Hello Venus,
I’m goldfish sitting again. This time, just for 12 days. Since the pump and pond sponge was added last time, it appears that good bacteria were able to grow in the tank!
This is a 5.5 gallon tank with 3 small fantails. Unfortunately, I will not be able to upgrade the tank size as it is not my tank š
Current readings are:
Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0.5, Nitrate=5, pH=7, KH=0.
(No GH reading until new tester arrives).
One of the fantailsā tail frayed before and apparently the tank was salted. When the tail healed, it became black. Current salinity is 0.03ppm. One side of the black tail is longer than the other. Iām not sure if itās completely healed but I imagine this happened as a result of cycling. The top fin of that fish is also slightly torn. Should we add any treatment to assist in the fin/tail healing? Or is fixing water parameters enough?
Do you think we are in the middle or tail end of cycling this tank? With the current nitrite and nitrate levels, how often should I be doing water changes and how much water should I be changing? Should I dose Prime for the amount of new water added or the entire 5 gallon tank?
Since the KH=0 (very low mineral quality), should I add some backing soda? Our tap water also has close to no minerals and low pH. I have already ordered some small wonder shells to arrive next week. In the meantime, should I add baking soda to raise KH and then add the shells to maintain KH? Or just wait for the shells and rely completely on the shells to raise and maintain KH/GH? If I add baking soda first, how much should I add for 5 gallons?
I emailed you, and yes, I regret not moving it to the tub, but SSG can result in the very same symptoms, and the fish would surely die if these gases were present, so you did the right thing. I’ve seen fish in the curled position for several weeks before treatment was offered that recovered. Every fish and every situation is different
When a fish curls, it does so because the blood is thickening, and the body is constricting. It must be very painful. The fish should get relief in the deep water
Should also warn you, once you add the Mean Green, you’ll need a flashlight to see the fish. You should be able to view it by pointing the flashlight on the side of the exgterior wall of the container
So, the worst happened and the black-tail fish succumbed to nitrate poisoning.
I found its body curled against the pump sponge today in the tank. I regret waiting last night and no taking it out of the tank sooner. I’m not sure how long it will survive now? It looked like it was having difficulty staying conscious and when it tried to move, its body was thrown with the water current from the pump and pushed toward items in the tank.
I scooped the fish out of the tank and placed it into the deep chamber (20 gallons; 24″ deep) of water pre-treated with remedy from yesterday night. I also re-dosed with enough Prime for the whole 20gallons and hydrogen peroxide before placing the fish in. Before I left for work today, I noticed that the fish sank to the bottom of the chamber in its curled position but because it was too weak, its body also followed the water current and was pushed up and down in the chamber. Seeing the fish’s condition, I’m not too hopeful it will last more than a few days? How should I continue to treat this chamber tonight? Should I continue daily water changes? How much water should I change out/ replace?
Consistency in water changes, sponge rinsing and feeding are the things that matter. If you’re going to change something, do so very gradually
Are they all laying on the bottom, or just hovering above it, which is normal. Fish rest most of the night, and parts of the day. The older the fish, the more it rests.
Okay. We might prepare for a spike after you increase feeding (slightly) and back off on water changes. I sell established pond pumps now and then. When I pull one from my tank, I feed a lot less, gradually working my way up. I’ve developed a feel for it, and never get a spike due to the fact. I think we all have this ability to feel our way through things, and although some parts of fish keeping are mater of fact; some aren’t
If you damage the cycle? How will you know? There will be an ammonia or nitrite spike. As long as you’re getting zero for ammonia and nitrite with a healthy consistent reading of nitrates, the cycle is in tact
Ok, I’ll back off on the h202 and water changes for now. I’ll feed small amounts of flakes again, yes. Though I really only started peas 2 days ago.
I’ve used h202 for around 3days now. If I stop using it tonight and tomorrow and start your remedies on Sunday, will that be too much h202?
