Hayleys New Cycle Log Pt 2

[eaglesaquarium]

hehe its my fourth year now, and i now have MTS. i like watching the small fishes the size of my thumb, grow into the size of my palm, so i have a smaller tank for the small ones, otherwise they wud be bait for my 3 year old ones,if kept with them in the larger tank.

Yeah, it depends on what you are keeping. Personally my biggest fish is barely 2 inches, so I don't have nearly the concern of that. I did have some of my cories breed, but the eggs were gobbled up pretty quick. Not that I really minded that, my wife isn't on board with MTS just yet. (That's why I got such a big tank in the first place! I knew it would only be one tank for quite some time! She has come to really appreciate them, but still doesn't want the entire house full of them. I have the one big one in the dining room and I think it really adds to the ambiance in there. It came with a nice enclosed stand that houses all of my supplies, so it's just one piece of furniture without anything spilling over to anywhere else. I really do need to update my sig picture though, my tank doesn't look much like that anymore.)

 

[orandas]

hehe its my fourth year now, and i now have MTS. i like watching the small fishes the size of my thumb, grow into the size of my palm, so i have a smaller tank for the small ones, otherwise they wud be bait for my 3 year old ones,if kept with them in the larger tank.

Yeah, it depends on what you are keeping. Personally my biggest fish is barely 2 inches, so I don't have nearly the concern of that. I did have some of my cories breed, but the eggs were gobbled up pretty quick. Not that I really minded that, my wife isn't on board with MTS just yet. (That's why I got such a big tank in the first place! I knew it would only be one tank for quite some time! She has come to really appreciate them, but still doesn't want the entire house full of them. I have the one big one in the dining room and I think it really adds to the ambiance in there. It came with a nice enclosed stand that houses all of my supplies, so it's just one piece of furniture without anything spilling over to anywhere else. I really do need to update my sig picture though, my tank doesn't look much like that anymore.)

Guess its easier when both parties have MTS
My OH started it, i wasn't sure,and within weeks, i got on board, have over taken him, and now every now and then he reigns me in......cos i get carried away......even on hols i'm always checking out aquariums.

 

[HayzH]

well i dont do things by halves or thirds in this case...
dosing 1 tank is the same as dosing 3 IMO. Just use more Ammonia and test solutions.

Tank 1 today was still clear 0-0-5-7.2
Tank 2 was 0-0.50-90-8.0
Tank 3 was 0-0.10-100-8.0

so an improvements of sorts.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Those are great improvements. Your N-bacs are coming along nicely. I would suggest you push up your dose on tank 3 a bit, but hold steady on Tank 2. Tank 1 is looking very nice. Give it a few more days to settle in, and then you could steal a little (small pinches) to put into the other tanks. When taking media from an existing filter, you never want to remove more than 1/3 of the total, and you always want to replace what you take out to allow for the bacteria to colonize the new material.

 

[HayzH]

NOW my Betta looks on his last legs

 

[HayzH]

Jackson is still with us..but has another hole in his fin. updated Log.

 

[orandas]

Jackson is still with us..but has another hole in his fin. updated Log.

Poor jackson. Do you have a pic? or describe which fin, and its location on the fin. I'm pretty sure its to do with the fish-in cycling. whether its the ammonia or the stress causing a lowered immune, and the bacteria in the water now taking advantage of the fishes weakened state.

It needs an intervention, it will only get worse, and then the inevitable. Are you squeamish -touching the fish?

My oranda named 'Fin'(so called due his long flowing tail) had a hole, during my forced fish-in cycle, but i manage to sort it(u need to dry,clean,disinfect that area,then sort out the water condition).Fin's hole healed,sealed over, and he's a happy chappy and survived the cycle.I have b4 & after pics.He always comes to my hand now.

I'm not familiar with ure fish type so abit unsure to assist u.

If you feel safer you could post it on the emergency section, maybe someone else cud assist.

Really wished u had held out and hadn't done a fish-in cycle, but free choice and all that.

