A Sad Story

[mark.w.jones]

I spent 2 years killing around 6 gold fish and gradually getting more and more frustrated as I had read countless books and got loads of "advice" from my LFS staff. Eventually I stripped everything out, cleaned it and let the tank sit in the utility room for a few months as the stupid damn glass box and cost me a bleedin fortune up to that point. I also have a degree in biology so was suffering with a bit of an inferiority complex. Next the best thing ever happened...

I found this website and after a few months of reading lots of posts and pinned articles I realised I'd been doing loads of things wrong.

1. Over stocked tank.
2. Bought loads of high light level plants.
3. Over fed fish.
4. Changed too much water and too often.
5. Over cleaned my filter material.
6. Knew nothing about cycling.

Now I'm happy to report 12months of stress free tropical fishkeeping and its all down to these guys.

Don't give up. Learn from your mistakes and ask loads of questions, you won't regret it.

 

[wiggle]

Don't give up!! I know that it's frustrating when things go wrong and fish die! I felt like giving up when i had a major loss in my tank about 5 years ago! Keep it going...............it will be worth it in the end.................we all just learn as we go along.................gotta start somewhere! Good luck and don't give up! x

 

[AlexHaden]

Thanks all for the help, comments and support - its been really apreciated i can tell you!

At the moment - things are looking up - the remaining fishies are, how can i say this looking perkier than they have done in a long time, but who knows what the cause of them getting better is, the teatree, the salt? the increase in temp? i dont have a clue / but hey - at least they seem happy.

I introduced an airstone in case it was oxygen levels, but they have never been gasping, so it may not even be that.....

But one question, the fishies have now become kamikaze fishes, as with the introduction of the airstone, they are swimming into the bottom of the bubbles, letting themselves get propelled upwards, and then swimming back down, and up, and down, and up - like its their own personal rollercoaster....surly this will hurt them I have turned it right down for the moment, just incase...

Again - thanks to all of you - Ive not given up yet!

 

[Underwurlde]

Ha. let them do it! This is ok & to me indicitive of improving health - they're playing!

 

[SouthernCross]

About the brown algae

I set my tank up at the start of February and had the stuff for ages too - but I'm happy to say its all gone. I was nearly going to buy an algae eater, but I'm glad I didn't now, cos now there would have been nothing in there for it. I should say I then got green, followed by beard, but then it seemed like everythng settled and all is great now! So glad. It looks unsightly at the moment, but with proper management, it WILL GO AWAY! I read that the brown often feeds on something that leaches of the silicone joining the walls of your new tank, and once that's gone thats when your brown algae probs are usually over.

Also, it was recommended to me to get as many live plants as you can - the plants compete with the algae for the nutrients in the water and win! And a consistent lighting pattern helps. Read that by shutting your lights off for a couple of hours in the middle of the day can help eliminate algae probs - they require a consistent 'days' light to photosynthesize and grow effectively or something to that effect (don't know the exact science behind the theory ). For example, my tank lights is on 5 hours on, two off, five on. I found it really hard to remember to do this, then I put a timer on it, and thats when most of my other algae probs cleared up too.
Oh, one more thing, overfeeding can cause algae growth too cos there's too many nutrients in the water. Watch your feeding if you do not already do so.

I've had two losses - a dwarf gourami who died of the incurable indovirus and a platy who died a week after bringing her home, to this day still do not know why. It was saddening, but seeing how well my other fish are thriving made me feel better. Had one bout of whitespot, but two courses of Protozin cleared that right up no problem. Spots disappeared after the first course, but did second as a precaution. If your fish keep getting sick its most likely a water quality issue - keep a close eye on your parameters! I'm surprised more people didn't ask you what your exact numbers are, to ensure your tank is indeed cycled.

Please don't give up. Sounds like you've already put a load of effort in so far. It is frustrating now, but ur patience and perseverence WILL pay off.

 

[willroo]

Sorry about all the illness in your tank I cant suggest anything for that.

The algea problem will sort itself out no need to do anything,I've just had the same trouble.

Don't give up.

Will

 

[rdd1952]

I imagine the reason the fish have no fins when you find them in the morning is that the other fish are eating at them. It will turn around for you. Getting the tank cycled so that there isn't any ammonia and nitrite is the hard part. From that point things should get a lot easier. Good luck!!

 

[Amunet]

Don't worry about the fish and the bubbles, they're just playing in them
As for the illness... it's always best to stock up on lots of meds, specially if you're a newbie (like myself) cause we're definitely going to get more than our fair share of sick fish... so best to be prepared for it.
Hope all of your other fish are ok

 

[Ristof]

I have been through the same thing you have been but at a larger scale.

I have had my full tank wiped out of fish due to sick fish and trying to treat them loosing 100's or dollars on fish and meds.
My main problem was whitespot - these little buggers have wiped me out 3 times and each time costing me 100's in re-setting up the tank. New gravel, filter pads, orniments, plants.

Now I have had my new 4ft tank set up for around 8mths now with fish I have had for over 18 mths and I hardly clean the tank. Can't remember the last time
The way I got my tank like this was to do my home work on what fish I wanted. Starting with bottom, middle and top spaces to fill with fish. Worked my way to a well balanced community tropical ecosystem. Some are in there for the work they do to keep the tank clean and others are there for show.

I say stick with it and the more that goes wrong, the more you learn how to makes things right.
You will get there and it will make it all the more worth while it in the end.

I'm not sure if this has been asked or said but my biggest help with gettings things right was the best canister filter I could afford at the time

Good luck with it all

 

[Teelie]

Sometimes you have mysterious outbreaks of disease or just plain bad luck. I've lost so many fish over the years from either poor stock (hint: WalMart, not a good source, ever) or disease or just inexperience. It takes time and dedication but once things stabilize, they are very stable.

I started with a tiny 5 gallon tank and a pair of goldfish. Needless to say it didn't last long. I got a 10g and a Comet and a Koi which was almost as bad. Then I virtually gave up for 6 months letting the tank sit where it was (fishless obviously) with water in it before deciding to give it a try. I had to scrub the algae and grime out and afterwards. I still had the 5g with a single Albino Cory and a Fantail goldfish in there I moved into it and from then on, it got better.

Six years later I have eight aquariums ranging from the original 5 gallon up to a 55 gallon aquarium and 6 of them are well stable and going strong with another fixing to be set up to replace one and the one it's replacing going to be my first full-fledged planted tank.

My next big hurdle is to not go overboard doing planted tanks.