Help! Mysterious Disease Killing My Fish!

[Gootz]

You say you and the LFS agree that it is not water quality, it very well may not be, but with out knowing the specific parameters of the water and other specifics such as filtration, injection, fertilization, etc. it is very difficult to assist. Just from the photos you have posted it looks like you have low hardness or macro nutrient deficiency as evidence of the discolored leaf. Plants tend to grow vigorously at first and then tapper off after 4- 6 weeks not die or decompose (releasing NH3). I did not see any new growth. This could be evidence of very unstable water parameters complicated by the lack of buffering capacity. This may not be evident in the simple pH, NH3, NO2 testing that most LFS conduct for free due to the time that the water has to degas before arriving for testing. Additionally, you get what you pay for. Free water quality testing is a perfect example of that but I maybe I am wrong and the employees at your LFS have studied water quality and organic chemistry in great detail. Test strips are notoriously unreliable. IMO for the species you are keeping a 6.5 pH with a swing of no more than 0.2 from day to night should be maintained and all other parameters (NH3 NO2) should be maintained at 0 ppm. The fish show classic signs of NO2 poisoning.

You are clearly knowledgeable, so why don't you tell me exactly what you need to know and I'll give you that information.  I appreciate any help I can get at this point.
 

I've read that Pimafix is at best benign and at worst deadly to anabantoids, because it can coat the labyrinth organ and cause all sorts of trouble. I've also read anecdotes about it melting their fins. I never use it because it's just tea tree oil, and as far as I can tell it's a general antiseptic and nothing more. I've not seen anything scientific but I stay away from the stuff.
 
Test strips are also generally inaccurate and a liquid test kit is something you'll want to invest in.
 
Since cardinals are schooling you really want a group of 6 or more. So even under the best circumstances the stress of being in such a small group can cause illness and death.
 
Unfortunately, I think the fish were sick when you got them. That coupled with the small school was a problem. I say this because I've seen a very similar type of infection in bettas that spreads so rapidly that a fish can go from having a spot and overnight half his body will be covered. It honestly looks like dead tissue. grey and tattered. Here are some photos of when I've seen it. I don't know what it is exactly but It's not very nice, I can tell you that much. I'm not sure if it's the same as what your boy has, though.
 
 
(this poor guy also had a saprolegnia infection, secondary to whatever made that sore on his head. He did not survive.)
 
 
Since we don't know if it's bacterial or fungal it'll be best to treat with a medication that treats both, like Furan-2 http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4827
 
A 6 gallon is absolutely too small for cardinals anyway, they require a lot of horizontal swimming space and do better in large schools.
 
What are the exact results of your water test? Sometimes pet store employees will think an ammonia reading of 1.0 is perfectly safe.
 
I'm sorry this happened to you. As someone else suggested, a quarantine tank is going to help prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future.

My betta just died.  I know it's just a fish, but I was really pulling for him and did everything I could (that I knew how) to help him make it.  I am really bummed out right now and at a loss of what to do with my tank at this point.  Here's a closeup of him right after he died:
 

 
The lighting is from my LED flashlight, so it has more of a blueish tint than it is, but it clearly looks like a fungus growing on him.  And I found something else rather odd while inspecting the tank tonight.  Little white pod-like sacs attached all over the glass of the tank.  Not sure if you can make them out in this pic below.  They're about 1 mm or so in diameter and they are attached all throughout the tank.  I noticed I have small little snails hatching every so often, so are they snail sacs with embrios inside?  I have an assassin snail, but he doesn't seem to be doing a damned thing.
 
It feels like it's one problem after the next and I'm almost thinking about tearing down the tank and starting all over.  But I've put so much effort, work and money into it that I don't want to just give up.  I could use a pep talk and some helpful advice right about now...

 

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Sorry to hear your fish didn't make it.

Those dots could be algae which are very common in both new tanks or high light tanks. I have an algae problem myself in one tank due to high light.

Assassin snails don't eat algae, they eat other snails as well as left over fish food.

