cloudy water and sick loach?

[maddmatt]

Hi Iam lookin for information regarding my 97 glln cichlid tank, Ihave had this tank set up for some time now and recently found out that my rockscape was giving off iron so i recently removed all my rocks out,did a major clean of my tank and water changes every second day for a week..My problem is now that my water will not stay clear like before it will be ok for 2 days then get really cloudy..did i disturbe too much off they bio in the tank?
Second part is just before moving my rocks out apprx 1 week before 1 of my 2 loaches wouldnt come out,,now that all his hiding spot are gone and replaced with a bunch of plastic plants he just sits at the bottom of the tank,,inspected him i dont see ich or anything abnormal with his breathing..any info in these regards would be much appreciated,,ohh, p/s i recently added a midsized cat not sure what kind but hes nocturnal and i dont believe he is strssing anybody cause he sleep all day.

[vjvl51]

Hi Maddmatt

When you removed the rocks, you removed a lot of surface bacteria that helps with the nitrogen cycle. It will take a while before the bacteria grows on your plastic plants. It will take a while for your tank to finish the cycle (probably a mini cycle to establish the bacteria again).

I'm not familiar with a regent filter but if it is one of those hang-on power filters, you may need to upgrade to a canister or underground. I did a site search and a google search for regent filters with no luck. Since your filter was working before, I would think that this is not the problem but worth mentioning. Your filter may be close to maximum and by loosing all that bacteria on the surface area, it may now not be able to keep up. I always try to use a filter that is rated for 1.5 to 2 times my tank size.

I would do a check on your ammonia and nitrites. They may be high (greater than 0) and will cause problems as well.

As to your loach, they prefer to have caves that they can hide in. You have basically removed it's home and didn't provide another home for it. I would suggest buying a few rocks from an aquarium store (so that you know they are safe for aquariums) to give him a home again. If you don't want to do that, you can use flower pots, ceramic cups or an small item that won't leach minerals as a home. They don't like too big of a home either.

I agree that your cat is probably not bothering the loach.

Vickie

[maddmatt]

Thanks Vicki, as per my filter it is a hang on style filter with dual cartridges and because i do believe it is inadequate. Iam very
methotical to perform water changes every week at least 25 probably more to 30% of my water gets changed. Unfortunatly I went out early last evening and came home late, my wife had the lights out in the tank at 10:00pm as ussuall, I awoke this morning to an outbreak of ich on all my fish and one of my loaches was swimming around upside down then upside right constantly. I knew i had serious problems, i removed all my carbon filters and installed polly filter,then proceeded to treat the tank with jungle ich guard.. Iam totally aware that loaches are especially shocked by this medication because of there skin so i only treated they amount of a 50 gallon tank,1/2 dose as i do have a 100glln tank.
I came home this afternoon at lunch to find 1 loach had passed which i kinda knew he would. Now this evening ich is still very present, other loach is in hidding barely can see him. any suggestions. one not to kill my other loach but to rid the tank of ich.

[vjvl51]

Ich is always present in our tanks. An ich outbreak is caused by stress. Your stress was caused by the major changes and water quality. Cichlids need caves, etc , like the loach, to call home. Until that happens there is stress. When the stress is gone, the ich will probably be gone. I know, not much help now.

One thing that some find effective is to add a little aquarium salt (not table salt - the iodine will kill the fish) to their tank. One word of warning - some fish are very sensitive to salt and it will kill them. If you go this way, I would watch the fish for distress and change the water if necessary. Here's a web site with details of salt treatment http://fins.actwin.com/disease/ick2.php Here's another website with other treatments http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1791&articleid=2421

Good luck

Vickie