# Is my Zebra Danio seizing?? What can be the cause?



## bzimny88 (Jan 25, 2012)

I have never heard of fish having seizures, but it seems as though one of mine is and has been for the past 20 minutes... I am in the process of cycling a newly set-up 75 gallon tank. I set it up 2 weeks ago and purchased 5 zebra danios to help the cycle. All of the danios have done very well up until now. I came home a couple hours ago to find one of them keeping near the surface and gasping for air. At least, that's what I think it was doing. The gills arent flapping, but the mouth is opening and closing at a speed I have never seen in a fish before... And then about 20 minutes ago, it started jerking and flailing around, while still gasping, at a seizure-like speed... it's still doing it! It's moving around in the water, although it's not really swimming. Is there a way to save him? Should I just put it out of its misery? Will it stop and be normal again or will it die? What could be the cause of this? Again, these are tiny zebra danios in a 75 gallon tank, and the others are perfectly fine. They all look healthy, no skin-type things happening. Eating was normal this morning. Tank is being kept clean and water is not positive for any ammonia according to my test strips. Any help would be highly appreciated! Thanks, Barb


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Are your tests showing Nitrite? Nitrite is actually more dangerous to fish than ammonia.

I am one of the people who believe that you should never cycle a tank with fish in it...long term it is not good for their health.

It can be a combination of factors leading to stressed fish and acting the way it is. Even if the tank is cycled then it could still be the effect of having to endure the high levels of ammonia and Nitrite


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