If this was my tank, being that you don't know precisely what caused it... I'd give it a thorough cleaning and set it up again. Get an API liquid test kit and see where you stand as for cycling. Once you are certain your cycle is established or complete (do share with the board members for opinions), then go out and get maybe a new beta (or whatever fish you are interested in that are suitable for your tank). And leave a good period of time for that fish to get settled and be sure that one is disease free. Also get yourself a new quarantine tank for when you want to add further fish.

 

[the_lock_man]

You say you and the LFS agree that it is not water quality, it very well may not be, but with out knowing the specific parameters of the water and other specifics such as filtration, injection, fertilization, etc. it is very difficult to assist. Just from the photos you have posted it looks like you have low hardness or macro nutrient deficiency as evidence of the discolored leaf. Plants tend to grow vigorously at first and then tapper off after 4- 6 weeks not die or decompose (releasing NH3). I did not see any new growth. This could be evidence of very unstable water parameters complicated by the lack of buffering capacity. This may not be evident in the simple pH, NH3, NO2 testing that most LFS conduct for free due to the time that the water has to degas before arriving for testing. Additionally, you get what you pay for. Free water quality testing is a perfect example of that but I maybe I am wrong and the employees at your LFS have studied water quality and organic chemistry in great detail. Test strips are notoriously unreliable. IMO for the species you are keeping a 6.5 pH with a swing of no more than 0.2 from day to night should be maintained and all other parameters (NH3 NO2) should be maintained at 0 ppm. The fish show classic signs of NO2 poisoning.

You are clearly knowledgeable, so why don't you tell me exactly what you need to know and I'll give you that information.  I appreciate any help I can get at this point.
 

Really sorry to see that it's too late to save your betta, but the info he wants, is what I want, and is what everyone else has asked for. Ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank. Everything you have said, points to an immature filter that is not fully processing ammonia and nitrite. YOu said you "cycled" for a week before adding the betta and an oto. Before then, there was no ammonia in the tank from any source, so there's no way any bacteria can be forming.

 

[Gootz]

Sorry to hear your fish didn't make it.

Those dots could be algae which are very common in both new tanks or high light tanks. I have an algae problem myself in one tank due to high light.

Assassin snails don't eat algae, they eat other snails as well as left over fish food.

If this was my tank, being that you don't know precisely what caused it... I'd give it a thorough cleaning and set it up again. Get an API liquid test kit and see where you stand as for cycling. Once you are certain your cycle is established or complete (do share with the board members for opinions), then go out and get maybe a new beta (or whatever fish you are interested in that are suitable for your tank). And leave a good period of time for that fish to get settled and be sure that one is disease free. Also get yourself a new quarantine tank for when you want to add further fish.

Thanks.  Still pretty bummed out about it.  He was a cool little guy. 
 
It doesn't look like any algae I've ever seen.  It looks more like snail eggs.  I have these tiny little soft shelled snails that unfortunately made it through my initial cleaning of the driftwood in egg form.  They are hatching periodically and I'll see them hanging out on the glass (maybe 1-3 at a time).  Then they just disappear.  I got an assassin snail to help clear them out, but the snail doesn't seem to be doing anything.  I will snapp a pic of the small snails for reference next time I see one.
 
 
 

 


You say you and the LFS agree that it is not water quality, it very well may not be, but with out knowing the specific parameters of the water and other specifics such as filtration, injection, fertilization, etc. it is very difficult to assist. Just from the photos you have posted it looks like you have low hardness or macro nutrient deficiency as evidence of the discolored leaf. Plants tend to grow vigorously at first and then tapper off after 4- 6 weeks not die or decompose (releasing NH3). I did not see any new growth. This could be evidence of very unstable water parameters complicated by the lack of buffering capacity. This may not be evident in the simple pH, NH3, NO2 testing that most LFS conduct for free due to the time that the water has to degas before arriving for testing. Additionally, you get what you pay for. Free water quality testing is a perfect example of that but I maybe I am wrong and the employees at your LFS have studied water quality and organic chemistry in great detail. Test strips are notoriously unreliable. IMO for the species you are keeping a 6.5 pH with a swing of no more than 0.2 from day to night should be maintained and all other parameters (NH3 NO2) should be maintained at 0 ppm. The fish show classic signs of NO2 poisoning.

