Corydoras wont stop dying

[bianca_m35]

@bianca_m35 Hi again, sorry I didn't return to the thread earlier after advising the water change, had an emergency of my own. I'm very concerned after reading through the thread though... I don't mean this to sound bad or judgemental in any way, but you don't seem to be quite grasping how serious the problem in your tank is. Your fish were suffering from chemical burns, and while the water change helped, there's still a lot to do to save the remaining fish you have! Let alone adding more. They're not in the clear and safe after one or two water changes.

What I suspected was happening in the beginning of the thread was ammonia spikes, from cleaning the filter in chlorinated tapwater, crashing your cycle in a tank with incompatible and stressed out fish. You said yourself that you have been cleaning the filter in hot water, and replacing cartridges every month. Every time you do either of those things, you're killing off the good bacteria that process the fish waste, and cause rising ammonia levels. These might not have risen high enough for you to see them on tests - especially if you're not testing regularly, but were still enough to kill the fish and weaken the survivors.

I didn't suspect you weren't using water conditioner... glad others caught that! Each time you did a W/C without a declorinator, to put it into simple terms for chemistry dunces like me - you basically flooded the tank with weak bleach. The cories were reacting to the burning of their gills (as @Byron said) and the other fish would have felt that too, even if they didn't show it so clearly. At the same time, the chlorinated water was also killing off the beneficial nitrifying bacteria, causing even more problems.

The chloromines are added to tapwater to kill bacteria and make it safe for us to drink. It also kills the beneficial bacteria that we cultivate in our tanks, the good bacteria that process ammonia and nitrites, keeping the fish safe. Along with killing or throwing away the bacterial colonies in the filter when you cleaned it in tapwater or threw away cartridges. It's an even more serious problem than I suspected

ETA: I hasten to add that I'm not blaming or judging you at all! I found all this stuff really hard to grasp as a beginner, and there's still a lot I find confusing and don't quite get yet. There's also a ton of misinformation in this hobby, given by stores, online, and by well-meaning but misinformed hobbyists. So it's easy for people to make these mistakes, we see these problems a lot here because it's so easy to do! So no judgement here, I promise. Would just like to help fix it now

Are you still around? I know the thread has become very long and complicated, but I would really like to help you resolve these issues and save your fish! Once the tank is stable again, we can talk stocking and what potential other fish you could add, and when Please let me know if you're still reading, so I know whether to type more on the subject, lol

So I think you are right about the ammonia spikes as well. I just caught one and the biggest one I've ever seen in my tank. 2.0 for ammonia, 0 for nitrite and 15 for nitrate.

I'm not restocking the tank but I definitely know now it's ammonia spikes and chlorinated.

So what should I do now? I was actually just about to go get the water conditioner and air pump as I haven't been able to. Another big water change?

 

[Essjay]

If you are about to go shopping, do that and buy a water conditioner which also detoxifies ammonia, then do the water change using the water conditioner as soon as you get back.

Monitor the ammonia level over the enxt few days and do another water chnage, using the water conditioner for the new water, whenever there is a reading above zero.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

So I think you are right about the ammonia spikes as well. I just caught one and the biggest one I've ever seen in my tank. 2.0 for ammonia, 0 for nitrite and 15 for nitrate.

I'm not restocking the tank but I definitely know now it's ammonia spikes and chlorinated.

So what should I do now? I was actually just about to go get the water conditioner and air pump as I haven't been able to. Another big water change?

You will be able to restock the tank later! But for now, lets focus on getting these fish and this tank sorted and stable

As for now;

You said you had ammonia and nitrite detoxifier products? Don't do a water change. That will only lead to chlorine burns instead of ammonia poisoning. Dose the entire volume of the tank with the ammonia and detoxifier products. That should buy you 24 hours or so to get a proper water conditioner.

You really need to get that water conditioner ASAP. Today. As soon as possible, or the fish are going to die. O

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Once you have the declorinator and airstone (and I would recommend buying some fast growing stem and floating plants if they have any!) as many fast growing live plants as you can manage. The plants you have right now aren't thriving, so aren't helping much with sucking up ammonia. More fast growing stem plants could really help make your tank safe again.

Once you have the water conditioner, I would do one or even two large water changes back to back, making sure to dose the right amount of water conditioner for the volume of water you're adding, and temperature matching the new water to the tank temp. Use a thermometer to make sure it's the same temp.

Change 75% of the total water volume. Test ammonia and nitrite again. If either are not at zero, do another large water change. Ammonia and nitrites need to be at zero to keep the fish safe, and fresh water must have water conditioner added and temp matched to the tank temperature.

 

[bianca_m35]

You will be able to restock the tank later! But for now, lets focus on getting these fish and this tank sorted and stable

As for now;

You said you had ammonia and nitrite detoxifier products? Don't do a water change. That will only lead to chlorine burns instead of ammonia poisoning. Dose the entire volume of the tank with the ammonia and detoxifier products. That should buy you 24 hours or so to get a proper water conditioner.

You really need to get that water conditioner ASAP. Today. As soon as possible, or the fish are going to die. O

Im at the store right now getting the water conditioner!

