my fish breath quicker and body color turn to be dark

[skyliner34]

hi guys

i have 4 foot tank got 5 disucs around 7 to 12 cm..then i bought a 15cm one.. after i put the fish in to the tank 2 of my fish(size around 10cm to 12cm) in the tank's colour become much darker and gray (snakeskin) and there breathing quicker... is it some kind of illness?

i had my disucs for a year.. before i feed them dry food two times a day,change 1/4 water weekly..not things happen, only grow show...

after i saw some other people though some of the forum, of there experience. i change my way..

now i feed them 3times s day. dry food(in the morning), blood worms(after work), beef heart prawn(before bedding), and change 1/4 water every two days. the fish does grow quicker.. but a lots of illness cameout...

is it those fish not get used to that i do much water change often? or its some kind of bacterial? or worms?

(the beef heart and the blood worms its frozen, is it still got life bad worms inside)

can any tell me what i can do?

[Merrilyn]

Skyliner, this post that I have just written in response to another member's sick fish applies to you too. Read through it and try to follow the instructions.

If you're feeding beef heart, then you must do water changes at least twice a week, one third of the volume of the tank water. Good luck.

"
Let me start by saying what you should do when bringing a new fish home.

You absolutely MUST have a quarantine tank, and your new fish should go in there for at least 3 weeks. This rule must never be broken. It lets your new fish settle in, without any competition for food or space (so no stress) and gives you time to see if the fish develops any symptoms that need to be treated, like worms, velvet or even fin rot. It also stops your main display tank from turning into a disaster.

Okay, now you know what you should have done, let's see if we can correct some of the problems. First up, move the fish to a hospital tank. Even one of those food grade plastic bins you get from the $2 shop will work. You don't need anything in there except for a heater and a corner box filter with some mature media from your main tank
filter. No cycling time needed with this new tank. You're using mature filter wool so it's an instant cycle.

Set the temp just a few degrees above your main tank, and each day you will raise the temp till you reach 95 degrees. I also want you to add some rock salt (or cooking salt or kosher salt) NOT table salt because it has corn flour in it to keep it free running. The dose is 2 level tablespoons per 10 gallons (or 40 litres) of tank water. Keep this salt ratio static, so that when you do your water change every second day, if you take out 5 gallons, replace one level tablespoon of salt.

Try to get some live food. It will encourage your fish to eat. He's starting to get that 'pinched' look in the head typical of a fish who has stopped eating.

Good luck. Keep your fish in this tank for t least 3 weeks. Keep him warm, well fed and with lots of clean water. At this stage, I'd say his chances are 50/50. Higher if he's still eating.

You didn't buy a sick fish. Your fish became sick because of the stress of being moved to a new tank with different conditions from what he was used to.

Keep us posted on his progress."

[skyliner34]

Hi merrilyn thank you to giving me such a great idea. Is it because the fish it's stress? But the fish become dark color are the breeding quick it's the fish I used to had it's not the new one. Are they stress because I put the bigger one in the tank? Cause the fish got illness it's find before i have it all most (2 month) after I put the bigger one in the tank he become like this.. So is that mean don't put the bigger fish into the tank? I am so worry about he may got worms, I try to put medication into tank but I accidentally put the geo liquid into it. It said will absorb all the medication. I dont really know how long it last...
The fish still eating.. But less than before.. And it look like it got White dung, and cloud eyes these day


Can you please give me and other advice? Thanks

[Merrilyn]

If the beef heart and bloodworms are properly frozen and purchased from an aquarium shop, there shouldn't be any danger of giving your fish worms.

It is possible that the fish you bought did have worms but they weren't causing it any problems. Most fish have a small worm burden, but while the fish is healthy it doesn't cause any problems. Once fish become stressed, their immune system becomes compromised and they can become sick.

Have you tested your water lately, pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Can you please post the numbers here (not just saying it's normal, we really need to know the numbers).
Another thing I'd suggest is to alter your feeding routine. Give the beef heart first thing in the morning, and the dry food at night.

It will give them more time to clean up the beef heart during the day.

If you can post a picture of your tank and fish, it may help us to sort out your problems.