he has also been in the tank and live happily for 5 days before this happen

Hi Nathan,

Looking at the pic it appears he has ammonia and nitrite poisoning. The black spots are ammonia burns, the brown discolouration and soreness around the gills are due to nitrite. It seems the tank is not cycling properly at the moment.

To help him, you need to do a 25% water change every day to reduce the ammonia, and the nitrite. If you can get ammonia and nitrite tests they will help you monitor what is happening. If you can also get some Seachem Prime to use in the tank to "lock" the ammonia it will help him further, and adding additional aeration may also help.

The liquids used to reduce pH are not very good as they increase the TDS causing further problems, and pH is likely to fluctuate, especially when you do a water change. Fluctuating pH is really bad news for fish. If pH is high, the water is likely to be hard, too, so it would be better to reduce hardness and pH by mixing RO water with your tap water - I think you said in an earlier thread that you have an RO unit?

Thanks for the information
U think he can still be saved? And about black dots, if you mean the dots on his fin, he had it before I bought him. but the brown looks like it.
I did a 25% water change yesterday, ammonia and nitrite tests are really expensive and I have no idea how to convince the shopkeeper to sell me. I'll try to look for Seachem Prime, or something works like that... there's almost no medicine with UK or US brand here :(
What's TDS? Yes I do have a RO unit but it can only reduce pH to 7.5. I usually use the liquid I got to reduce the pH the water then add to the tank.

By the way, could it's because of over feeding cause ammonia? I usually feed him with homemade frozen mosquito larvae (sterilized before frozen). He never goes to the bottom of the tank to eat the larvae down there, he only eats the one that's floating.
I think it's the reason cause a rise to ammonia? As my female tank is almost the same but they're pretty fine, I set female tank up after the male tank about a week. The only different is all my female eat every larvae.

Quote:

TDS = Total Dissolved Solids - too much can have a bad effect on fish. Also if your water is hard and has high carbonate hardness, these pH reducers can cause the pH to yo-yo up and down which is really bad.

Are you using the reducer on RO water? If so are you adding back any minerals?

Hi nathan

How bad that you can't get an API Master Kit out in Asia without paying an absolute arm and leg for it All the stockists I've seen on UK/USA sites will only post to Europe or the States.

FK do have a relationship here though with a UK firm called Aquacadabra. The owner there is a very nice chap. Having issues with emails at home at the mo but let me contact him tomorrow and see if there is any way/option of trying to get you kitted out. Do you have access to a credit card? Either for you or perhaps your parents? If successful it would be online ordering directly via a secure weblink so no risk. I've ordered with them in the past - all fine.

Cost of shipping would be a little more but even so, the combined UK price should be a little easier on the pocket.

I can't promise anything but lets see if FK can assist at all Worth a try.

I'll post back or pm you when I hear back from him with an answer and a possible cost. Fingers crossed.

Thanks alot Violet!
I will ask my parents for permission to use the credit card. Again, thanks for your support :)