 

[HayzH]

this is his second hole.. the first was in his tail fin...this one is in his top fin (dorsel?) sorry rubbish with anatomy.
The first healed over fine with no meds. so hoping this one will too.

The water has been fine since i put them in. and i test twice a day. i have 12 fish in the tank now which is or virtually fully stocked, so i take it, it's now a cycled tank. It had been cycling for 55 days after all.

i will try to get a picture..but he's not playing ball atm. It's a circular hole.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The key to fish having trouble is to do the right thing. Doing the wrong thing can be worse than nothing at all. Fish are actually much tougher than we give them credit for, on the whole. Meaning: if you continually give the fish clean water to swim in, they can heal on their own with no other intervention on your part.


In other words... water changes. Lots of them and large ones. The more clean water the fish has to swim in the better able to cope with the problem. (This isn't the case in all situations, but in a situation where fins need to heal, that seems to be the safest route for all the fish. Medications can sometimes do as much harm as good. Some fish are very sensitive to them. And sometimes we use the wrong medications for a certain problem.) I would confirm the problem from someone with more experience with bettas (try that section, I'm sure you will get some very good advice).


Other questions to be prepared to answer:
Is this fish being picked on by the platies? (I know bettas are supposed to be these tough fish, but they really aren't. In fact, many faster swimming fish will nip at their long fins, and there really isn't much the betta can do about it. They just aren't very good swimmers.)

How is your flow rate in that tank? (Bettas prefer slow moving water, not fast moving water. You might need to redirect the output of your filter to cut down on the current in the tank.)

Are there any sharp edges the fish could snag a fin on in the tank?



ANOTHER THOUGHT JUST OCCURED TO ME:
Another option would be to completely change out the water in tank 3, and place the betta in that tank all alone. Tank 3 would be cycled sufficiently for one fish, and you wouldn't have to worry about him getting picked on. You also wouldn't have to worry about medicating all the other fish just because of the trouble with the betta. Having a hospital/quarantine tank is a great option to have. Fortunately, you do have an empty tank with a functioning filter that you could put him into. If I were going to be doing this, the best thing to do for him would be to isolate him.

Empty tank 3 completely. Pour a few gallons of water from Tank 1 into Tank 3. Then move the betta over. Slowly refill with temp matched dechlorinated water. Keep the flow rate of the filter low so that the betta doesn't have to struggle swimming. Feed only as much as necessary. (Speaking of feeding, what are you feeding the betta?)

 

[orandas]

when i say 'disinfect', i don't mean meds.

i never use meds on my fishes, nor do i use antibiotics on humans.

i meant a natural disinfectent; salt solution dabs, garlic solution dabs - nature's natural anti-bacteria etc

ok so long as ure covered. And eagles helping u out.....thats good enough for me

i didn't want to read and run, if u were in a bind.

pics are always good if u ave 'em. Afterall a picture paints a thousand words.

 

[HayzH]

The key to fish having trouble is to do the right thing. Doing the wrong thing can be worse than nothing at all. Fish are actually much tougher than we give them credit for, on the whole. Meaning: if you continually give the fish clean water to swim in, they can heal on their own with no other intervention on your part.


In other words... water changes. Lots of them and large ones. The more clean water the fish has to swim in the better able to cope with the problem. (This isn't the case in all situations, but in a situation where fins need to heal, that seems to be the safest route for all the fish. Medications can sometimes do as much harm as good. Some fish are very sensitive to them. And sometimes we use the wrong medications for a certain problem.) I would confirm the problem from someone with more experience with bettas (try that section, I'm sure you will get some very good advice).


Other questions to be prepared to answer:
Is this fish being picked on by the platies? (I know bettas are supposed to be these tough fish, but they really aren't. In fact, many faster swimming fish will nip at their long fins, and there really isn't much the betta can do about it. They just aren't very good swimmers.)

How is your flow rate in that tank? (Bettas prefer slow moving water, not fast moving water. You might need to redirect the output of your filter to cut down on the current in the tank.)

Are there any sharp edges the fish could snag a fin on in the tank?



