# Tropical Fish, Electric Blue Sick, lung infection?



## portelli (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi 
Looking for help for friend

His 10 cm electric blue female past away this morning.  
The male is down low gulping the water and resting

Only change was a fish food flake, just introduced. Water temp was high

I have the ph to 7 (it was under)
I have hardened the water, as it was soft
I did a partial water change with a gravel siphon
I checked the ammonia level, its nil
Lowered water temp to 27DC

all other fish are looking well  

He has now moved since,  still gulping

Cheers
Gerry


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## Daz (Sep 20, 2006)

Do you mean a Dempsey or Malawi?


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## portelli (Feb 11, 2007)

it is a Malawi


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

Can you tell us everything youve done and added to the tank 24 hours before the first fish died, what chemicals did you add, how much water did you change, salt etc everything


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## portelli (Feb 11, 2007)

For your information mushroom the fish is now fine


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## SinisterKisses (Mar 1, 2007)

I'm going to say the same thing as I did in the other post, before I realized there were two:

Well, first off, which "electric blue?" There are four or five Malawi species that go by this common name. 

As for the problem, gasping is a sign of a lack of oxygen in the tank. Have you tested the ammonia level in the tank? Adding an air pump or another filter to increase the surface movement of the water will help aerate it more.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

portelli said:


> For your information mushroom the fish is now fine


this fish doesnt seem fine if it is "gulping" the water, also do you know why and how the first one died? What are your complete water params

Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ph


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## portelli (Feb 11, 2007)

Please refer to first message,

also water was air rated

and fish is looking good

Name of fish, Sciaenochromis Ahli, haplochromis

Hope this helps you mushroom!!! I hope this hasn't been keeping you in the dark.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

the first post only says ammonia, we need nitrite and nitrate, what was the ph before you "hardened" the water, there might have been a dangerous ph drop for some reason, we need to know why, my biggest bet on why the fish is gulping is that there are nitrites in the water.


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## SinisterKisses (Mar 1, 2007)

Sorry, didn't see the "nil ammonia" part in the OP. Anyway, I wouldn't be so quick to brush it off now that the fish is supposedly "back to normal." There is a reason one fish died, and a reason one fish was gasping - and it may not be fixed yet. I'd check the water for nitrites and nitrates as suggested.


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## portelli (Feb 11, 2007)

As I mentioned THE AMMONIA LEVEL IS NIL (ZERO)
Ph improvement was not drastic, looking to improve it today as well as the levels of salt and oxygen.

Should have a good improved environment soon 

Mushroom, Thanks for your help


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

still havent answered about nitrites or nitrates


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## portelli (Feb 11, 2007)

Nitrates the problem. Reading was sky high. Owner is sorting the problem out now. I have passed this advice to him from you guys. and leaving him with a small dent in the wallet to the local aquarium (which was also a great help), money well spent on the road to recovery. An overload of information and new skills to administer. It is said he could have lost the lot (25 fish) if it was not attended too.

Give yourself a pat on the back


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