Desperately need advice - sorry very long

[rdd1952]

Yeah, plecos can't handle the salt.

There's a pinned topic in the catfish forum...

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=7380

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You dug deep to find that one. It's over 2 years old.

 

[Discomafia]

It's a pinned topic. I look at it everytime I go to the catfish forum, no digging required.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=14

Third article...

 

[rdd1952]

OK. I almost never go to that section although I have corys in both tanks. You should have taken credit. I was impressed.

 

[annka5]

Am totally stumped... could it be a combination of everything? So, not the salt alone, not the cycle alone, not the slightly-too-small group sizes, not that it is a relatively new tank alone... but the conbination of all those factors?
If you're black skirt tetra's don't make it, I would strip down the entire tank, disinfect everything, and start over.

 

[Deb]

Just wanted to say thanks again for all the advice....I've been offline for the weekend as I just didn't have time to hit the computer. Here I am at work first think in the morning checking for further replys.......so here's some more answers to the questions and a bit of an update.

In response to Sylvia's questions - and thanks for all the comments and suggestions
.......The blackskirt was quite bloated and pretty much staying hidden under the plants. By the time I got home on Friday she/he had passed. The other two still look really healthy and happy as do the two remaining dwarf rainbow tetras. I change the carbon every month and rinse the foam in the tank water. I'll try removing the carbon - I honestly thought I needed to have carbon in the filter and just needed to change it on a regular basis. I did change the water over the weekend and only used decholorinator - everyone whose left look pretty happy. Unfortunately my filter kicked the bucket last night so I'll have to go at lunch time and replace it. I will use the current filter material so as hopefully not to re-cycle the tank. You had mentioned about testing the water myself which I do about twice a week. When I was having trouble I just wanted to double check my readings with the LFS. I like your suggesting of adding 3 more blackskirts. I was going to do this the last time but the LFS has always kept suggesting other fish so have gone with their suggestions instead. I really like the skirts and would be just as happy to have it as a skirt only tank. Once it's settled I think that will be what it becomes. I have always made sure to do my research before making any decisions about what to add but when always end up making decisions based on the LFS advice - guess it's time I should start trusting my own research and judgement

In response to Colen........I use an Aquaclear filter on that tank and change the charcoal and clean the foam in the tank water once a month. I don't know about sending the tank into a mini-cycle - since I was continuing to use Cycle and adding salt based on the advice of several different LFS, I'm not sure what I was doing to the tank This weekends change I only used decholorinator so we'll see how things go.

I'll give it a few weeks to see if things settle down. If not, I'll be doing a tear down and re-setup. I'll keep as much of the current tank water and all the filter media so hopefully there won't be much of a re-cycle. My fear is that I've got some type of disease in the tank that I'll only get rid of by doing a really good cleaning of the tank, gravel and decorations. I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone whose had to do this. When time comes I'll likely repost the question.

Thanks again for everyone's input. I'll let you know how things go over the next couple of weeks. I'm going to be gone for the last two weeks of October so I'm really hoping to have things stablized somewhat before I go.

Deb

 

[Deb]

Am totally stumped... could it be a combination of everything? So, not the salt alone, not the cycle alone, not the slightly-too-small group sizes, not that it is a relatively new tank alone... but the conbination of all those factors?
If you're black skirt tetra's don't make it, I would strip down the entire tank, disinfect everything, and start over.

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You're thinking along the same lines that I am now. I'm beginning to think that it's just a combination of everything that's leading to the problem. The other two blackskirts look good so we'll see how things go over the next couple of weeks. If things are good, I'll add a few more (3 or 4) skirts and then let it go at that. If not, it'll be a stripdown and start over.