I did a 75% water change or so, on a 120g tank. The Fahaka is around 5-6 inches excluding tail. We have very hard water where I live, but all my fish have seemed to grow accustomed to it. The Fahaka has been living with me for around 9 months now.
After the water change he acted normal, about 12 hours later he refused to move.. almost acting like he was blind, not jumping to the top when I brought his usual "mental trigger for food" container over to him.
So I changed about 50-60% of his water again last night, did a triple dose of Prime just in case.. also ruffled up his gravel and sucked out what I could see.
Today he seems less "blind" but still won't eat.. For the first time in months, he buried himself in the sand.
Water params I just tested
0ppm Nitrites
0ppm Ammonia
10ppm Nitrate
7.8-8.2pH
His colors seem OK, when he gets sleepy or mad, his colors fade, I noticed they are a little better today, maybe I just won't provoke him with food. No noticeable markings or disease at all. He is the only fish in the tank, so it is nearly impossible for him to catch anything.. as I don't use nets in his tank or transfer anything.
He was acting fine before the water change, I am wondering if something in the "extremely hard winter tap water" is just temporarily throwing him into a spin. I've done two water changes and sucked the gravel just to make sure I didn't agitate a big deposit of old garbage on the first water change.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun, just gathering ideas if it gets worse.
Comments?
Fahaka not acting normal after water change
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
Anyone? bumping.
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crazedpuffer
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Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
That's odd. I guess it could have been water hardness.
I think it might be best not to do a WC untill he starts to act normal.
I think it might be best not to do a WC untill he starts to act normal.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
What's your regular WC schedule? Do you always do that amount weekly? I do 75% every week, on my fahaka's tank.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
Sound frightening man, how abt the water temp? I think you mentioned something abt winter water. Could the drastic drop in water temp during the huge WC cause him to act this way?
my 2 cents worth
my 2 cents worth
Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
72 hours of observation.
For the first 2 days, he was hiding in his normal spot under a structure I made for him. Seems sensitive to light.. Very low activity level, won't come to front of tank.
Today - First saw him at front of tank, buried himself, I brought over the usual container, he jumped up and went flailing all around, acting like himself again, food dropped, uninterested.. ahh well, seems like he's just on strike now.
Water changes normally weekly about 40-60%, I just walk away for a bit, when it hits about half I suck up the gunk off the bottom, stir up the sand on the bottom as I do it.
For the first 2 days, he was hiding in his normal spot under a structure I made for him. Seems sensitive to light.. Very low activity level, won't come to front of tank.
Today - First saw him at front of tank, buried himself, I brought over the usual container, he jumped up and went flailing all around, acting like himself again, food dropped, uninterested.. ahh well, seems like he's just on strike now.
Water changes normally weekly about 40-60%, I just walk away for a bit, when it hits about half I suck up the gunk off the bottom, stir up the sand on the bottom as I do it.
Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
Water temp around 73-74F. Goes in there around 70-75.. I will go lower before I go higher and let the heater do its job.
I really did nothing out of ordinary.. Cleaned out the filter.. Used prime.
I really did nothing out of ordinary.. Cleaned out the filter.. Used prime.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Fahaka not acting normal after water change
I'd get that temp up to 78-80degrees. You should always add the same temp water, during a WC.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"