silver dollars

[heater 16]

i have had silver dollars for 5 years now and last night i noticed one looking sick. he was swimming spazmoticlly and he died the smorning. i put metafix in but it didnt help. now i notice that my other one has a larger than usual bottom lip and is breathing alot quicker. i am worried, what do i do

 

[LAVMAN]

i dont know much but i would get the sick fish in another tank and go from there.

 

[misterking]

Have you checked ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels etc? Could you post these?

And if they're unusually high - think whether or not you've added anything new to the tank recently, if anything's got into the tank to cause high readings. Personally I'd test, then do a water change regardless.

 

[MissFishy]

If they look like they're "panting" you need to check out your water parameter situation and temperature ASAP. Take a sample of your tank water to your local fish store, have them test it, then WRITE down the results and post them back here. Don't just let them tell you the water is "fine".

"Panting" fish can mean there isn't enough oxygen in the water or your tank is having a mini-cycle, both serious issues you should take care of immediately, especially since one has died already. Also, silver dollars get very very large, the size of dinner plates, what size tank are you keeping them in? At least a 55 gallon by themselves I hope.

 

[misterking]

The size of dinner plates? I've never seen captive silver dollars get over 8 inches at a stretch. But I do agree, at least 55 gallons to contain a big enough shoal for them to be happy.

 

[lynx336699]

my redhook ssilver dollar just popped up with a large bottom lip i think its a mouth fungus so i puled out my carbon from my biowheel and started using pelafix which is for funguses got my fingers crossed. melafix is usually used for open sores or skin infections.

 

[lynx336699]

excuse me not pelafix its pimafix lol