Fry Emergency

[Tracyhf1]

Hi, we have Rainbow cichlid fry in a 35l tank.
Very slight level of ammonia, barely reading. Nitrites clear.
Fine and lively until last night. gave them some brine shrimp and put a new rubbery ornament in the tank. Now several dead fry, several near to death and a few that look weak. No idea what has done this. I am gutted, is there anything i can do apart from what I have done which is move them to another tank with absolutely zero ammonia, turn up the air pump a bit and wait?

 

[MHunt]

Even tiny amounts of ammonia can kill fry. When they are tiny you should be doing partial daily water changes to make sure the water is of the best possible quality. I would take the rubber ornament out too, it may be ok, but even the smallest amount of something odd in the water can affect fry.

 

[modaz]

you need to do a largish water change to reduce the ammonia but not to much to affect the fish with the change of chemistry but hey its better than what they are in ATM, the ornament should be taken out as might have come with something on it that wasnt good for your fish , i would treat it with antibacterial or boil it to kill off anything that might be there. but if you dont get a rise in nitrates soon after then consider your bacteria to have died so you will have to re cycle your tank so you need to keep a close eye on the stats

 

[Tracyhf1]

I have put them in another tank, that was the first thing i did. I have got to the bottom of why the tiny bit of ammonia had such an instant and catostrophic effect... the ph has gone up to 8!!!!! It was 7 before, the ONLY thing that could have done this surely would be the bag of brine shrimp???

 

[-germ-]

Not necessarily...
How long has your tank been set up?
IMHO Modaz is right ( ) its a cycle of some sort with the sudden change in PH...
Did you rinse your brine shrimp?

 

[Tracyhf1]

Not necessarily...
How long has your tank been set up?
IMHO Modaz is right ( ) its a cycle of some sort with the sudden change in PH...
Did you rinse your brine shrimp?

The little tank was a new tank, but an established filter was put in.
No i didn't rinse the shrimp!!! I didn't know you were supposed to rinse them. Oh no....

 

[-germ-]

Adding the brine shrimp water adds salt plus a greater risk of contamination via water borne nasties...
Still think its a cycle though...
Edited to add; the water your brine shrimp is kept in could also have a build up of toxins, ammonia, nitrite etc. depending on how fresh the water they were kept in was, although i doubt this build up would make a significant impact on a well cycled tank.

 

[Tracyhf1]

Adding the brine shrimp water adds salt plus a greater risk of contamination via water borne nasties...
Still think its a cycle though...
Edited to add; the water your brine shrimp is kept in could also have a build up of toxins, ammonia, nitrite etc. depending on how fresh the water they were kept in was, although i doubt this build up would make a significant impact on a well cycled tank.

The thing is its only a 35l tank. The levels were fine before. I am obsessive about testing.

 

[vinylman]

Always wash bagged foods you get in a net under the tap. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Tracyhf1]

Thank you, I will do from now on. What a horrible way to learn a lesson. You think they would write it on the bag!