# Fish becoming ill after water changes



## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

I have been keeping fish both tropical and cold water for many years now. I am expereriencing a problem in my 'new' tank that I have never come across before.

The tank is 125 litres and about 2 months old. However it was used to move and established tank as the old one sprang a a leak. everything was moved over to the new tank, gravel, ornaments, water, plants and filter. everything has been running perfectly well and the water quailty is fine. I usually do two weekly water changes on established tanks, but as this one was 'new' I started out with weekly water changes of around 25% or 30 litres. The tank contains three normal goldfish, Charlie Barley and Mo.

Yesterday Charlie was looking odd, but as he was still swimming and eating I deiced to wait and see. He waited until the local aquarium shop shut and then sank to the bottom where he has stayed. He has also started curling over to one side and in my experience once a fish starts to curl that's pretty much it.

Today, water testing out as perfect, even PH. I took a sample to the aquarium shop in case my kit is duff. Everything testing out fine there. No other outward signs of illness apart from sitting on the bottom. Which made me think it was nitrites or PH.

This keeps happening after water changes. Having talked it through with the bloke at the aquarium shop I do my water changes and filter maintenance in exactly the same way as he does for his 60 odd tanks and he has never experienced this. Only things he can put it down to is over sensitive fish becoming stressed due to water changes or copper from my tap water. even then copper shouldn't affect the fish like that.

Lola who we got from the same tank and shop as Charlie died a few months back in the same way after a water change. So maybe it is the over sensitive thing. All the other fish are fine.

Adding salt for stress at the moment, but I think it's really too late and we shall have to get a Charlie #2

Anyone else experienced losses or odd behaviour after water changes?


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## viseversa (Oct 10, 2008)

Thats very strange mate, have you tried doing your water change with RO water just to try and eliminate that it could be due to your tap water? another thing that might be worth looking into (if its only a recent thing or just suddenly started) is to get in touch with your local water supplier and see if they have changed the anything there doing to the water (there not going to change it back for the sake of some goldfish though but will tell you if its the water or not) i really cant say that iv heard of this before and if all the tests are coming back good i cant think what it might be.


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

Thanks for the reply. I have to say the man at the LFS was just as baffled. However he did suggest I do the next water change with RO water and see if that make any difference. Of course that's what I will do next time, but I think it is far too late for Charlie (who did perk up for 30 mins after the salt was added) the curl of death has confirmed it for me. :crying:

This is the second fish I have lost like this and as stated the first was from the same pet shop and tank as Charlie. She passed a few months before in exactly the same way. Could be that I unwittingly over stressed the sensitive little darlings. 

Everyone else in the tank is in fine fettle so I guess I will have to put it down as one of those things and use RO water from now on.

Seems as soon as my 2 year old daughter declares a fish her favourite it keels over and dies


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## viseversa (Oct 10, 2008)

If its only 2 fish in the tank that seem to be suffering and are from the same supplier then maybe its the fish? (Like you say just one of those things) Goldfish are bred in there millions so there is bound to be bad batches (so to speak) somewhere


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

Thanks again. Charlie is still alive, bu t I don't think there's much hope of him recovering. I was hoping for some kind of miracle over night. I may have to end his suffering later when the kids are distracted. Seems rather unfair to leave him in the state he is, it cannot be very comfortable.

As you said I may have got him and his dear departed friend from a duff batch of fish. When we purchased his friends Barley and Mo we noticed that Charlie was a little less robust then them. That will teach me to keep buying fish from Pets at Home!


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## guineapigqueen (Jan 12, 2008)

Some pets at home fish arent that bad, the tropicals arent, but I am not sure on the coldies as I dont have any. 
I used to have a 3x2x2 ft tank with coldies in a few years ago, large fantails, I love lionheads and orandas. They all suddenly started dying but no indication why, I lost most of the tank apart from a plec(tropical one but lived whole live in unheated water) and a weather loach. Some of the fish cost me £30 to buy as they were larger than your average fantails, I loved my moor, she was orange with black finage.

I hope whatever is going on in your tank clears up as I know its difficult not knowing what to do.

Emma x


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

It is with a heavy heart that I report the passing of Charlie today. A simple fish to many, but friend to us.

I believe that I may have got to the bottom of what made Charlie so ill without any outward symptoms. Lead pipes! Appreantly even though we have brand new copper pipes in our house the pipes outside are still lead.

Is there any conditioner I can use to remove lead from the tap water?


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## viseversa (Oct 10, 2008)

Sorry to hear about Charlie :sad:


Im not aware of anything designed to remove lead from water (i also think that it cant be removed, but i could also be wrong lol) im not even sure how you would test for lead in water, if it is that then im stumped


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## chantys (Jul 26, 2008)

go to Fishkeeping - Resources for UK Fishkeepers they have a health expert who will be able to help you out


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## joduee (Nov 17, 2008)

you took fish in fresh water and advice the docter


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