Water Change Stress Fish?

[Striker2807]

I did a water change on my 60g tank about 4 hours ago and ever since my Bala Shark has been stressed by that I mean floating upside down breathing heavy. I also lost one of my Giant Danios shortly after finishing the water change. Same thing as my Bala Shark swimming fine until I did the water change.

This isn't my first time doing a water change either I have done many before without any problems. The only thing I did different was I didn't put in the water conditioner a little later then I usually do. I wouldn't think that it would make much of a difference because I didn't wait much longer then I usually do.

So my questions are could the water change have caused the stress? Is there anything I can do to help my Bala shark? I don't want to lose him too so I hope there is something I can do to help him.

[iapetus]

Floating upside down and breathing heavily sounds like more than stress.

How much water did you change out?

[Striker2807]

Originally Posted by iapetus

Floating upside down and breathing heavily sounds like more than stress.

How much water did you change out?

Well I might to do just 30%, but I got side tracked and ended up doing more of a 50% water change. Did I take out too much?

I would also like to add he will swim around normally for a little bit, but then go back to being upside down.

[iapetus]

Sounds to me as though you may well have waited too long to add the water conditioner, particulary if you swapped out 50% of the water. But, it's hard to be sure from the other side of a computer.

My tanks are small and I use buckets. Yeah, they're far less efficient than using a Python, but it also allows me to condition the water before it goes in the tank. Frankly, I'd be paranoid about putting water in the tank without having first conditioned it -- but that's just me.

Are the fish getting worse? If you've added enough conditioner, I'm not sure what else you can do other than to monitor their condition.

[Striker2807]

I put in enough conditioner to condition 30g of water and I am sure I put in a little bit more then that.

I guess I will just have to wait out and see if he makes it.

No the fish aren't getting worse in fact all my other fish are fine it is just my bala shark.

[iapetus]

Status report on your bala shark?

[Lotus]

The chlorine can burn fishes' gills, so it's a good idea to make sure the water is dechlorinated quickly. I'd guess this is what caused the problem.

[brian1973]

would chlorine affect them that quickly? And why only one fish?

[sombunya]

FWIW, I use one of those vacuum/water hose gadgets to vacuum gravel and fill the tank. I do 25% water changes once a week.

I know the store owner pretty good where I bought it. She assured me that is the way she does it; adds conditioner as she fills the tank, and she has around 140 of them in her store.

I was a little worried at first and used to treat the water before I added it. Now I add the conditioner as I fill the tank in the form of a stock solution. I mix the conditioner in a quart of water and slowly add it as I'm filling the tank. I test for chlorine after wards, negative.

[brian1973]

I personally test the tap, if its negative i dont add anything.