# Today's problem.......



## DeborahP (Nov 8, 2011)

I have some platys and swordfish that I just purchased. They are in a 15 gallon isolation tank. Ph is 7.2, Nitrates 5, Nitrites 0, and Ammonia 0.
I noticed that they have redness all around their gills. The day after I purchased them, I noticed white spots on one of the swords, so I turned up the tank temp to 82, put LifeGuard tablets in the tank to treat whatever, but I was thinking Ich. I treated for 5 days, and it killed the bio in the tank which had been cycled completely. So I added SafeStart to help with this after I did a big water change on the tank after the Ich treatment. Anyway, today the redness around the gills in on all the fish...looks almost like a sore. What is this..and what to do??? I'm guessing the LifeGuard tablets aren't going to fix this problem....


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## dconner2 (Feb 14, 2012)

Could you post a pic? It sounds like when you bought the fish it could have been exposed to high ammonia (and possibly been ammonia burns) and now just from the general stress of everything could be crashing on these fish. I have never used the lifeguard tablets, do you know what the ingredients are? I ca't seem to find them on the internet. Any type of treatment that only recommends ich treatment for 5 days is a bad idea in my experience. Even if you turn the temp up it can live up to 7-10 days. I would monitor your ammonia really closely to make sure there are no spikes. Try

**From what I just read it has no antibiotic ingredients, so I am not sure how it could have killed your biofilter.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

I'd guess gill burn or a bacterial infection or both. Post pics!


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Sounds like pH shock or previous ammonia poisoning. Did you drip acclimate them? Drip acclimation is the only way I acclimate store bought fish now, since it is so much easier on the fish.

If you did acclimate them properly, I would try to treat for ammonia poisoning. Some methylene blue has been known to reverse the effects of ammonia poisoning in fish. A normal temperature should be kept, as ammonia poisoning targets the gills, and higher temp water will dissolve less oxygen in it. You will also probably want to remove the other chemicals you added to the water before you start meth blue treatment.

If this doesn't start to help in a few days, bring them back to the store. The store should not sell inferior fish.


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## DeborahP (Nov 8, 2011)

If it is pH shock, I could have done it. I have been having horrible pH issues with my water and have been trying to work with it. Using Seachem Neutral Regulator & Seachem Alkaline Regulator together along with Marine Sea Salt. Maybe this is just too much for them? They are in a 15 gallon tank, and I am trying very hard to keep the pH around 7.2 and working very hard to do it! I check water parameters at least once a day. I added the marine salt yesterday, diluted it with the water change. Could this have caused it? Thanks for any advice and help, as always!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Red gills are the "classic" ammonia poisoning symptom, though other things can cause it too. Aerate, use a dechlor that "detoxifies" ammonia and hope for the best.


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