waterwatereverywhere
Fish Crazy
Well my tank was cycled by the end of last week, and as you might have read on other threads, I added some cardinals and otos on Saturday. I was working away for the first few days this week, and when I rang home each time I was told that the numbers of cardinals appeared to be getting less every day. 
Got home last night and sure enough, there were missing fish. But, I thought, I cycled it! Then I found the reason...
I used to keep marines in this tank; it's never held FW. It's got a sump, and the water flows through little slits in the top over a weir, onto a pre-filter sitting on top of a perforated plastic shelf, then down the corner into the sump. Those little slits were too small for any fish I've had in the tank before to get through - but not for little tetras, and I found the missing fish washed up on top of the pre-filter. I can't believe I didn't think about that!
I tested the water anyway and it was fine; ammonia/nitrite/nitrate all at zero. Realised I needed to stick some sort of fine net or something over the gaps, but I didn't have any sealant to stick it down with, so I'm going to get some this lunchtime. In the meantime I managed to wedge some filter floss over it last night, and thankfully this morning none of the others had got through. But it's too late for those I lost 
and I feel so BAD!
The other fish did try to cheer me up last night, though. My remaining four cardinals, and my three otos all look really happy and were playing together in the current. I never knew otos were such CUTE fish
- I know they have a reputation for not lasting long but they seem to have settled in so I've got everything crossed for them! I had a good look in the shop before bringing them home, but somehow I missed the fact that one of them is missing an eye. However it doesn't seem to bother him and he's as busy as the rest. He and one of the other otos spend a lot of time together, playing around; I think I need to get another to keep the other one company!
Got home last night and sure enough, there were missing fish. But, I thought, I cycled it! Then I found the reason...I used to keep marines in this tank; it's never held FW. It's got a sump, and the water flows through little slits in the top over a weir, onto a pre-filter sitting on top of a perforated plastic shelf, then down the corner into the sump. Those little slits were too small for any fish I've had in the tank before to get through - but not for little tetras, and I found the missing fish washed up on top of the pre-filter. I can't believe I didn't think about that!
I tested the water anyway and it was fine; ammonia/nitrite/nitrate all at zero. Realised I needed to stick some sort of fine net or something over the gaps, but I didn't have any sealant to stick it down with, so I'm going to get some this lunchtime. In the meantime I managed to wedge some filter floss over it last night, and thankfully this morning none of the others had got through. But it's too late for those I lost and I feel so BAD!The other fish did try to cheer me up last night, though. My remaining four cardinals, and my three otos all look really happy and were playing together in the current. I never knew otos were such CUTE fish
- I know they have a reputation for not lasting long but they seem to have settled in so I've got everything crossed for them! I had a good look in the shop before bringing them home, but somehow I missed the fact that one of them is missing an eye. However it doesn't seem to bother him and he's as busy as the rest. He and one of the other otos spend a lot of time together, playing around; I think I need to get another to keep the other one company!
.....we felt terrible so really understand how you feel. as they say you live & learn - especially by your mistakes.
Hope they stay that way! - I'll probably get a few more in the next week or two to replace those that I lost.