You are clearly knowledgeable, so why don't you tell me exactly what you need to know and I'll give you that information.  I appreciate any help I can get at this point.
 

 
 

Really sorry to see that it's too late to save your betta, but the info he wants, is what I want, and is what everyone else has asked for. Ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank. Everything you have said, points to an immature filter that is not fully processing ammonia and nitrite. YOu said you "cycled" for a week before adding the betta and an oto. Before then, there was no ammonia in the tank from any source, so there's no way any bacteria can be forming.
Thanks.  I'll give you the step by step on how I cycled it (to the best of my recollection):
 
-Setup tank and ran it for 1 week at 78* (plants, driftwood, substrate, filter, heater were all setup at this time)
-Tested water and all levels were within the "safe zone"
-Introduced betta week 2 - LFS told me introducing the betta in the water would help the cycling process and that they are hardy enough to survive in a newly setup tank (makes sense since they typically are shipped and housed in a tiny little container until bought)
-Started seeing a little bit of algae growth during week 2, so after researching it and realizing the light may be on too long (8-9 hours max for new tanks to reduce algae growth) I reduced the light-on time to 9 hours and introduced the oto
-Performed a 25% water change
-Week #3 - Tested water - levels ok
-Started seeing snails
-Noticed anubias leaf tips were turning brown - researched cause, picked up "Plant Grow" by Laguna (0.23 - 0 - 4.5) and dosed the tank
-Week #4 - Tested water - levels ok
-Performed another water change (25-30%)
-Brought water sample in to LFS for testing - levels ok so picked up 3 CTs
-First CT died next morning and the saga began - LMK if you want more deets

I just tested the water and here are the levels according to my test strip:
Nitrate (ppm - mg/L) = 20
Nitrite (ppm - mg/L) = between 0-0.5
Hardness (GH) = 150
Alkalinity (KH) = 180
PH = 7.2

 

[byork]

Man poor little guy. Heres the thing. Ammonia is increasingly toxic at higher pH. So the higher your pH the worse the cycle for your fish. Depending on where you live or the source of your water you could be starting with a particularly high pH due to temporary or carbonate hardness which luckily you can get rid of or control. Carbonate hardness is great if you want to buffer your water so you don't have a crash but some fish don't tolerate it well. Cardinal tetras are a prime example they seem to thrive in Black-water. Live plants also naturally fluctuate the pH of the water. During photosynthesis they consume carbon dioxide (amounts other things mostly fertilizers which are almost all corrosive/acidic), which in solution with water is carbonic acid. So as the plants consume the carbon the pH goes up. During the night plants consume oxygen which allows the water to regain its lost carbon dioxide in solution which causes the pH to drop. This can also cause oxygen depletion in tanks that are heavily planted and poorly circulated. Although from the photos I think your circulation is not the problem. Your carbonate hardness is pretty high, high enough to place your water in the hard category. Your no2 level indicates that your tank has not fully cycled. It is debated but IMO no2 is way worse than nh3. The fish that were chosen were not fish that tolerate high pH or carbonate hardness well but ultimately it was probably the no2. Your nitrates are in a fine range. Wouldn't continue the Laguna. The assassins will be fine just drop a flake or 2 in every day for the next two weeks. The spot on the glass are probably water fleas. That is also perfectly normal and if you had fish they would just be a tasty treat. Just hang in there and do not get discouraged!!! This has happened to every hobbiest at sometime or another. It is sad we have to learn this way. Wait a couple of weeks maybe 10 days do some research and test your water source. Once you find out what the parameters of the water source are then find fish that interest you that fit those parameters. It is just easier and cheaper to go with what you have instead of trying to add chemicals to change it. If you want some suggestions feel free to ask.
 
Aside concern..Was the Betta's head becoming black? or is the the discoloration from the gills? Did he have any growths around the mouth or under the operculum?

 

[phoenixgsd]

Sorry to hear your fish didn't make it.

Those dots could be algae which are very common in both new tanks or high light tanks. I have an algae problem myself in one tank due to high light.

Assassin snails don't eat algae, they eat other snails as well as left over fish food.

