!! cloudy water and eyes !!

[JimmyB]

The day after changing 35% of my Discus tank water, I notice Ick spots on the fish! So I immediately treated with the Ick med, I beleive it has both malachite green and fluo-or floro-something. I thought I was nipping it in the bud, but now the tank water has a white haze to it, and I see 2 of the fish have a white haze on their eyes. What is going on?! Three days ago everything as fine, and now it is a disaster. The Tank has been up and running for months, I checked pH stable at 6.8, and the readings of Nitrate, Ammonia, Nitrite, are all on the minimum color swatch, meaning basically zero. This was prior to the water change. Since I don't yet have an aging barrel for water, I was keeping the water changes to no more than 35% at a time every other day. I did the water change to vacuum up after feeding some beefheart and bloodworms. What should I be looking for? I have slowly raised the temp to 88F, it was at 84. I have added the Ick med for 2 days now. It is a 90 gallon tank and I have only 5 discus, plus 3 young angels. They have all been a happy community since the beginning.

[JimmyB]

I have had 3 little bristlenose plecos in that tank for about 3-4 weeks. They are kinda tiny and I often don't see them for days, then I might see one or two scamper around. I am wondering if one of them died or got picked on by a larger fish, and his remains caused a bacterial bloom. But this was kinda sudden, and I can't believe a tiny fish like that would cause such a problem in a 90 gallon tank. I have counted my other fish a dozen times to make sure I am not missing one that is causing the cloudiness, but nothing so far.

[White Worm]

Haze usually comes from bacterial problem. Ick med may have killed some of your bio. I would add aquarium salt or non iodized salt for the cloudy eyes (2 tbspns per 10g) worked for me and I always keep salt in the tank even after wc's (as long as you dont have live plants). Check your filters for any buildup and it may be just time you need to reestablish cycle in the tank. Keep up the water changes!!!!! You should always have some nitrates in a cycled tank. So I think maybe you are going through small recycle. JMO. Mike

[pcsb23]

JimmyB, cloudy water and cloudy eyes are symptomatc of poor water quality, whitespot is another syptom. Suspect one of your plecs may have perished. Although it may be small to us, think about it interms of food. You wouldn't feed that amount of food in one go....

Water changes, preferably aged and heated, should sort this out. Ick treatments work faster at higher temps for sure but maybe keepping it at 86-88f will be better. Check your water for Amonia and Nitrites regularly. Nitrites are mitigated by adding salt (non iodised) at 1 to 2 tblspoons per 10 gals.

Add an airstone as o2 will most probably be depleted. If test show ammonia, add prime or ammo lock directly to the tank, this will buy you some time.
hth,
Paul.

[JimmyB]

When I did the water change the day before the cloudiness started, I rinsed out the filter pads in a bucket of tankwater. I was also stirring up the gravel and vaccuming real good since I had just fed the beefheart and I am a bit paranoid about that stuff sitting around decaying. The Malachite green I used for the ick also contains Formalin, albeit a low dosage. I have read that Formalin can hurt the bio-capacity of the tank in larger doses, causing the water to haze from dead bacteria. I read that Formalin is recommended as using it as a dip, not as a full tank treatment. So, I am wondering if my super cleaning job might have reduced the bio-capacity in the filter, gravel cleaning stirred things up in the tank, and the formalin helped reduce it even more with the knock-out punch. At the end of the day yesterday it looked much clearer, and another 30% water change with some salt last night and it looks even better this morning. The fish look a bit perkier, but still the haze on the eyes of 2 fish. One smaller fish still has the ick spots.

[Greg Richardson]

I'd continue doing daily wc's. Continue to clean that gravel.
My bet is u went to long without cleaning your gravel well along with filters and all the crap dispersed was just to much for the existing water thus the cloudiness.

I think you'll be fine with extra wc's in short bit of time.

[Cosmo]

Jimmy,

If at all possible, set up an aging barrel. This will alleviate your concerns about more frequent water changes, and, will make each water change safer. Agree completely with pcsb23

Jim

[Albanets]

From my experience with other fish, ick can be caused by jumps in temp. Say, if your fresh water is much cooler. As for treatment, ick cannot resist high temp and salt.
Water cloudiness is a sign of bacteria die off or sudden large organic matter - probably one of your plecos has died.
I would do WCs daily and feed less. You could even skip feeding for the whole day.

[Carol_Roberts]

Most likely cause is bacteria. Gravel and beefheart are not a good combination. I doubt the formalin and M Green killed your filter at recommended doses. Do extra water changes with warm, pH stable water to clear eyes.

[billeagan]

I would venture to guess that you have/had poor water quality (white haze on eyes) and you cleaned too well. never clean your gravel and filter at the same time.

[JimmyB]

Well, after 30% water changes the last two nights, and the addition of a long air bubbler wand across the back of the tank, the water is back to being clear. One smaller fish still has some small ick spots on him, and 3 of the fish have the cloudy eyes still. So, I will continue with the water changes. The temperature is around 88. I added salt the first day, and replaced what I took out when I changed water. Should I leave it as is, just changing water and replacing salt? Do I keep using the Malachite Green/formalin Ick treatment, or let the salt and temp do the job? I assume that once I add this salt, I don't need to replace over-and-above what I remove with water changes. It is not like Metro, losing it effectiveness during the day. And when this is all done with, I'll change water and the salt will be reduced gradually proportionately to the water change. A side note, since I am still curious about this thing....I noticed when I was doing the bucket water-changing thing for another tank (african cichlid tank) that using warm water and filling the bucket, an unusually large amount of bubbles in the bucket, I stirred it around and they dissipated after a minute or so.....Is this dissolved CO2 gas, and if so is this a potential issue with my water heater, or with the local water company? (and No, I don't use the same bucket or my nets for both tanks, they each have their own 'accessories", I made sure of that!!)

[JimmyB]

Daily water changes, and removing a dead Cory !! have done the trick. Plus warmer water and salt. All is well.!!!! whew!!

[Kindredspirit]

Good for you, Jimmy!




Marie~

[pcsb23]

Glad to here it.

[White Worm]

Nice to hear some of the advice paid off, way to go!