dechlorinator

Question
Hi again Ron-

I am really concerned about the water conditioner I am using AP Stress Coat.  I think the extra "slime coating" may be causing problems.(?)  This morning Leo was looking a lot better, almost normal.  He was "bothering" me the whole time I was cleaning the tank (like he usally does when normal) He ate really well, and then I added 10 gal (dechlorinated, sat out overnight, close to tank temp).  After I put the water back in he started to twich his fins and then darted forward like he went koo koo,  yawned a few times & swam around and then stood on his head. I thought he was going to die right in front of me.  He had looked so good before I added the new water. His "spell" lasted for maybe a minute, then started his nervous swimming again, but I did get him to stop(offered a little more food).  Now he looks "normal" again, and is calmy swimming.  Only thing is I am noticing  him yawn frequently to clear his gills & does an occasional twitch of his anal or pelvic fins.  Do you think I should change dechlors?  If so change to which brand?  If not the dechlor, could an internal parasite be causing this?  I don't want to lose this little fella, he is part of the family.

I am changing 10 gal per day for the last 10 days trying to get the nitrates down.  Got them down to 20.  Had been in the 40 range, highest ever was 80 over a month ago.  The tap water here has 5 in it to start with.

Thanks,
Kathy
1 Goldfish 8", 120 gal, NH3=0, NO2=0, NO3=20, pH=7.8-8.0
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Hi Ron--

I have nervous swimming goldfish.  I have had Leo for almost 4 years. He is a Commom approx 8" long in a 120 gallon tank, 2 canister filters & Penguin 350 filter.  NH3=0, NO2=0, NO3 ranges from 40-20, and this week the pH has been changing from his usual 8.0 down to 7.6, then back to 8.0.(any suggestions on that?)  His tank mate died ~4 months ago.  This last week he has started "pacing" back and forth in the back of the tank.  He doesn't even notice when I come over by him, unless I put my hand in the water, which is not normal for him because he is a very friendly fish.  He has been swimming both day and night.  The only time he stops that panic swimming is when I get his attention to eat.  He eats very well.  Do you think he is sick, could it be from the pH changes, or is he just lonely?  He is in the tank all alone.  Also, right before the panic swim started I cleaned the filter and added new carbon,  he had a few red streaks develop in his tail and pectoral fins, I have since removed it thinking it could be the problem. The red streaks seem to be improving, but he is still panic swimming.  Please help.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.  Leo is a very special fish to me.

Thank you,
Kathy
-----Answer-----
Hi Kathy,
  How often are you doing water changes?   You need to be changing 20% of the water once a week, EVERY week.  The red streaks often indicate blood vessel damage which occurs when a fish is in low oxygenated or poor water (or if there is a chemical poison in the water).  Panicked swimming also is often a sign of poor water quality.  

 I doubt if he is lonely.

 When you cleaned "the filter", did you change all the filters at the same time?  In general, it is better not to do that.  What can happen is that when you clean a filter, while that is good in the long term, in the short term it can release a bunch of stuff into the water, plus the biological function of the filter is severely impaired for a while.  With large tanks, I recommend multiple filters (as you have) but I also recommend cleaning them at different times.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


Answer
Hi Kathy,
 Does your water have chlorine in it or chloramine?  If it just has chlorine, you don't even need a dechlorinator.  My water just has chlorine so I just let it sit in buckets for 24 hours and it is fine (chlorine will evaporate in that time). If your water has chloramine you have to use a chemical. The reason is that chloramine doesn't evaporate -- it is designed NOT to -- and so you have to neutralize it.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>