 

[bianca_m35]

Im at the store right now getting the water conditioner!

Okay sorry for a of the questions I just really appreciate the help.

I got api stress coat+ for chlorine and chloramine as well as the api ammonia and nitrite.

And an air pump, tube + air stone

So 70% water change? And do I dose the whole tank with the water conditioner and ammonia conditioner? Like 20 gallon is 20 ml or 70 gal is 70 ml

 

[Essjay]

API Stress Coat splits chloramine and removes chlorine. it also contains aloe vera which isn't good long term. When you finish the bottle, can I suggest you get a different one. It's OK short term while you have the bottle.

What is the API ammonia and nitrite product? As far as I'm aware they only make something to detoxify ammonia but not nitrite.

 

[bianca_m35]

API Stress Coat splits chloramine and removes chlorine. it also contains aloe vera which isn't good long term. When you finish the bottle, can I suggest you get a different one. It's OK short term while you have the bottle.

What is the API ammonia and nitrite product? As far as I'm aware they only make something to detoxify ammonia but not nitrite.

Sorry I thought it was okay. I couldn't find prime in the store until after I bought it. But yeah it limits ammonia and nitrite and it's worked in the past for helping during water changes and getting g rid of thr ammonia

 

[bianca_m35]

Sorry I thought it was okay. I couldn't find prime in the store until after I bought it. But yeah it limits ammonia and nitrite and it's worked in the past for helping during water changes and getting g rid of thr ammonia

API Stress Coat splits chloramine and removes chlorine. it also contains aloe vera which isn't good long term. When you finish the bottle, can I suggest you get a different one. It's OK short term while you have the bottle.

What is the API ammonia and nitrite product? As far as I'm aware they only make something to detoxify ammonia but not nitrite.

After I finish the bottle I will go back and get prime!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Okay sorry for a of the questions I just really appreciate the help.

I got api stress coat+ for chlorine and chloramine as well as the api ammonia and nitrite.

And an air pump, tube + air stone

So 70% water change? And do I dose the whole tank with the water conditioner and ammonia conditioner? Like 20 gallon is 20 ml or 70 gal is 70 ml

Don't be sorry for asking questions! Ask as many as you need, that's what we're here for we'd much rather help you with question so that you and we know that we've taken the right steps

Listen to Essjay's advice regarding products! The API Stress Coat is fine for what you need right now, it'll make your tapwater safe to use in the tank when dosed properly. But in the longer term, it's better to use a higher quality product once you've used this stuff. Essjay can explain which products are better quality and why, and which ones to avoid!

Remember that the best thing for the fish and for removing ammonia/nitrite/nitrAtes is fresh, clean declorinated water and large frequent water changes. While a water conditioner is essential to make your tap water safe, we also don't want to add too many other products and chemicals to our tanks. Only the essentials.

 

[Essjay]

Quick Start is bottled bacteria not a product which detoxifies ammonia or nitrite. But water changes will help to remove those.


The Stress Coat is perfect for now; removing chlorine is the really important thing so any product that does this is good.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

@Essjay since OP has high readings of ammonia now would you suggest a large water change ASAP, but would you add enough stress coat just to treat the amount of water being added, or the amount needed to treat the whole tank on this occasion? Then dosing only the amount the needed to treat the new, replacement water from that point on?

 

[Byron]

After I finish the bottle I will go back and get prime!

I would not use Prime unless it is necessary, which means you have ammonia, nitrite or nitrate in the source (tap) water. But if you don't, there are safer conditioners to use. @Essjay like me uses API Tap Water Conditioner. This is the most concentrated conditioner and one of if not the safest; it handles chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals. There is no need to use a conditioner that goes beyond what you have in the water, all else being equal, i.e., when everything is ship-shape. The fewer additives in the water, the better for fish, always, and this applies to conditioners; don't use more than needed, and with one like the API TWC you use so little it is better on that score as well.

Water is continually entering fish via osmosis through every cell. Substances in the water that are able to diffuse across the cell membrane also get in, into the bloodstream, internal organs. This is never "good," so the less the better. Contrary to what Seachem or API may tell you, overdosing conditioners is not safe long-term.

The StressCoat, I agree with Essjay, use it up, but only as much as needed, and don't buy more.

Other posts have appeared as I've been typing, but I will leave those issues as the one here is what I wanted to get across.

 

[Essjay]

I would use the amount for the whole tank at the first water change which will remove the chlorine in the new water and also treat the chloramine already in the tank.
After that, if you use buckets to refill the tank, add the Stress Coat to each bucketful of water at the dose rate for that bucket (eg bucket holds 3 gallons so use enough to treat 3 gallons water in each bucketful). But if you refill with a hose, add enough Stress Coast for the volume of the whole tank, and add it before you start to refill.

 

[Essjay]

Try testing some dechlorinated water for ammonia. If it reads above zero, Prime might the best option once the Stress Coat is finished.


I'm lucky, my water company uses chlorine not chloramine so I don't need a water conditioner which detoxifies ammonia.