If this was my tank, being that you don't know precisely what caused it... I'd give it a thorough cleaning and set it up again. Get an API liquid test kit and see where you stand as for cycling. Once you are certain your cycle is established or complete (do share with the board members for opinions), then go out and get maybe a new beta (or whatever fish you are interested in that are suitable for your tank). And leave a good period of time for that fish to get settled and be sure that one is disease free. Also get yourself a new quarantine tank for when you want to add further fish.

Thanks.  Still pretty bummed out about it.  He was a cool little guy. 
 
It doesn't look like any algae I've ever seen.  It looks more like snail eggs.  I have these tiny little soft shelled snails that unfortunately made it through my initial cleaning of the driftwood in egg form.  They are hatching periodically and I'll see them hanging out on the glass (maybe 1-3 at a time).  Then they just disappear.  I got an assassin snail to help clear them out, but the snail doesn't seem to be doing anything.  I will snapp a pic of the small snails for reference next time I see one.
 
 
 

> 


 


You say you and the LFS agree that it is not water quality, it very well may not be, but with out knowing the specific parameters of the water and other specifics such as filtration, injection, fertilization, etc. it is very difficult to assist. Just from the photos you have posted it looks like you have low hardness or macro nutrient deficiency as evidence of the discolored leaf. Plants tend to grow vigorously at first and then tapper off after 4- 6 weeks not die or decompose (releasing NH3). I did not see any new growth. This could be evidence of very unstable water parameters complicated by the lack of buffering capacity. This may not be evident in the simple pH, NH3, NO2 testing that most LFS conduct for free due to the time that the water has to degas before arriving for testing. Additionally, you get what you pay for. Free water quality testing is a perfect example of that but I maybe I am wrong and the employees at your LFS have studied water quality and organic chemistry in great detail. Test strips are notoriously unreliable. IMO for the species you are keeping a 6.5 pH with a swing of no more than 0.2 from day to night should be maintained and all other parameters (NH3 NO2) should be maintained at 0 ppm. The fish show classic signs of NO2 poisoning.

You are clearly knowledgeable, so why don't you tell me exactly what you need to know and I'll give you that information.  I appreciate any help I can get at this point.
 

 
 

Really sorry to see that it's too late to save your betta, but the info he wants, is what I want, and is what everyone else has asked for. Ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank. Everything you have said, points to an immature filter that is not fully processing ammonia and nitrite. YOu said you "cycled" for a week before adding the betta and an oto. Before then, there was no ammonia in the tank from any source, so there's no way any bacteria can be forming.
Thanks.  I'll give you the step by step on how I cycled it (to the best of my recollection):
 
-Setup tank and ran it for 1 week at 78* (plants, driftwood, substrate, filter, heater were all setup at this time)
-Tested water and all levels were within the "safe zone"
-Introduced betta week 2 - LFS told me introducing the betta in the water would help the cycling process and that they are hardy enough to survive in a newly setup tank (makes sense since they typically are shipped and housed in a tiny little container until bought)
-Started seeing a little bit of algae growth during week 2, so after researching it and realizing the light may be on too long (8-9 hours max for new tanks to reduce algae growth) I reduced the light-on time to 9 hours and introduced the oto
-Performed a 25% water change
-Week #3 - Tested water - levels ok
-Started seeing snails
-Noticed anubias leaf tips were turning brown - researched cause, picked up "Plant Grow" by Laguna (0.23 - 0 - 4.5) and dosed the tank
-Week #4 - Tested water - levels ok
-Performed another water change (25-30%)
-Brought water sample in to LFS for testing - levels ok so picked up 3 CTs
-First CT died next morning and the saga began - LMK if you want more deets

I just tested the water and here are the levels according to my test strip:
Nitrate (ppm - mg/L) = 20
Nitrite (ppm - mg/L) = between 0-0.5
Hardness (GH) = 150
Alkalinity (KH) = 180
PH = 7.2
whats your ammonia? from how you described you cycled your tank, isnt actually cycling, please read the link in my signature on cycling, you also have 0.5ppm nitrite this is lethal and what probaly killed your fish, i strongly recomend you get a liquid based test kit, as already suggested the API master is the most popular, dont give up on the hobby, fish in cycling is REALLY hard work, i suggest a fishless cycle then you can reap the rewards of great healthy tank

 

[greenmumma141]

The only real safe zones for ammonia and nitrites 0. When cycling your tank, the cycle period is not over until you get both of these to 0, and then you keep testing to make sure they are stable and stay at 0. It's not your fault, i think 98% of fish store employees are talking out of their wahoos. Now that you have better info, you can start over. Don't give up, it's worth it in the end!!!

