Bala Shark (Silver Shark)

[Clairel]

I just noticed today it was hanging upside down, more or less looked dead, but it isnt, its eyes are moving and its gills are still moving, but it is very motionless, i have checked my water

NitrAte 0
Nitirte 0
PH 7
Ammonia 0

I cant understand it, i did have another one, and this did the same, and died after only a few days....

It is a very SMALL shark, only 2 inches long, any help would be great, i have moved it into another place on its own, to see if perks up a bit

Claire x

 

[Ben]

what tank size? and have you changed the filter media latley?

DD

 

[Clairel]

No i havnt changed the filter at all......

My tank is 20 gallon, i know this is small for sharks, but i was re-housing him, with a bigger tank, and i thought as its only 2 inch if that in length it would be ok for a few weeks..

Ive just checked on it again, and its STILL breathing, and its eyes are moving and gills, but apart from that , its motionless

C x

 

[Clairel]

Just wanted to say....My bala has died

C x

 

[dwarfgourami]

Sorry to hear that, poor little thing.

Just wanted to say....My bala has died

C x

[snapback]900455[/snapback]​

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> NitrAte 0

That's odd. If you biological filtration is working, where is the nitrogen going?

Ammonia -> Nitrite -> Nitrate.

 

[Clairel]

I dont know...can u help me please?? I have been putting some Prime(red) in this gets rid of the ammonia i had, maybe it has changed the Nitrate???

I really dont know, the only other thing i have been putting in, is Cycle.....

I am going to be setting up another tank soon, so as much info as i have will help me..

Thanx Claire x

 

[MarkOne]

I take it the tank was new, and hadnt matured if you were adding cycle and there were no nitrates?
May have affected the shark, being a new tank?

 

[Lateral Line]

There are certainly many fish which are far to sensitive to pollution to use as cycling fish, I would certainly not have Bala's or CL's in a cycling tank. Mollies and Danios are pretty tough, I don't know about angels, I don't keep cichlids.

Cycling products, hmmm, I have never used one. Some swear they work, others are adamant they do nothing.

Whether or not they are working, you can't baulk the chemistry.

Ammonia -> Nitrite -> Nitrate.

Now if you use special techniques involving anærobic reactors or sulphur de-nitrators, you can go from Nitrate -> Nitrogen. I doubt you have such gear, which is expensive and very unusual.

So where is the Nitrogen going? It is, in fact, unusual for water from the tap to have zero NO3 in it.

How often are you changing water, and how much are you changing? Do you have live plants, if so how many? What sort of filter is it? Does your LFS do water testing?

I suggest you get this tank sorted and cycled before setting up another. Having a cycled tank will make cycling the next somewhat easier. It will also give you some experience of biological filtration without which, your fish will just die.

 

[Clairel]

There are certainly many fish which are far to sensitive to pollution to use as cycling fish, I would certainly not have Bala's or CL's in a cycling tank. Mollies and Danios are pretty tough, I don't know about angels, I don't keep cichlids.

Cycling products, hmmm, I have never used one. Some swear they work, others are adamant they do nothing.

Whether or not they are working, you can't baulk the chemistry.

Ammonia -> Nitrite -> Nitrate.

Now if you use special techniques involving anærobic reactors or sulphur de-nitrators, you can go from Nitrate -> Nitrogen. I doubt you have such gear, which is expensive and very unusual.

So where is the Nitrogen going? It is, in fact, unusual for water from the tap to have zero NO3 in it.

How often are you changing water, and how much are you changing? Do you have live plants, if so how many? What sort of filter is it? Does your LFS do water testing?

I suggest you get this tank sorted and cycled before setting up another. Having a cycled tank will make cycling the next somewhat easier. It will also give you some experience of biological filtration without which, your fish will just die.

[snapback]900825[/snapback]​

HI

Yes my LFS does test my water, i NEVER buy fish without taking a water sample along..

I have 2 live plants, not sure of there name, but also bought from LFS

Er...im not sure what filter it is, i threw the box away, It cost £20, and they advised me i needed this one at the LFS.

I change 25% of water each week..

I tested my tap water for Nitrates and yes it was 0

The Prime(red) that i have been putting in says this :~

Removes chorine, chloramine, and ammonia into a safe non toxic form that is readily removed by the tanks biofilter, it may be used during tank cycling to allviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity, it detoxifies nitrite and nitrate allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them, it also promotes the production and regeneration of the natural slime coat, is non acidic and will NOT impact PH, use at start up, and whenever adding or replacing water.

Does this answer where the Nitrate is going? Hope so.. As im not sure

Claire x

 

[andywg]

That product is going to be no good for the cycling. When those products lock up the ammonia they do it in such a way that bacteria cannot break it down. The only cycling product that works is Bio Spira which comes refrigerated and contains the actual bacteria you are looking for, the other products - such as cycle - are a placebo.

I would also question your nitrate test because I don't think I've read of anyone else on here having a 0 nitrate tap water (without RO) though I may stand to be corrected on that. It could be that the test is not working properly. Which type is it? does it involve strips of paper or tubes of water?

Andy

 

[Clairel]

Ive just tested my tap water again using my NitrAte test, and it still reads 0 (yellow) It is a Liquid Test Tube kit, i have a Master Kit (test tubes) but it didnt come with a NitrAte test, so i bought this one individually...

So i dont need to put the Prime in anymore , you suggest??

Claire x

 

[dwarfgourami]

I suspect there is something in that Prime stuff which mucks up your readings, rather than taking the nitrates away (which should be impossible). I have heard of such products having adverse effects on test kits, though I can't claim to understand how it works.
The problem is that you need at the same time to keep your fish safe and encourage ammonia- and nitrite-eating bacteria, and I don't see how a product that locks ammonia is going to do that. I think the esssential thing is keep up with the water changes.

Ive just tested my tap water again using my NitrAte test, and it still reads 0 (yellow) It is a Liquid Test Tube kit, i have a Master Kit (test tubes) but it didnt come with a NitrAte test, so i bought this one individually...

So i dont need to put the Prime in anymore , you suggest??

Claire x

[snapback]901339[/snapback]​

 

[Clairel]

Thanx..

I have been to my LFS today, and as from yesterday i have stopped with the Prime , i didnt fully understand that stuff anyhow, i have done another partial water change today 10% my ammonia was 0 as was my nitrAte, but i had a little nitirite in there, everything is okidoki at the moment...but i will keep checking it everyday, and doing water changes if i have to..

Thanx for the help

C x

 

[Lateral Line]

Yes, keep a very close eye on your parameters and be ready to do water changes as often as necessary.