I’m noticing that all 3 fish kind of bottom-sit/linger where the black-tail fish is in the morning. Is it because I am doing a lot of water changes? Hopefully I didn’t kill the cycle…
Conditions would have to be very good for some time in order for the fish to heal completely. The blood needs time to repair and rebuild itself, and this can only be accomplished in water rich in oxygen. IT could take months
The max amount of H202 you could use safely is 15 mL three times a day, but I wouldn’t push it past three or four days. Also, keep in mind that when using my remedies, they contain H202. I’ll include in my instructions….coming soon. The remedy has arrived at its destination
I think it would be wise to transfer the H202 to a spritzer bottle, and then mist the surface four or five times daily. You’re getting the KH up, and that’s going to assist the water in supporting oxygen on its own; very good. We’re keeping KH levels a little lower than I would normally recommend due to the fact the fish was burned by ammonia recently. KH also has the potential to burn fish, having the same effects, so until it’s tissue is completely healed, the lower KH is best. You’ve got a ways to go. In fact, let’s push it to 100 ppm. The condition of the blood probably takes priority over the condition of the external tissue
You can back off on water changes now. The cycle looks to be complete. Although exchanging water reduces nitrates gradually, don’t knock yourself out. Looks like nitrates are at a safe level. Do you see any signs of algae? You might instruct your brother ‘not’ to remove algae as it builds on the glass, and it will soon if not already. There’s no plant that feeds as heavily on nitrates
I once walked away from my stock tank for three weeks. No water changes were performed. The fish weren’t fed. The cycle was in tact, and the fish were just fine after the fact. They fed on algae, and algae fed on the nitrates
Will your brother feed peas? I wonder if it’s time to change them over to the same food your brother will feed. Flakes? If there’s going to be a spike, best it happens on your watch. Feed flakes sparingly in the morning and just a few peas in the evening. In the wild fish feed constantly. They don’t have stomachs, and need food in their tract to encourage a healthy exchange of gas from intestines to swim bladder; the two being connected
The fish is young; if the bloodstream is healthy, the organs will be soon to follow
Hmm..
When I got home tonight, that fish was bottom sitting again. Iām thinking because the h202 wore off? Iām adding 10mL in the evening. Perhaps I should do 10mL twice daily? Morning and Evening? Is that too much for a 5gallon tank?
Parameters:
Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0, Nitrate=5
KH=80, GH=200.
Wondering if Nitrate shock can do permanent damage (e.g. to organs)? Do you think this fish will need daily water changes from now on? Or should it recover after the remedies?
One thing I love about H202 is the fact it’s soluble in water, so the water doesn’t require a healthy KH (carbonate mineral) level. Still…this doesn’t mean we should depend on it. The quality of regular hydrogen peroxide purchased at a grocery store may be less than desirable. The Organic Fish’s Oop is oxygenated water with organic H202 as its base. It comes as 35% compared to the normal 3 or 7% found in the shops. Handle with caution
I don’t know the maximum amount of H202 that could be used, because I’ve never pushed it to the limits. Since I didn’t no of anyone that ever used it, I had no idea how to judge the portions, so I crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best. It worked. It’s been four years now since I first started experimenting with it, and I feel pretty good with the results
When it comes to remedies, over the years I’ve increased portions with some, and lessened with others, with salt and H202 being the latter; mainly because both are powerful. One reason I add H202 to the remedies is to give them longevity, but its true purpose is to give the herbs I use a boost. They’re useless when used in water low in value
A few years back I read about a guy that maintained ponds. He used it for a pH crash, so knowing I wasn’t alone gave me a lot of confidence. I don’t want to kill a fish trying to save it. In most cases, less is more, and this especially true of H202
Many a fish suffering from lockjaw has been saved the solution
That’s great news. H202 saves the day.
Somehow this morning, that fish pulled through! I do think it was the h2O2!
I was beginning to lose hope in the water changes. Will continue tonight! And excited to get the remedies on Saturday š
The black marks indicate healing burns, not bacteria infection. It takes several weeks for fresh burns to turn black. It’s hard to say why some fish make it through a cycle without a mark, while the others show signs of stress. Toxins form in clouds, and this fish was unlucky enough to be hovering in the wrong place at the wrong time
Don’t beat yourself up, as these injuries occurred many weeks ago. You’ve done everything possible to keep them healthy. This is sad to hear after everything you’ve done for them
Fingers crossed it pulls through
Update:
The black tail fish is very weak. Itās stuck to the gravel as low as possible far from the pump. When it moves itās because the pump is too strong and pulling it toward the pump sometimes. It swims to stop itself from being sucked toward the pump. I turned the pump strength down to half so it can at least sit on the gravel. It seems to have developed some black marks on some of its body too. Burns?? When it swims, it kind of floats around aimlessly and its fins move it a bit. Meanwhile the other 2 fish are swimming with no problems and pecking at gravel. What can I do? š
Can we be sure itās nitrate shock and not bacterial infection? (Black sores on body)
Feeding peas will help something, but probably won’t effect the condition caused by nitrate poisoning or shock. You’re not taking all the blame. I should have remembered the fish had a rocky past. Nitrates were pretty high when the fish arrived. It’s weird, because the fish can behave perfectly normal until a large water change is performed, and then it happens
Maybe you can coach your brother on how to perform a proper water change
KH could be a little higher. Shoot for 90 ppm. Heavily oxygenated water, that’s cold and deep is the cure for these fish that have been poisoned by nitrates and time, lots of time.