 

[Gootz]

Man poor little guy. Heres the thing. Ammonia is increasingly toxic at higher pH. So the higher your pH the worse the cycle for your fish. Depending on where you live or the source of your water you could be starting with a particularly high pH due to temporary or carbonate hardness which luckily you can get rid of or control. Carbonate hardness is great if you want to buffer your water so you don't have a crash but some fish don't tolerate it well. Cardinal tetras are a prime example they seem to thrive in Black-water. Live plants also naturally fluctuate the pH of the water. During photosynthesis they consume carbon dioxide (amounts other things mostly fertilizers which are almost all corrosive/acidic), which in solution with water is carbonic acid. So as the plants consume the carbon the pH goes up. During the night plants consume oxygen which allows the water to regain its lost carbon dioxide in solution which causes the pH to drop. This can also cause oxygen depletion in tanks that are heavily planted and poorly circulated. Although from the photos I think your circulation is not the problem. Your carbonate hardness is pretty high, high enough to place your water in the hard category. Your no2 level indicates that your tank has not fully cycled. It is debated but IMO no2 is way worse than nh3. The fish that were chosen were not fish that tolerate high pH or carbonate hardness well but ultimately it was probably the no2. Your nitrates are in a fine range. Wouldn't continue the Laguna. The assassins will be fine just drop a flake or 2 in every day for the next two weeks. The spot on the glass are probably water fleas. That is also perfectly normal and if you had fish they would just be a tasty treat. Just hang in there and do not get discouraged!!! This has happened to every hobbiest at sometime or another. It is sad we have to learn this way. Wait a couple of weeks maybe 10 days do some research and test your water source. Once you find out what the parameters of the water source are then find fish that interest you that fit those parameters. It is just easier and cheaper to go with what you have instead of trying to add chemicals to change it. If you want some suggestions feel free to ask.
 
Aside concern..Was the Betta's head becoming black? or is the the discoloration from the gills? Did he have any growths around the mouth or under the operculum?

Unfortunately I didn't inspect it thoroughly enough to confirm if there were any other growths around the mouth or operculum other than the grey discoloration I mentioned.  The "growth" that I did see was just what you see from the pic and it was from the gills and halfway back to the tail. 
 
Thanks for the encouragement.  I definitely need it right now.  I'm just going to let the tank continue to cycle as is and not add any livestock for at least another week to 10 days.  Will keep you posted, but please feel free to get back to me on anything I've just said.
 

 

Sorry to hear your fish didn't make it.

Those dots could be algae which are very common in both new tanks or high light tanks. I have an algae problem myself in one tank due to high light.

Assassin snails don't eat algae, they eat other snails as well as left over fish food.

If this was my tank, being that you don't know precisely what caused it... I'd give it a thorough cleaning and set it up again. Get an API liquid test kit and see where you stand as for cycling. Once you are certain your cycle is established or complete (do share with the board members for opinions), then go out and get maybe a new beta (or whatever fish you are interested in that are suitable for your tank). And leave a good period of time for that fish to get settled and be sure that one is disease free. Also get yourself a new quarantine tank for when you want to add further fish.

Thanks.  Still pretty bummed out about it.  He was a cool little guy. 
 
It doesn't look like any algae I've ever seen.  It looks more like snail eggs.  I have these tiny little soft shelled snails that unfortunately made it through my initial cleaning of the driftwood in egg form.  They are hatching periodically and I'll see them hanging out on the glass (maybe 1-3 at a time).  Then they just disappear.  I got an assassin snail to help clear them out, but the snail doesn't seem to be doing anything.  I will snapp a pic of the small snails for reference next time I see one.
 
