Fish Seem Ill And Swimming At The Surface After Filter Change

Over the bank holiday weekend I decided it was time to change around my tank.
I purchased three new plants, an artificial plant and some new fish.

My tank is a jewel rekord 96 and I decided that as it is now around a year old I would change all of the filters (blue, blue, green,black and white) at the same time but I am now having doubts as to if this was a good idea
I also done around a 50% water change and soaked all of the new filters in the water which I removed.
When I replaced the water I treated the water with tapsafe before pouring it in the tank and obviousley matched it to the tanks temperature.
I also disassembled the pump and cleaned it all out and also replaced the light and reflector.

Everything seems to be working fine but this morning one of my black widow tetra died and all of my fish seem to be swimming at the top which is worrying me.

I done a water test and the amonia, nitrate and nitrite seem high.

The fish I currently have in the tank are:
1 x plec
1 x corydorus
1 x peppered corydorus
6 x neon tetras
7 x glow eye tetras
1 x checkerboard chilid
1 x molly
1 x platty
1 x simese fight
1 x black widow tetra

I'm worried about more of my fish dying, is there anything I can do to make my tank stable again?

Thanks in advanced
Becky

You have replaced all the filters with new ones, which is a BAD idea. With the juwels you are meant to clean them in tank water, and not all of them at the same time. From memory some of them are only cleaned once or twice a year

I would imagine that the ammonia and nitrite levels in your tank are sky high.

Do a big water change (50%). If you can get hold of some Ammo Lock then treat the tank asap

I also think you are overstocked which will be making things worse.

The way to get through this is with daily water changes and lots of airation.

I am afraid you may lose more fish, if you do, get them out of the tank asap or they will decay and add to the the problem

HTH

Aaron

First, fill this out, it will help us to help you;

Tank size:
pH:
ammonia:
nitrite:
nitrate:
kH:
gH:
tank temp:

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Tank inhabitants:

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals:

Digital photo (include if possible):

By changing all you media for new you basically removed all your nitrifying bacteria, meaning your tank will have to cycle again. The way around this is to only change half at a time, and float the old media in the tank to assist with the transfer of nitrifying bacteria to the new media.

Without test results I would bet you have nitrites. Nitrites inhibit a fish's ability to process O2, that is why they are hanging at the surface. You probably have some ammonia as well. You will need to do daily water changes of at least 25%, preferably 50%, until ammonia & nitrite are at zero.

If you still have the old media, and it is wet, add half back to the filter, and float the other half in the tank for one week.

I agree if you have changed the old blue sponges for new ones the tanks cycling again.

How long is it since you removed the old sponges and have you thrown them away.

Tank size: 96l
pH:7.2
ammonia: 1.0
nitrite:2.0
nitrate:10
kH: i dnt know wht this is
gH:i dnt know what this is
tank temp: 25c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): they were al tat the top of the tank, ive had the light off and a cover overthm all day and seem to be alot better now

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 50% sat bout 25% today

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: tapsafe

Tank inhabitants:

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals:

I;m so worried, my local fish shop sed it would be ok to change as long as all the filters were well soaked before putting them in. the old ones have been in the bin since sat so thats not really an option. the tanks has been going for a year and i hve only changed the white (cototn wool like) filter and the carbon before. please help me im so worried and i dont want to cause them harm

bexyjane said:

please help me im so worried and i dont want to cause them harm

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There's no point in beating yourself up over what is done, we learn from our mistakes. And don't panic; if you panic, you lose focus, if you lose focus, you only stand to harm the fish.

Best of luck.

Increase aeration in the tank.
Go and buy some nutrafin cycle.
Sponges last years should only replace them when they start to fall apart.
When you buy new sponges you have to wet them and them squeeze the old sponges over the news ones for the benefical bacteria.
You only need the black carbon sponge for removing meds.
Then green nitrate sponges don't need them, have to change them every six weeks, not proven they even work.

My fish shop said i should replace them yearly. i got difficult getting anywhere, if i could changes of 25%+ everyday will this help? also should i test the water everyday too? some of the fish seem abit one pased by it all, the plec seems ok and the fighter, its mainly the neon and glow eye tetras that seems bad i tihnk its cause there is 13 of them it looks loads! i no i sould beat myself up, but i love my fish so much i dnt want to loose them! am i likely to lose more?

I sympathize, I've always tended to panic too, but it's definitely best to remain calm and think logically.
So far as the prognosis of the fish goes I think that with such a big shock to the system it's going to be a case of waiting and seeing, it could honestly go either way. If it does go bad you will have learnt a valuable lesson - I know I've learnt many in the same way.

For now just keep hoping, increase aeration and most importantly don't panic.

Best of luck.

thank you so much for your help, im calming dwn now...i have to be up at 7 i i cant sleep thinkin bout wakin up to dead fishes but fingeres cross thanks again, bex
ps could u clarify wht u mean by aeration?

I've actually spent nights up with ill fish before, but in reality even by being there, there is usually nothing more you can do to help. But remember that rest is a very useful tool, and the more you get the more able you will be to deal with any problems in the morning.

By aeration I mean the use of an air stone, if you have them (connected to an air pump, creating bubbles which rise to the surface of the water causing disruptions and letting oxygen in and bad toxins out), if you don't have one of these, it might be advisable to take a little bit of water out so that (providing you have the power head on the top vent, through the water tube) the filter pushes the water out in a small waterfall, causing some disruption to the water surface.
BUT, be careful, ensure that there is also enough water going in the side vents for the filter media to get water flowing through.

Get some rest and don't panic, this will be a valuable experience whatever happens next.

Good luck

When you replace sponges only one at once.
Think the lfs has given you some terrible advice more interested in selling stuff then the welfare of the fish.
Could lose some not going to lie to you.
I wish you all the luck.

if you don't have one of these, it might be advisable to take a little bit of water out so that (providing you have the power head on the top vent, through the water tube) the filter pushes the water out in a small waterfall, causing some disruption to the water surface.
BUT, be careful, ensure that there is also enough water going in the side vents for the filter media to get water flowing through.

i have just done this, is this ok? im not sure if this could cause more harm?

here are some pictures

here another

and finally this one, sorry qual isnt great there phones pics
also part of the heater will now e out the waterm is this ok?

I'd seriously think about finding a new LFS. If there's anything you need to know, ask here first - we're not here to take your money.

vinylman said:

I'd seriously think about finding a new LFS. If there's anything you need to know, ask here first - we're not here to take your money.

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plese could u answer the abov question? thanks and sorry for being cheeky