strange goo

[Amanda Quirk]

Hi I recently purchased what I think is a marbled bichir and I know they have a fancy and unusually thick slime coat thing going on more than other fish but is it normal to find strange clear goo around the tank where it rests and coming off its body? If not what is it and how do I treat it?

 

[CarpCharacin]

A change in their slime coat is usually a sign of stress. Is the tank fully cycled? Slime coat overproduction is a sign that the bichir is stressed. How large is the tank?

 

[Amanda Quirk]

The tank has been running for nearly a year and water quality is good. It's a 75 Gallon. He's not full grown he's not even as long as the side of the tank. There's only two other fish and a turtle. The water is green and foggy because I need new lights but as far as water quality goes everything is where it should be. I just got him a couple of days ago though so he might just be settling in.

 

[CarpCharacin]

The tank has been running for nearly a year and water quality is good. It's a 75 Gallon. He's not full grown he's not even as long as the side of the tank. There's only two other fish and a turtle. The water is green and foggy because I need new lights but as far as water quality goes everything is where it should be. I just got him a couple of days ago though so he might just be settling in.

API stress coat may help. It looks like he is just stressed.

 

[celebrist]

What kind of turtle do you have in the 75 with the bichir?

What are the other two fish?

 

[Wailua Boy]

Honestly, with a turtle in there it is very hard to maintain water quality, I would double check your water parameters.

 

[Amanda Quirk]

The turtle is an eastern painted. The other two fish are a spotted gar and a sail fin Pleco. I sit by that tank all day the Pleco leaves him alone. I have more than enough filtration to keep the tank clean and I scoop out the poop when I do my biweekly and sometimes weekly water changes. The water quality is fine I've tested it and I've had three pet stores test it. I will go pick up the Api Stress Coat today. Thank you

 

[Amanda Quirk]

Honestly, with a turtle in there it is very hard to maintain water quality, I would double check your water parameters.

Yeah turtles are filthy i knew that when I decided to buy fish so I've taken appropriate measures to minimize her filth. I had to switch from gravel to sand because even with gravel vacuuming there was too much filth under the rocks to keep the nitrate low but now that there is sand nitrate remains below 40 nitrite is 0 hardness 300 chlorine 0 alkalinity 0 (but it's not effectingPH much) and PH is 7.2 Ammonia is 0 but sometimes goes up to .5. I'm going to get another two filters for itthough

 

[Wailua Boy]

That ammonia spike could your problem with bichir. Hopefully with more filtration and water changes you can remedy that. Good luck with the tank.

maybe set up overhead sump with pothos? That plant can remove ammonia quickly.
A Amanda Quirk

 

[Charney]

when you say marbled bichir, which do you think you have?