I don’t think we can expect him to buffer KH, but he might spritz the water H202. Hydrogen peroxide comes in little spritzer bottles. I spritz the surface of my water daily, and someetimes more
Hi Venus,
I measured ammonia=0.1, Nitrite=0, Nitrate=10-20, KH=70, GH=280 today.
Now that you mention shallow water, it makes a lot of sense. I really do think that it was me taking the black tail fish out of the tank and placing it in the shallow tub that caused it to bottom-sit now š
Maybe even more so than the Nitrate levels which are not too high?
The poor fish always swims lethargically now when not bottom-sitting. It seems to prefer to sit. It is still excited when the lights turn on or when food arrives. But otherwise slow and it looks like it has to put a lot of effort into swimming…. it almost looks painful? Will it get better over time?? I hope the shock does not become lethal!
I changed out 30% of the water tonight, adding Prime, hydrogen peroxide and aloe to fresh water and split the water change into 5 parts so the water table was high at all times.
Will feeding peas help anything??
Lowering nitrates would help, but at the same time, the cycle is really delicate right now, and if you remove enough water to lower nitrates, it might spike. The Prime you’re using converts nitrates, so I say we stick to the water changing routine, but increase the dosage. Start with a full dosage today, double tomorrow, and then continue using a double dose every day.
When you perform water changes, prepare the entire amount of freshwater you’re going to exchange, but instead of removing this amount from the tank, remove only two liters, and then replace with freshwater. Continue making this same exchange until the water change is complete. This is going to keep the water table as high as possible
I think yes, the fish is sensitive to nitrates, and even though water changes aren’t to blame for the sensitivity, they definitely worsen the fish’s condition. Nitrates rob the blood of oxygen, and for some reason, the pressure of deep water relieves the pressure caused by nitrates. This is why fish sit on the bottom, in an effort to relieve the pain caused by pressure in the bloodstream
Exchanging less water more often is the key, and can also prevent what I call, nitrate shock. Some fish that would otherwise be okay with a higher level of nitrates may experience pain when the water table is lowered
Hi Venus,
The black fan tail has been bottom-sitting for the last 2 days (yesterday and today).
Given the tank readings (ammonia=0-0.1, nitrite=0, nitrate=10-20).
It appears that it is super sensitive to nitrate?
How many water changes should I perform tonight? how much water should I change out? How much Prime should I add? And do I add pure aloe juice?
I get it. You can’t go wrong with garlic
The idea of removing each fish daily and placing them back in the tank is very stressful for me. Iād rather add something to the tank and remove with water changes. But would that affect the cycling we have just established? There was a bit of salt in there before but low levels. Can I buy garlic juice at a grocery store? What do you recommend, Venus?
Perform the salt bath daily for as long as you have the fish, and then if you can, add some garlic water to the tank. It’s a good combo. If you’re certain the fish haven’t been in a consistent saline solution previously, you could pour the bath water back into the tank
The fish sometimes swim with their bodies touching the sides of the glass. Sometimes they swim up and down the glass walls. Perhaps at their reflection? Do they notice those? Iām not sure if that is normal or if itās rubbing/scratching? Another fish has tiny dots on the ends in its tail but I donāt know if theyāre significant because theyāre barely visible. Would you recommend adding treatment to the whole tank in case?? Or would a short 2min bath be enough?? Then I would return the tank after 1 or 2 baths?
The leaves fell off because they were rotting away more than likely. Plants, just like fish have no tolerance for ammonia and nitrite. Unhealthy water leads to unhealthy plants. Maybe it will come back, but more than likely it will just contribute to the bio load. It may be time to replace
I confess to laughing at the discription; sounds more like a horror show. lol
A fluke should be easy enough to remove with the swab, unless it’s on steroids. I haven’t experienced flukes first hand, but have dealt with many cases here. The fish are obviously itching….so….that spells parasites. Parasites are tiny creatures that look like they’re from outer space under a microscope. I can imagine a fluke rearing it’s ugly head if it felt threatened. lol I’m laughing because I don’t know
Yes, it could even be scar tissue. Is it just the one fish scratching? Healing wounds might itch I guess. Goldfish are easily injured, and a sharp shell may have something to do with it. In time the edges will dull
Didn’t you say there was another bump on the tail fin?