ANOTHER THOUGHT JUST OCCURED TO ME:
Another option would be to completely change out the water in tank 3, and place the betta in that tank all alone. Tank 3 would be cycled sufficiently for one fish, and you wouldn't have to worry about him getting picked on. You also wouldn't have to worry about medicating all the other fish just because of the trouble with the betta. Having a hospital/quarantine tank is a great option to have. Fortunately, you do have an empty tank with a functioning filter that you could put him into. If I were going to be doing this, the best thing to do for him would be to isolate him.

Empty tank 3 completely. Pour a few gallons of water from Tank 1 into Tank 3. Then move the betta over. Slowly refill with temp matched dechlorinated water. Keep the flow rate of the filter low so that the betta doesn't have to struggle swimming. Feed only as much as necessary. (Speaking of feeding, what are you feeding the betta?)

hi Eagle.
Thank you for your response.
I have posted in the Betta section and i didnt really get an answer...just a discussion on who thinks its safe and who doesnt.
I havent seen the others pick on him. They stay well clear.
I have the top bubble spout on the U2 filter going down the length of the tank and i was advised to put on the airstone too.
no sharp edges. only plastic plants..BUT..that would tear it surely not make a hole. in a circular shape???

Tank 3 IS my hospital tank...i was wondering if i could use that one now.? It has gravel and a fluval 2+ with a bubble spout. (spout is blue)
will he be ok in 60L all by himself? Could i put something in with him? Wont the Bacteria die off with only 1 Betta?

As for food..well its whatever i put in the tank ...and what the Platies leave..as they are pigs.
Flake (crushed small) King british Mini Pellets, bloodworm, and i did one day of brine shrimp.

whats best for him??? if he's on his own i can give him what he likes. then i can see if does eat..I have only seen him eating the flake and bloodworm, the pellet os begger than his mouth..hope one didnt get stuck

BTW .. the treatment (melafix) i am adding is for the Platies, 2 show signs of Columaris.

 

[orandas]

Fin's was a circular hole aswell, and not a tear.

I used melafix aswell, but thats for healing afterwards.

(i also have pimafix on standby aswell, those 2 are the ones i use, cos they don't affect the bacteria in the filter, and are natural treatments)

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, you will have some bacteria die back. But, if that is going to be a quarantine/hospital tank, you don't need to have it cycled for a full stocking. Just enough for the fish that will be calling it home for a brief period of time. In theory, you would want it to be empty the vast majority of the time. So, you'd have to be ticking it over with ammonia additions on a regular basis (daily?) to keep it cycled, or have to have a second filter running on one of your other tanks that you could move over to run the 3rd tank as needed.


Hospital and quarantine tanks are usually set-up as needed and seeded with filter material from one of the main tanks. If you are using ceramics in your main tank as part of the filter media (a good idea if you have a quarantine tank), you can just pull some ceramics from that filter and move it into your hospital tank and have a cycled filter ready for a fish or two in a matter of minutes. Using other media types can be a bit more precarious and would require a bit more planning.


I'd suggest pulling him out of the main tank and putting him in Tank 3. It doesn't sound like he needs the meds he is exposed to right now, and most probably would benefit from having a more particular diet to his needs and his pace of life.


Be patient with the folks at the betta section. They can help with a myriad of issues. Primarily this circular hole and the diet questions you have.

 

[HayzH]

he is now in his new home..(AKA Tank 3)... When i netted him out the tank his head was grey and the tips of his tail fins were turning red.
I havent seen him gasp all day today...(but havent been watching 24/7)
I dosed his Tank with 4ml of Myxazin for his fin.
He straight away coloured back up ...and started to explore his tank.
He started to look for food, but i seen him eat bloodworm this morning, so havent fed him.
Right now, he's looking better, the red tips of his fins have gone back to blue.
I just tested the water and it has 0-0. should i get a plec or something?
if i can i will just leave Jackson in Tank 3, will that be enough to tide over the ammonia?

 

[HayzH]

Updated