. Pic below of the tank.
Thank you in advance for any help. Tank has been up and running for over two years with no issues.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

It is almost 12 hours since you created the post. I am hoping they are no longer at the top of the tank. If they are not it could have been from chlorine due to fresh water from the tap. If they are still there then post and let the members know.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Reduced the amount of fish in the tank by half, remaining ones still at top of water. They are all eating aggressively. Gonna move some more to different tanks today. Gonna recheck all parameters tonight. Nothing has died. Never had an issue with my tap water before..but who knows in this day and age. I am considering the thought that i may have underestimated the amount of filtration i needed in relation to the amount of fish that had wound up in the tank.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Could this be a symptom of Ich? Fish moved to another tank and still at top of water. I may see what looks like very tiny air bubbles on some top fins. Gonna increase the tank temperature as a precaution for now


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Most of the fish are showing air bubble like spots on top of their bodies. Photobucket is down so i can post the pictures. I am assuming ich at this point and am treating accordingly. Will post a picture when Photobucket comes back up. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

Would like to see a picture.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Had 5 dead fish this morning.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

Continue treating for ich as that is what is going on. I would personally use chemicals if you are not - Based on how bad it looks and since you have already lost some.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

i dosed with API Liquid Super Ick Cure, it was the only thing available to me yesterday. If you have suggestions on a medicine that works well. I have watched these fish grow from birth and its killing me that they are dying.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Sorry to hear about the problem you're having. Have you read this article for more guidance on treating ich?


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

I did read it yesterday, Does anyone have any knowledge on the API liquid super ick cure product? It turns the water green. Carbon has been removed from filter. I have them in a 20 gallon long 30 x 12 x 12. Aquaclear 30 and Aquaclear 70. Tons of aeration and turbulence on the top of the water. Spots are worse today. It seems to be hitting the Peacocks mainly. Red zebra and the few other non peacock fish dont seem to be affected so far. All of the peacock juveniles are at top of water line. Not gasping...just looking up at something.. Most are eating even if sparingly. If there is a better product and i can switch medicines safely, please let me know


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

One thing you failed to mention was that at least having clamped fins as I see in the photos. That would have been another indicator that they were sick. Hope all goes well. Jack that temp up to 88-90 degrees and add some salt.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

Your ich treatment should be fine. Just realize that it takes a few days (depending on the tank temp) to rid the fish of ich because the meds only work in a certain portion of the life cycle of the fish. I would suggest vacuuming the bottom of the tank daily too so that you pick up the ich pods. Something else is if you have moved these fish I would treat both the new and old tanks to kill the ich.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Tank at my house is easy to treat, got the heat up to 84 last night with relative ease. Other tank is at my office, Ambient temperature is alot lower. I have a 75 watts eheim heater in the 20 gallon long, last night i set it at 89 degrees. this morning the temperature had only made it to 79 degrees from 77. It has been cold in NY this week. 
This may be the dumbest question with the most obvious answer... I use a python to syphon and water change. always have. since i cant do a water change as per medicine instructions.. is there a way to vacuum the sand with out removing water?


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Question.. I am about to start the Ich treatment with medicine on my home tank, currently tried heat and salt but am still having fatalities and spots. i have a Fluval 306 canister and and Aqua clear 70 on the 29 gallon high. I know i need to remove carbon. Question is.. can i just turn off the canister filter and leave the HOB running? How long before the BB in the canister filter dies? Does Ich live in the filters as well? If so i will just leave it running to kill everything.
Thanks.. sorry for all the questions.. this is the first time i have ever knowingly dealt with an ich outbreak.


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## euphr (Aug 9, 2015)

Zimmy coached me with getting my ich issue under control.

I got my community tank to 88 degrees and treated with aquarium salt and i have clown loaches so that was a potential stress for me. As of right now we have no more signs of ich after 6 days but i am keeping it there for another 8 days......

Now if you removed fish from this tank to other tanks then you will need to treat those for ich as ich is past to new tanks from the fish. the protozoa will search out new hosts and then burrow into them. So this is one of those things you have to treat the entire tank not just a single fish. Also make sure to steralize any cleaning tools like siphons/vacuums and cleaning pads for the glass.

Read the ICH treatment in the library for help.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Treating the tank at my office and tank at my home. First round done on both.. Lost 8 fish at the office tank and 6 in home tank. Tonight i started a second round of medicine because some of the fish were still showing signs. No deaths in 2 days and activity is increasing on the remaining fish. I am hoping they will bounce back after the finishing water change on the treatment. They are aggressively chasing food which is a huge improvement also.


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## mightyzeus (Jan 2, 2016)

Tonight.. a lot less clamped fins and no spots visible. got the second dose tomorrow night and a water change on sunday. Fish are all over the tank and eating well.


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