My Bn's Keep Dying

[Sofia]

Hi,

My latest tank has been set up for 3 months, the only deaths I have had in it are my 3 BN's I only have one left, they seem to die for no reason. There are no external signs of trauma and they are all active right up until the moment they die.

I have never had any luck with BN's (having lost one in my 80l tank) I do love them though and after setting up a new tank I decided to get some more to see if things would be different. I have one left and I do not want to lose him.

So I'm posting all the info on my tank to see if any BN experts can help me out

Tank capacity: 160l

Substrate: mainly silica sand and some gravel

Decorations: Mopani wood, some rocks and live broadleafed plants

tank stats:
no2: 0ppm
no3:10ppm
Ammonia: 0ppm
PH: 6.4
temp: 26 degrees C

Inhabitants:
4 angel fish
4 german rams
10 lemon tetra
2 platy
4 khulie loach
1 bristle nose catfish ( I think)

Feeding: I feed my fish algae wafers every day, blanched zuchinni or peas or cucumber every two days, and blood worm or daphnia one a week(twice sometimes)

My bn does eat the zuchinni when I put it in he doesn't get off it till he's finished but I've never seen him eat wafers or any of the frozen food. He is growing.

I've included a photo of the tank incase you spot anything that shouldn't be there and a picture of the remaining BN in his usual haunt the stone cave.

 

[andyj]

Sorry for your loses

how big are the BN's? they look like they are only about 1" long going by the size of the rocks and the Ram......

at that size they are quite 'fragile' and not particularly hardy, so that might explain why they haven't survived I don't sell my BN's until they reach about 1.5-2" in length.

 

[RadaR]

Run carbon in your filter for a few days to get rid of any medications. This is how I solved a similar problem of mine.

 

[Sofia]

Thank you for your reply

He is about an inch long when I bought them they were tiny, but like I said he's getting bigger everyday!!!

Here's a clearer picture of him am I right in my id that he is a bristlenose catfish?


I didn't know that they would be so fragile so young. But is there anything I am doing to contribute to it? I mean if I were to get an older BN would he survive in the conditions I am giving to the younger one?

Radar I haven't put any medication into my tank at all, the only thing I put in it is flourish exel for the plants every second day.

 

[Lnbates2000]

He looks nice! I have many baby bristlenoses, and I too do not sell them until they are 1.5-2inches in length - they may well just not be able to cope with slight fluctuations in conditions when they are so small.

If you end up losing this one (hope not) - the next one you buy just make sure is bigger, as your conditions seem otherwise fine!

Hope that helps.

 

[Sofia]

Thank you, it does help.

The only thing that has been changing is NO3, it fluctuates between 5 and 15 which I suppose is a big deal when you're a baby.