First off, a big hello to all, i have had my eye on this forum for a while, and while i haven't become a user until now, i have been reading etc on a variety of stuff to do with setting up my tank.
first off, i'll "set the scene" so you can see what ive been doing
bought the tank, 19L with 3 stage filtration and aireator, 25w heater. set it up and added food on the day of setting it up with water/ornaments etc.
the water was treated with "tetra aqua easy balance" and "API drop pH" [the second one was because we have a low pH in this part of the country - i had the water tested by a shop then bought a test kit]
before i added fish the pH was 7-7.5 and the nitrate levels were in the green. the tank had been running for about 3-4 weeks.
temperature after being on full for the cycle i let it settle at 22-24 degrees before adding fish.
added 4 neon tetras. all good. no drama. bit of a timid bunch, with one "explorer" that played around for a while. no fluctuation in nitrates after 3 weeks. gradually got a bit more showy after probably being stressed from the transit. these were added into the tank with acquarium water in the usual method [leave it unopened in the tank for 30-40 mins then open the bag, add some acquarium water, then after another 10-15 mins release them carefully into the tank]
a few weeks later, added another 4 black neon tetras - much the same as before. they shoal together and mess about with each other as the kids do in the playground. nitrates went slightly, but then after another 2 weeks they didnt change again.
then, we added a siamese fighter.
he was fine with the others, gorgeous looking thing he is, and he is called tony - the others are called the majestic masters of mayhem [google it !]
anyways, i have noticed tonight that tony is not well. he is being reclusive - hiding by the heater or in the house. i have also noticed that the black neons are sprinkled with salt like spots. white spot or ich or ick etc.
now, after reading up i have begun to increase the temperature slowly.
if i increase it to full, will this work [bear in mind full is 28 degrees Celsius]
will this kill my fish? where do i stand with salt treatment? i would rather do the salt method or the temperature raise without fish antibiotics or copper sulfate or whatever.
everyone chip in with comments, tell me what i have done wrong [apart from not quarrantine Tony]
if i can cure this without any casualties i'll be happy. i am planning to get a bigger tank - i think i am at the limit of fish from my calculations.
first off, i'll "set the scene" so you can see what ive been doing
bought the tank, 19L with 3 stage filtration and aireator, 25w heater. set it up and added food on the day of setting it up with water/ornaments etc.
the water was treated with "tetra aqua easy balance" and "API drop pH" [the second one was because we have a low pH in this part of the country - i had the water tested by a shop then bought a test kit]
before i added fish the pH was 7-7.5 and the nitrate levels were in the green. the tank had been running for about 3-4 weeks.
temperature after being on full for the cycle i let it settle at 22-24 degrees before adding fish.
added 4 neon tetras. all good. no drama. bit of a timid bunch, with one "explorer" that played around for a while. no fluctuation in nitrates after 3 weeks. gradually got a bit more showy after probably being stressed from the transit. these were added into the tank with acquarium water in the usual method [leave it unopened in the tank for 30-40 mins then open the bag, add some acquarium water, then after another 10-15 mins release them carefully into the tank]
a few weeks later, added another 4 black neon tetras - much the same as before. they shoal together and mess about with each other as the kids do in the playground. nitrates went slightly, but then after another 2 weeks they didnt change again.
then, we added a siamese fighter.
he was fine with the others, gorgeous looking thing he is, and he is called tony - the others are called the majestic masters of mayhem [google it !]
anyways, i have noticed tonight that tony is not well. he is being reclusive - hiding by the heater or in the house. i have also noticed that the black neons are sprinkled with salt like spots. white spot or ich or ick etc.
now, after reading up i have begun to increase the temperature slowly.
if i increase it to full, will this work [bear in mind full is 28 degrees Celsius]
will this kill my fish? where do i stand with salt treatment? i would rather do the salt method or the temperature raise without fish antibiotics or copper sulfate or whatever.
everyone chip in with comments, tell me what i have done wrong [apart from not quarrantine Tony]
if i can cure this without any casualties i'll be happy. i am planning to get a bigger tank - i think i am at the limit of fish from my calculations.