Bala Sharks not doing good

So I have a 2 small Bala Sharks in a small 29 gallon tank. ( I know way to small,but they are small themselves and I am upgrading to a big ol 225 gallon soon) So I have had this tank set up with no problems for about 6 months now. I normally do about 25% water change every other week. I used to have the tetra filter that hung over the back but it was not doing what I needed it to, water was pretty smelly. So I finally got a 306 canister filter and I set it all up about 5 days ago now. I also put in a driftwood so my water is a darker from the leaching(?) So today I did my 25% water changed and put in all the stuff to clean the new water so it wouldnt kill my fish just like I have from the beginning. I also had to cut back the 1 main live plant since it wasn't looking so good. So after doing that, I noticed my two Bala sharks were in the back corner by the heater and it looked like they were breathing heavily. Well about 30 mins later my bigger one was upside down not moving at all but still breathing. I fished him out put him in another container with treated water. He is still upside down but still breathing and the one in the tank seems very distresed and it looks like he is trying to get air at the top of the tank. My other fish all seem fine. Its just these two guys. These are my sons and hes pretty upset that they are dying and so am I. I attached a picture of the test strip reading, I am still learning how to read them. Any help would be great. THANKS

29 gallon tank
1 306 canister filter
2 Bala Sharks
1 Albino Shark
2 male guppies
9 neon tetra
1 bushy nose pleco
3 long fin red minor tetra

* Bala Shark I pulled out of tank died . Think I will pull the other one out as his breathing is getting worse*

 

Well I pulled the 2nd bala out and left him in a tank that was good and he got better put him back into the main tank tonight and he started swimming around again and acting normal. Not sure what happened this water changed maybe when I put the new water in they got really stressed with the current it created. Hopefully he continues to do good.

 

Glad to hear you managed to save one. By the sounds of it, the only change in your tank was the new filter - which was probably still cycling - may have had an impact but difficult to see anything on your test strip that is cause for concern. If heat was up in the tank it may have needed an airstone to provide extra oxygen (hence gasping for air)

All I can think of unfortunately

 

Unfortunately the second one didn't make it either yeah after I was googling and trying to think of why all the sudden it happened it dawned on me it's probably the new filter like you said and not having cycled. Which makes me so mad at myself for not thinking about that before I took the other one out. I should of keep both until the new one cycled completely. My other fish seem to be doing good but who knows cause the sharks were to, it was a quick death. I'll be doing daily 25% water changes until it cycles. I have 2 airstones in the tank. Fingers crossed these guys left can make it through the cycling.
Thanks for the reply

 

Water changes daily should help protect the remaining fish. If the media from the old filter is still wet it should still be alive and can be added to your new filter to aid in the cycling - may be worth a try. Must agree with last post - will not be a good idea to replace the Bala Sharks until you get a larger tank (which you will get when the bug bites you lol)

 

Yep I know tank way to small, they were awesome fish and seemed to be doing great. Lesson learned unfortunately it had to be the hard way. No I'm not getting any new fish until 1 this tank cycles or 2 I get the much bigger tank and it cycles.

No, I was to excited about finally having a canister filter that I completely forgot about putting old media into the new canister. First couple days I had both the old filter and new filter running together but then I took it out and tossed it.

Once this tank is cycled again I will probably get a couple more long fin red minor tetra to make it a school of 6 and maybe a couple more male guppies.

 

I tossed old filter it was nasty. Dumb mistake on my part won't be doing that again.

 

Thanks for helping me realize my mistake with the new filter. Hard lesson learned. Will defiantly remember next time when I start a new tank or change filters....

 

I'm not sure how to edit the original post, I did it once but don't remember how I did it. So both bala sharks didn't make it. I'm assuming it is because of the new filter and it having to recycle. Hopefully it does not take that long and isnt so bad for the fish left. The tank was a already cycled tank so hopefully things go well. All other fish are still alive and so far doing good. I bought an API ammonia test kit and it read 0 so that is good, but I'm assuming the tank has not cycled yet. I tested the other stuff and the ph went from around 7.0-7.5 to 8.5 and the nitrate reading jumped to between 80-160 so I mean I know the general info of cycling but still get confused with when the numbers start increasing and decreasing. Is this a normal jump in the cycling, I added some stress zyme and stress coat in hopes to help my other fish out a little more.

 

Nitrate spike indicates cycle is complete - continue lots of water changes as you planned to get the nitrates down. I would watch that Ph as well - getting really high! But seems transition to new filter is now complete at least and will have no further surprises

 

Don't know if this helps, but I've seen that doing large water changes stress the fish. I've had deaths shortly after water changes and I treated the water perfectly with aquasafe, 15 psb and ph down like I always do. I've found that doing smaller, more frequent water changes work better. as the water isn't disrupted as much and the fish adjust better.