 
 

>> 


 


You say you and the LFS agree that it is not water quality, it very well may not be, but with out knowing the specific parameters of the water and other specifics such as filtration, injection, fertilization, etc. it is very difficult to assist. Just from the photos you have posted it looks like you have low hardness or macro nutrient deficiency as evidence of the discolored leaf. Plants tend to grow vigorously at first and then tapper off after 4- 6 weeks not die or decompose (releasing NH3). I did not see any new growth. This could be evidence of very unstable water parameters complicated by the lack of buffering capacity. This may not be evident in the simple pH, NH3, NO2 testing that most LFS conduct for free due to the time that the water has to degas before arriving for testing. Additionally, you get what you pay for. Free water quality testing is a perfect example of that but I maybe I am wrong and the employees at your LFS have studied water quality and organic chemistry in great detail. Test strips are notoriously unreliable. IMO for the species you are keeping a 6.5 pH with a swing of no more than 0.2 from day to night should be maintained and all other parameters (NH3 NO2) should be maintained at 0 ppm. The fish show classic signs of NO2 poisoning.

You are clearly knowledgeable, so why don't you tell me exactly what you need to know and I'll give you that information.  I appreciate any help I can get at this point.

Really sorry to see that it's too late to save your betta, but the info he wants, is what I want, and is what everyone else has asked for. Ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank. Everything you have said, points to an immature filter that is not fully processing ammonia and nitrite. YOu said you "cycled" for a week before adding the betta and an oto. Before then, there was no ammonia in the tank from any source, so there's no way any bacteria can be forming.
Thanks.  I'll give you the step by step on how I cycled it (to the best of my recollection):
 
-Setup tank and ran it for 1 week at 78* (plants, driftwood, substrate, filter, heater were all setup at this time)
-Tested water and all levels were within the "safe zone"
-Introduced betta week 2 - LFS told me introducing the betta in the water would help the cycling process and that they are hardy enough to survive in a newly setup tank (makes sense since they typically are shipped and housed in a tiny little container until bought)
-Started seeing a little bit of algae growth during week 2, so after researching it and realizing the light may be on too long (8-9 hours max for new tanks to reduce algae growth) I reduced the light-on time to 9 hours and introduced the oto
-Performed a 25% water change
-Week #3 - Tested water - levels ok
-Started seeing snails
-Noticed anubias leaf tips were turning brown - researched cause, picked up "Plant Grow" by Laguna (0.23 - 0 - 4.5) and dosed the tank
-Week #4 - Tested water - levels ok
-Performed another water change (25-30%)
-Brought water sample in to LFS for testing - levels ok so picked up 3 CTs
-First CT died next morning and the saga began - LMK if you want more deets

I just tested the water and here are the levels according to my test strip:
Nitrate (ppm - mg/L) = 20
Nitrite (ppm - mg/L) = between 0-0.5
Hardness (GH) = 150
Alkalinity (KH) = 180
PH = 7.2
whats your ammonia? from how you described you cycled your tank, isnt actually cycling, please read the link in my signature on cycling, you also have 0.5ppm nitrite this is lethal and what probaly killed your fish, i strongly recomend you get a liquid based test kit, as already suggested the API master is the most popular, dont give up on the hobby, fish in cycling is REALLY hard work, i suggest a fishless cycle then you can reap the rewards of great healthy tank

 

Thanks for the link.
 

The only real safe zones for ammonia and nitrites 0. When cycling your tank, the cycle period is not over until you get both of these to 0, and then you keep testing to make sure they are stable and stay at 0. It's not your fault, i think 98% of fish store employees are talking out of their wahoos. Now that you have better info, you can start over. Don't give up, it's worth it in the end!!!

Just got back from the LFS.  Water was tested and ammonia and nitrites were at 0.  Nitrates were at 0.2.

 

[greenmumma141]

if i were you, id invest in a liquid test kit. when i was new to this site i got so sick of everyone telling me that, but i really can't recommend it enough. The difference between the test strips and liquid is ridiculous, and doing it yourself means that you KNOW, and not have to wonder if they just want you to buy fish. A tank takes much longer than this to properly cycle. and while your levels are good today, tomorrow they will probably change, that's what the cycling process does. plus having your own test kit, you can always test your water in a tank emergency situation. Of course, this is all just my opinion. Best of luck!!!

