Ryukin frayed fins!

[netvine]

could use some advice, please.

Our favorite Ryukin seems to have a problem with his fins. I have a lot of products on hand but have not had luck previously when a fish got sick, so I was hoping for some help from the start.

I have:
- Aquarium salt
- Maracyn
- Stress Coat
- Ich-X
- PraziPro
- Potassium permanganate

I haven’t had any trouble in the last four years until this year. I had to quarantine a Ryukin after he fell into the skimmer, was injured, and developed a bad fungal infection and died. I failed to fix that fish. I used Maracyn and aquarium salt. Any advice would be appreciated.

There are barely any detectable levels of nitrate. No ammonia or nitrites

Thank you for help or advice.

 

[WaterGardener]

What is the pH and KH?

 

[netvine]

6.4 ph i dont have kh test. Sorry for late response. A ball valve broke off, when it rains it pours.

 

[GBBUDD]

6.4 is too low for my liking one big rain . Hot day could cause a ph crash

 

[WaterGardener]

I agree. PH is too low. It's in the acidic range.

It can be raised with plain old baking soda. Large bags are available at big box stores like Costco for less than $10 a bag. At least that was the cost the last time I bought some.

Be sure to raise it slowly so it doesn't shock the fish. Raise it over days, not hours.

If there is not enough KH in the system, the pH will fluctuate which also stresses the fish. I consider a KH test to be possibly the most important test for keeping fish. If the KH is kept at least around 100, the pH will be stable and the fish happier.

Please get a KH test and use baking soda. It will also raise the KH. The pH could go as high as 8.2 or 8.3. That's fine. Many of us here keep the pH at that level.

There is no need to treat the fish if the water is toxic. Always fix the water first. Usually, that is all that is needed and the fish will heal itself.

 

[GBBUDD]

I agree. PH is too low. It's in the acidic range.

It can be raised with plain old baking soda. Large bags are available at big box stores like Costco for less than $10 a bag. At least that was the cost the last time I bought some.

Be sure to raise it slowly so it doesn't shock the fish. Raise it over days, not hours.

If there is not enough KH in the system, the pH will fluctuate which also stresses the fish. I consider a KH test to be possibly the most important test for keeping fish. If the KH is kept at least around 100, the pH will be stable and the fish happier.

Please get a KH test and use baking soda. It will also raise the KH. The pH could go as high as 8.2 or 8.3. That's fine. Many of us here keep the pH at that level.

There is no need to treat the fish if the
water is toxic. Always fix the water first. Usually, that is all that is needed and the fish will heal itself.

Also you will need a high range ph kit. The kit that said your 6.4 won't go to an 8 . 7 is neutral but fish can deal with 8.3 far better than a 6.3

But once you get with the kh program you'll know from the kh test that your ph is good because the kh controls the let's call it a strong ph immune system. Helping to keep everyone healthy. I try to keep around 120 to 140 kh some breeders almost double that.

 

[netvine]

received kh/gh test kit today kh is between 17-35 i think. I dissolved a tbsp of baking soda and slowly added towater column. Appx 600 gallons in circulation. Ph was around 6.5. Ill check tomorrow to add more. Ryukin in hospital tank with maracyn. Will test kh tomorrow and add a tbsp a day until i get to 120-140. Thanks again!

 

[WaterGardener]

What is the KH after adding baking soda? If it is not more than 0.2 points from where the pH started, you can add more today until it reaches that point.

 

[netvine]

Right around 6.8 now kh still reading around 35-50 around two to three drops from api test kit to turn yellow.

 

[WaterGardener]

Seems to take forever,but slowly is the way to go. You're doing a good job so keep that up!