Hi

• Test Results for the Following:
  Ammonia Level? 0
  Nitrite Level? 0
  Nitrate level? between 20-40
  Ph Level, (If possible,KH and GH and chloramines)? 7.0, KH - 80, GH - 60
  Ph Level out of the Tap? between 6 and 6.5 (buffered with bicarb of soda to 7.0 before adding)
  
• Tank size (How many Gals) and How long has it been running? 15 gals been running for 2 and half months
  
• What is the name and size of the filter/s? Elite Stingray 15 (2 running in tank) giving 600 Litres per hour
  
• How often do you change the water and how much? changing about 15% every other day at the moment (just done a 50% change)
  

How many fish in the tank and their size? 2 fantails, 2 oranda (meant to be but not sure) 3 about 2 inches (body) and 1 is 1.5 inch (body)
<li>What kind of water additives or conditioners? Add Nutrafin Cycle every week and Nutrafin Aqua plus for conditioner at water change
<li>Any medications added to the tank? No
<li>Add any new fish to the tank? no
<li>What do you feed your fish? soaked flakes. cucmber and peas a few times a week
<li>Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt",
bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? none
<li>Any unusual behavior like staying
at the bottom, not eating, ect..? The 3 bigger fish are fine, the smallest fish is top hanging at one side of the tank and has clamped fins


Now, I know I am overstocked, as I have been told on other posts. But basically, the smallest fish hasnt been himself for at least a month now. About 2 weeks ago he was bottom sitting and not happy at all. At this time pH was 6.5 and we only had one filter. Since then we've had a complete overhaul and now have 2 filters running and have managed to up the pH of the water to 7. In addition we have added some live plants and crushed coral to try help with nitrates and pH.
After his bout of bottom sitting he seemed to perk up for a while, although still clamping fins. For the past week or so he has just been at the surface near one of the filters, i presume in a quite spot of the tank - current wise. He eats fine and gobbles up the food like the others and just returns to his corner.
We're unsure what is causing this behaviour and I'm considering it to be either nitrate levels or damage done to his gills from previously high nitrate levels? I assume there is enough oxygen in the tank as the others are fine......
No matter how many or how large a water change we do we cant seem to get the nitrates under 20..... which is becoming a pain.... we also have some brown algae growing in the tank,.. no green...
Does anyone have any suggesitons as to how I can help this little guy, we're out of ideas....!!!

Get a tank at least 40 gallons. They're not gonna be happy unless you do.

I know you don't want to hear that, but you can't put a bandaid on something that's not going to change until you change their environment.

How did you disinfec them? I've learned, that no matter what precautions we take against introducing parasites into our tanks via plants, nothing is fool proof. That could be your problem right there. I wouldn't of put plants into a 15 gallon overstocked tank though. Too much competition between plants and fish for nutrients/oxygen. Also, in that little water, when something like a parasite attack happens, it's going to get worse fast becuz the tank environment is so small.

I'm not trying to be mean hon. Have you looked on craigslist for a cheap used tank?

Hi Lolafish

It has crossed my mind that the the reason the wee guy is suffering is because he's the smallest of the four and therefore the weakest... and so competition for him is hard for O2, nutrients etc. Dont get me wrong, he;s not being bullied in anyway by the others and is getting is fair share of food, but he is the smallest.

>>Have you looked on craigslist for a cheap used tank?<<

No whats this? is this in the uk?

I see my options as get another tank similar size and split them, or get aother big tank. See if I get a bigger tank, how do you go about setting that up and transferring the fish?!
cheers
AF x

It could be that oxygen levels are too low in that small tank with too many fish.
But, the bottom-sitting proceeded by surface hanging suggests a gill problem. Sometimes gill function can be compromised by bad water (high nitrites, acidity etc) or of course by parasites.
Can you see what colour the gills appear? You could look at him from behind and try to see in as he breathes.
You must certainly get a bigger home, add some kind of more permanent buffer for your low PH - like crushed coral; that would sort out the water problems a little and I'd also be tempted to run Prazi as a shotgun purge for flukes.

Oh, I've just checked your profile and see that you're in the UK, so getting Prazi will be difficult. Let me think about an alternative.............