Keep in mind the fish have been in water with little to no value for some time, so anything and everything could go wrong. Whatever it is, it’s unwanted for sure
It’s a constant battle; bad bugs. They’re just waiting for a chance to thrive
The treatments are beneficial; healthy or not
Dissolve one teaspoon of aquarium safe salt in an ounce of hot tap water; let it cool; add to one litter of tank water for a bath. Leave the fish in the bath for two minutes. I would dip all the fish just to be safe
The garlic remedy would be very beneficial; parasites or no parasites
Goldfish get some very strange looking growths
I would stick to the salt dip. If you see one or two bugs, there are more smaller ones hiding from view if this is the case
Would there be any harm if I treat the tank out of precaution if there are no parasites there? Also, what do you think about spot treating with salt paste on just the area?
Update:
I scooped the fish into a container of its tank water and used a cotton swab to touch the white triangle. To be honest, the growth looks like a skin protrusion. Itās translucent white in color, and is solid, and cannot be removed. The tip of it is more of an opaque white. Itās like a rhino horn LOL. When the fish opens its mouth, the extended āhornā growth moves with it too, like itās one with the lip/mouth. Could it be a strange skin growth from injury?
Iāve never scooped up a fish into a container before… Iāll use a small bowl and a net?
Since the white dot is on the lip of the fish, do Zi have to hold the fish in order to get the cotton swab in Place š
This makes me worry for our pond fish because the water parameters are good but this still happened sigh…
What does it mean if the solid white growth falls off or stays on? I was wondering if the fish could have hurt itself against the sharp seashell edges?
The plant is not bamboo, the leaves all fell off because I did rough water changes.
Hey, that’s good news. The cycle is complete
Scoop the fish up in a container for a closer look. Can you remove the white spot on the nose? or is it damaged tissue? Use a dry swab to test. The fish’s behavior indicate parasites. Flukes are related to leeches, and are whitish in color, and shapeless. The size is right from the photo you sent. The good news is; they’re easy to eliminate
I see a bamboo plant, and wonder if it could be the source of infection if parasites are the case. The fish owners were salting the tank, but even so, if salt is used consistently at low saline levels, the bad bugs build resistence in no time at all. When we use salt treatments, we gradually build up to a high saline level, and then gradually eliminate. This is how salt is most effective in destroying bad bugs, but in this case, the fish’s organs may be stressed due to the previous salting, but we could do a salt bath, and use garlic in the tank
Venus,
The tank is still with me (maybe for a few more days?) and Iāve been performing water changes every other day these days. I measured water parameters as follows today:
Ammonia=0.1, Nitrite=0, Nitrate=10.
KH=90. GH=60. PH=7.5
Looks like the cycle has completed?!
Due to the low GH, I placed a new Wonder Shell in there. The packaging says itās for 5gallons… but I guess weāll find out if it melts quickly soon..
Something I noticed (as I havenāt been observing the fish much, just doing the feedings/water changes), is that the goldfish with black tail now has a solid triangle white bump on its upper lip right under its nostrils. I worry this may be an infection? Other fish seem ok, although one fish has small 3d bumps (their fin color) on the ends of its tail. Also, the fish sometimes rub the sides of their bodies on the glass…
I was reading some info about wonder shells found here http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/MedicatedWonderShell.html
I was particularly interested in the paragraphs below
Please note, Wonder Shells do NOT generally raise KH or pH, despite some incorrect claims by Weco and other websites that have not used these AAP Wonder Shells properly. They more aid in maintenance of these parameters by neutralizing harmful acids, which result from organic decomposition.
And this
The mineral block dissolves approximately as trace elements are depleted in an aquarium or as the bio load dictates.
Did you notice any difference in KH levels? I know you’re buffering so it’s hard to tell. You did notice GH was getting too high, so obviously the sentence above is untrue, or it could be you were seeing the high end result on your tester.
