I have been keeping fish both tropical and cold water for many years now. I am expereriencing a problem in my 'new' tank that I have never come across before.

The tank is 125 litres and about 2 months old. However it was used to move and established tank as the old one sprang a a leak. everything was moved over to the new tank, gravel, ornaments, water, plants and filter. everything has been running perfectly well and the water quailty is fine. I usually do two weekly water changes on established tanks, but as this one was 'new' I started out with weekly water changes of around 25% or 30 litres. The tank contains three normal goldfish, Charlie Barley and Mo.

Yesterday Charlie was looking odd, but as he was still swimming and eating I deiced to wait and see. He waited until the local aquarium shop shut and then sank to the bottom where he has stayed. He has also started curling over to one side and in my experience once a fish starts to curl that's pretty much it.

Today, water testing out as perfect, even PH. I took a sample to the aquarium shop in case my kit is duff. Everything testing out fine there. No other outward signs of illness apart from sitting on the bottom. Which made me think it was nitrites or PH.

This keeps happening after water changes. Having talked it through with the bloke at the aquarium shop I do my water changes and filter maintenance in exactly the same way as he does for his 60 odd tanks and he has never experienced this. Only things he can put it down to is over sensitive fish becoming stressed due to water changes or copper from my tap water. even then copper shouldn't affect the fish like that.

Lola who we got from the same tank and shop as Charlie died a few months back in the same way after a water change. So maybe it is the over sensitive thing. All the other fish are fine.

Adding salt for stress at the moment, but I think it's really too late and we shall have to get a Charlie #2

Anyone else experienced losses or odd behaviour after water changes?

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Deedee - Timneh Grey 31.05.01 - 22.06.06