goodbye little oto : (

[lelover]

I just noticed my oto swimming funky last night. He kept rolling over and lying on his back. He was twitching all about. Within a couple of hours he was a goner. His belly was kind of red, but I didn't notice anything else. I've read some threads where similar things have happened to other's otos. I just got a nitrate test kit and found that my levels were dangerously high-probably 200! I have done 25% water changes 3 days in a row. I think the nitrates got so high from my pond tablets, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm trying to remedy the problem asap so I don't lose anyone else. I'm particularly worried about my rams. They seem pretty good so far. Does anyone have any suggestions? Was it my nitrates or a parasite or bacteria?

 

[ger87410]

What is you nitrite/ammonis levels?

 

[The-Wolf]

ottos are notorious for unexplained deaths
sorry to hear of your loss

 

[lelover]

The tank is about 5 weeks old. I fishless cycled for 3 weeks. Ammonia and nitrites have been zero ever since.

 

[ger87410]

Hmm.. Nitrates, hardness and ph?

 

[lelover]

ph is 7.0.
hardness is about 4 GH
Nitrates were super high, but not for very long. They are at 40 now.

 

[ger87410]

Nitrates at a high enough level is toxic to fish. If the nitrates are mid-range or higher your causing stress on your fish. This is why she died maybe?

 

[lelover]

I'll just have to go on this. I'm taking drastic measures to reduce them. I'll hope for the best! Thanks.

 

[GP]

Did you do frequent water changes?

 

[lelover]

I do water changes of 25% per week.

After doing 30% changes four days in a row, my nitrates got down to 20, but two days later they were back up to 40. I think I overfertilized with pond tabs and it's leaking into the water. I have tons of live plants, but they're just now using up the nitrates as fast as they're being produced. I lost another oto this weekend. He looked a little beat up when I found him. (small sore, redness, missing some skin on his belly.) Is there anything besides water changes that I should be doing? Everyone appears to be healthy right now.

 

[ger87410]

Maybe try feeding less so they make less poo and thus U have less ammonia that becomes nitrites and eventually nitrates. Is this a pond?

 

[lelover]

It's not a pond, just a 37G planted tank. I've read in numerous places that pond tabs are good for planted tanks. Maybe I got a bad brand or just didn't plant them deep enough? The bioload isn't that big. I'm only feeding 1-2 times a day and just enough for 1-2 minutes of eating.

 

[bigfish]

If i was you i would skip the pond tablet and get a liquid fertiliser ideal for the aquarium. I also learnt that if nitrate rises to a high amount then it gets converted back into Nitrite which is deadly. Ottos don't like Nitrite but it's good to see that you've reduced your Nitrate level by doing water changes.

Good luck and hope i've helped in some way.

 

[fishrock]

ottos are delicate fish.the nitrates probably killed it.they dont like changes in the levels at all. they like a mature tank.sorry for your loss.i lost a otto too to bad levels.

 

[ger87410]

Bigfish, I would love to know where you got that tidbit of information about nitrates being converted back into nitrites. Doesn't sound scientifically feasable. I think we would need a whole new type of bacteria.