popeye help!

Oct 26, 2004
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san francisco
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i moved my 2 blood parrots, 2 bolivian rams, and 1 pictus cat from a mature, cycled 29G into a 46G one week ago. i transferred the biowheel from my emperor280 into my new emperor400. i also stuffed 2 nylon socks full of gravel from my old tank and placed them in the new tank.

my readings in the new 46G are:
temp 78
ph 6.8
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 30ppm

i'm not sure about gh or kh. i don't have those tests. are the nitrates still to high? i did a 20% water change to get it down to 30ppm and the popeye seemed to get worse!

these fish were perfectly healthy and happy in the old 29G. i figured they needed more room so i got the 46G. now the male parrot and the male ram have popeye! the female parrot may be starting to get it. the female ram and pictus cat seem to be fine. all are eating well (cichlid and shrimp pellets, and flakes) and the parrots are even doing their courtship thing.

i thought it might be gas bubble disease so i turned my filter way down and added a couple of air stones as suggested in this article:
http://www.aquamaniacs.net/popeye.html

i also am treating with maracyn just in case its fungal, or a parasite, or something. am i doing the right thing? what else should i do?

help plz. thanks.