 

[Gootz]

if i were you, id invest in a liquid test kit. when i was new to this site i got so sick of everyone telling me that, but i really can't recommend it enough. The difference between the test strips and liquid is ridiculous, and doing it yourself means that you KNOW, and not have to wonder if they just want you to buy fish. A tank takes much longer than this to properly cycle. and while your levels are good today, tomorrow they will probably change, that's what the cycling process does. plus having your own test kit, you can always test your water in a tank emergency situation. Of course, this is all just my opinion. Best of luck!!!

Solid advice.  Any suggestions on brands/kits?  I was looking at getting this one: http/www.petco.com/product/103685/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit.aspx?CoreCat=certonaProductListTopRated_Fish_3API%20Freshwater%20Master%20Test%20Kit-103685

 

[VickyChaiTea]

I'm so sorry he passed. I hope your tank does better. The advice given here is sound.

 

[Gootz]

I'm so sorry he passed.

I hope your tank does better. The advice given here is sound.

Appreciate it.  Beautiful bettas in your sig! 

 

[PrairieSunflower]

From your description of how you cycled the tank... you didn't cycle the tank before adding your beta. Please do visit the link that was already given to you and pay attention to fishless cycling. If you can follow the advice in that link it will save you a lot of heartache when you add your new fish.

The short of it is... if you only have water, gravel and plants in your tank, there is no source of ammonia to begin your cycle.... this your whole system is just running but not accomplishing something. In order to grow the good bacteria in your filter, you need a source of ammonia to be present daily for it to feed off of and grow. In fishless cycling people usually add a few drops of pure ammonia and monitor daily with a test kit to see how the ammonia is being processed. This process takes around 4-6 weeks, not a week or 10 days.

In fish in cycling you add the fish and their waste products become the source of ammonia. The risk here is that your fish becomes vulnerable to illnesses and damage from ammonia poisoning (which is what sounds like the case was with your fish)... in the case of fish in cycling you need to remove the ammonia daily with large water changes (sometimes more than once per day). This process could be slower because you are needing to protect your fish from the ammonia at the same time that you are trying to grow bacteria with it.

 

[greenmumma141]

I have the API master kit. I am very happy with it. The one bit of advice I will give you is that with the nitrate #2 bottle,  you have to really really really shake it, then shake it some more. even bang in on a table a couple times lol before you add the drops to your water vial. Other than that, I am very pleased with it.

 

[Gootz]

From your description of how you cycled the tank... you didn't cycle the tank before adding your beta. Please do visit the link that was already given to you and pay attention to fishless cycling. If you can follow the advice in that link it will save you a lot of heartache when you add your new fish.

The short of it is... if you only have water, gravel and plants in your tank, there is no source of ammonia to begin your cycle.... this your whole system is just running but not accomplishing something. In order to grow the good bacteria in your filter, you need a source of ammonia to be present daily for it to feed off of and grow. In fishless cycling people usually add a few drops of pure ammonia and monitor daily with a test kit to see how the ammonia is being processed. This process takes around 4-6 weeks, not a week or 10 days.

In fish in cycling you add the fish and their waste products become the source of ammonia. The risk here is that your fish becomes vulnerable to illnesses and damage from ammonia poisoning (which is what sounds like the case was with your fish)... in the case of fish in cycling you need to remove the ammonia daily with large water changes (sometimes more than once per day). This process could be slower because you are needing to protect your fish from the ammonia at the same time that you are trying to grow bacteria with it.

Interesting perspective.  Seeing as how I still have the oto and 1 CT left, I'm going to let them just continue on and cycle the tank until my liquid test kit arrives and the water levels all pass.  Thinking a minimum of another 10 days seeing as how it's already been over 4 weeks now.  That will make it a total of 6 weeks, but again, I won't push on unless everything is safe.
 

I have the API master kit. I am very happy with it. The one bit of advice I will give you is that with the nitrate #2 bottle,  you have to really really really shake it, then shake it some more. even bang in on a table a couple times lol before you add the drops to your water vial. Other than that, I am very pleased with it.

Ha ok good to know!  I just bought it last night off amazon, so hoping it comes quickly!