I’m going to pick up a few blocks and do some experimenting. Maybe the next time you get the fish, we’ll feel more or less confident in the product
I’m not sure how acid levels can be reduced without raising KH. This in itself doesn’t make sense, but I agree with you; just do the best you can with the fish while you have them, and then hope you see them again soon
Definitely Wonder Shells due to the packaging. Iāve bought enough of these for the pond to know… but I think iāll just use them for the pond
Iām just going to hold off on the coral since the tank is leaving in 2 days and itās too big of a risk. Was thinking of sending some baking soda/wondershells off with the tank but Iām thinking it may be too risky given that the water wonāt been tested for KH/GH.
Iāll do what I can while the fish are here…
Crushed coral comes in a net bag because it’s really messy. You don’t take it out of the bag. When they say crushed, they mean crushed. You place the bag next to a pump where the water is moving, and it adds the mineral to the water. It makes a bit of a cloud, and there’s no control over KH value. You would have to test frequently to make sure the parameter was safe
I’ve never used it, but anyone I’ve chatted with that has, says it’s nasty stuff. That being said, this doesn’t mean you couldn’t give it a go
Not sure about the wonder shells. The original wonder shell is called Wonder Shell, so I doubt anyone could steal the name, but the shells could be old, not that it would make a difference; don’t know
The brand is WonderShell based on the packaging as Iāve bought them several times before for the pond. I did buy these from Amazon though hmm….
Iāve been buffering with soda so I donāt know if the shells are doing anything to KH.
By the way, when browsing online I learned of crushed coral gravel. Since Iām using sea shells, might as well buy some crushed coral gravel to boost KH?? I called pet stores nearby and Iām finding itās the tropical fish stores that have it. Iām going to go see it tomorrow and see if itās actual gravel instead of powder. The salespeople on the phone say it might be too alkaline for goldfish though. What do you think? With my KH at 70-80 and pH at 8.4 now, would I need to dilute tank water before adding crushed coral gravel??
From past experience with other members, the wonder shells degraded only in soft water. As GH levels climbed, the shells stopped degrading, but yes, 500 is too high. Yes, definitely remove the shells. Is the brand Wonder Shell? Are the shells raising KH or are you buffering?
I would sprinkle the shells on top of the gravel, or they won’t do much good. We want water to move across them, which pulls minerals from the shells. Don’t expect a big jump. In most cases they don’t really raise the value, but helps to stablize it
Yes, possibly skipping a water change increased ammonia, but everyone needs a break; right? Good to see nitrites down
Hi Brenda,
Current water parameters are:
Ammonia=0.3, Nitrite=0.3, Nitrate=5-10, KH=70 and GH=500(!!) GH test arrived…
I took a break from water changes yesterday which may explain the ammonia.
Today I resumed 20% water change, remedies and I also cleaned the sponge.
Is the extremely high GH concerning?? The wondershells have almost melted to half of their original size! I hope it doesnāt keep escalating.
I purchased some seashells from the pet store. Wondering if I can bury them all under the gravel so the fish can still graze on the rocks above??
We rinse the sponges for a few reasons; to keep the sponge free of debris, and able to do its job; filter water, but we also rinse sponges to keep beneficial bacteria from living in them. This encourages them to build their colonies inside the pump, where it’s safe
I exchange water three times a week, and every time I do a water change, I rinse one sponge in the old tank water I’ve removed with the gravel vacuum. When I say rinse, I dip the sponge in the old tank water, and sqeeze it dry, and then repeat the action. Then I squirt it with a mist of H202, and squeeze again. This assures no bad bacteria is building up in the sponge
Having one sponge, and with weekly water changes, the sponge would be rinsed once a week. You might lose a bug or two with the rinse, but not enough to disrupt the cycle
Sponges are for collecting waste, not friendly bugs
What do you think about rinsing the sponge? There’s quite a bit of debris there.
Or would it be too disruptive to the cycle at this point?
I was reading your other posts on pumps/sponges but I couldn’t find a proper way to do it. Should I be putting aquarium water in a separate bucket then putting the sponge in there?
Will also cut down on feed of course!
Nitrite was .5, and is now .3, so that’s a good sign. Ammonia is up, but….it’s possible you feed a little more than the fish owners. Feed a smidge less, and let’s see if the ammonia doesn’t back off to zero. Ammonia is created from waste; the first toxin in the nitrogen cycle. When you see ammonia appear in a cycled tank, the food source isn’t consistent
Even though you’ve been performing daily water changes, the nitrates remain at zero, so if no water changes were being performed, the levels would be climbing, which is also a good sign
Hi Venus,
An update with water parameters:
Ammonia 0.1-0.3, Nitrite 0.3, Nitrate 5, KH 60. Iām dosing Prime for the whole 5 gallon tank and doing daily 15-20% water changes with remedy. Iām working on slowly increasing KH. My main concern now is that ammonia/Nitrite are slowly creeping up. I think it may be due to my overfeeding? I feed twice daily – presoaked flakes in the morning and peas in the evening. I find that the mushed peas often crumble before being consumed and get vacuumed into the aquarium sponge. I havenāt rinsed the sponge with aquarium water at all since the tank arrived. Should I be doing that? How often? Thereās quite a bit of debris on the sponge but itās not affecting surface action.
I’m sure it will; correct itself. The wonder shells; good idea. Those things are awesome. My tap has a decent KH level, but over the years the levels have climbed in my fish houses due to water evaporation and mineral concentration. Now a days I have to use a little distilled water and or vinegar to keep the levels safe. It’s always something
Hi Venus,
Iām performing daily 15-20% water changes with Prime and soda. I only add enough soda to ensure the KH of the fresh water added is 100 because I worry about overdosing if I add directly to the tank. I also added 5 small wondershells today. Hopefully the KH will slowly correct.
Sounds good. Iāll keep doing the water changes. Iām ok with ordering the remedies if the whole treatment can be completed in 4-5days because I will be returning the tank a few days after the package arrives!
Alternatively, can I buy my own pure aloe juice to try?
The standard 8 oz remedies treat 10 gallons per ounce. I’ll design the remedy for a 10 day treatment. The remedies you bought for your pond were concentrated; pond strength. I do have one ounce bottles, but they wouldn’t be large enough to get the job done
Should we hold off on the remedies? Shipping crazy expensive
Use enough Prime to treat the entire tank size with every daily water change. This way, if levels were to rise, the fish would be safe
Hi Venus,
Thank you! I wonder why only one fish got burns while the others are completely fine
Iāll do 15% daily water changes for the next week. Do I add one dose of Prime to just cover the amount of water changed (15% aka 0.75 gallons) or enough Prime to dose the enter tank (5 gallons)?
I can go for priority shipping but only if I can get the smallest quantities of remedies to last a few days of treatment while the fish are with me. They donāt have testers and likely wonāt be willing to do daily water changes/ use remedies longterm so I ordered Wondershells to maintain KH/GH, as theyāre lower maintenance.
If I add enough soda raise KH to 100 now, would we overdose once I add wonder shells in a few days?
Priority shipping (two to three days) is $39.25 for one remedy; $42.10 for two. No shipping charge for standard shipping (seven to 10 days) If you’ll pay the $42.10 for priority shipping, I’ll throw in the Water Boost for free to make up for the standard shipping fee I would have to pay
You have a heart of gold Michele
Nice looking set up; natural. It would be hard not to get attached. The one with the black looks like a real character; big expressive eyes
From the readings you posted, it looks like the cycle is close to completion, but still, keep a close watch. Hopefully nitrates will rise as nitrite lowers. Even though the nitrite reading is insignificant, it might be wise to use water treatment to convert; just to be on the safe side. If you’re using Prime, perform 15% daily water changes using one dose. If you’re using Amquel Plus, use one dose, but perform 15% water change every other day
Yes, use soda to increase KH readings to 100 ppm. I would recommend a little higher, except for the recent salt treatment. Carbonate mineral contains salt, and if levels are healthy, the fish get all the salt they need. Their organs may be a little stressed right now. You might raise KH to 120 ppm just before you send them home
My guess is, you’ll need to raise GH after you get the tester
Fixing water parameters is first and foremost, but this only works for longterm, and these fish will only be with you for less than a few weeks. Let’s concentrate our efforts. I’m going to check on shipping costs, and if it’s practical, I’m thinking of an aloe combo tonic that you could use daily. If you’re up for it, I could prepare a water boost remedy to send home with them. I don’t think we could hope to expect they would use soda to buffer KH, but they might add teaspoon of tonic to freshwater during a water change. Water Boost gently buffers GH, KH and pH. It contains magnesium, bicarbonate of soda and H202
They obviously care for the fish, and want to see them healthy
Hopefully, the tank will have completed the cycle by the time they pick them up. Discuss how much you’ve been feeding, and encourage them to do the same. Give them the consistency lecture. lol
The blacker the tissue during the healing process; the more severe the injury. I’ve seen fish burned over their entire body. The tissue is delicate, and we want to make sure there are no repeats. It will take many months for the tissue to repair itself, even in the best water
I’ll be back soon with some info