tnfishlady
New Member
I've recently gotten back into fish keeping (June of this year) and having some trouble. Around 20 years ago, I had community aquariums and don't remember having the issues I'm having now. I remember I had 2 oscars in a 20-gallon high aquarium and they grew to about 6 inches each before I rehomed them. I had a 29 gallon with 13 medium small angelfish (around 2 inches body size) and remember seeing tiny babies hanging off a leaf! The next spawning I used slate and took the eggs out, 2 made it to the 2 inch size.
Anyway, I seem to be having trouble keeping fish alive for long. I started out with 2 Bettas, and another week later, added two more, and then quickly progressed to a few aquariums. I also quickly upgraded the Bettas' little containers to 3 gallon filtered aquariums, and managed to cycle them. After cycling the aquariums, I changed 20% of the water in each aquarium each week. Still, I have 1 Betta that's still alive from 6 Bettas I've purchased over this time period, and that is not including the pre-cycled containers. Three of my four Bettas recently died, one showed some signs of fin and tail rot, another other had a bit of bloudy ends on his fins, the third just stopped eating with no other signs of illness. Ammonia and nitrite showed zero, nitrate was around 40 ppm or less. The remaining Betta is now in a container within a 36-gallon aquarium and I took down the 3-gallon aquariums I had the other Bettas in.
I currently have 5 aquariums. All currently have some live plants, Anubias and Cryptocorne species. The first aquarium I set up was a 20 gallon high. This aquarium has a Marineland Biowheel power filter and a heater. The first try in stocking the aquarium ended up in disaster -- I purchased and added 3 small angelfish, 3 platies, 2 dwarf gouramies, and 2 cory cats, all at the same time. I did add some bacteria starter, and the bottle seemed to indicate all would be fine as long as I added it for several days after starting the aquarium. The platies lasted a week; the others died within 48 hours. The 2nd try proved more successful, with 5 zebra danios cycling the aquarium, and I think 3 of those made it through the cycling process. The aquarium cycled in a month. Then I added 2 small tiger barbs, and a week later, two more small tiger barbs. One of the tiger barbs died, everything tested fine. A few days later I bought another tiger barb, then a few days later, added 3 black ruby barbs. A tiger barb died soon after, then one of the black ruby barbs died, but I think he had been nipped and bacteria set in. Then another tiger barb died with no signs of illness. I purchased two more tiger barbs. Plus I had some trouble with danios as well, but do not remember the specifics as I added then moved them around to other aquariums. I had a couple of weeks when all seemed to be ok. A few days ago I moved the danios out to start my newest aquarium. Just yesterday I lost another tiger barb after it was hiding out among the plants at the bottom for a few days without eating, and another is hiding at the bottom now. There are no signs of illness and all tests come out ok. Since cycling the aquarium, I've done 3 or 4 20% water changes. I can understand loosing fish when the aquarium is cycled, but does anyone have clue what is happening here when all tests come out ok and there are no signs of illness? Also I should add I am using Prime as a dechlorinator/water conditioner.
Another aquarium I set up, soon after my 20 gallon aquarium, was a 8-gallon Biorb aquarium. I put 3 danios in it and it cycled in about 5 weeks with no losses. I moved another danio from my 20-gallon and it was fine, until I changed the filter and it disappeared, reappearing in the filter a few hours later. I've since added 2 more danios to this aquarium and it's been fine (for a total of 5 danios). I do not have a heater in this aquarium at the moment.
Another aquarium I set up, soon after my 20 gallon aquarium cycled, was a 12-gallon Marineland Eclipse system. I put a few danios in it, plus an old filter from my 20 gallon, and it cycled within a week. I soon added 3 gold barbs and 3 cherry barbs, all of which are doing fine. No heater is currently in this aquarium as the light keeps it warmer, plus my room temperature is around 74-76 degrees Fahrenheit.
The most recent aquarium I set up is a 36-gallon Bowfront aquarium which was set up I believe on the 16th. It has an Aquareon (sp) power filter and a heater. Again, I managed to fit an old filter from my 20 gallon, plus I put some ceramic media in from my Biorb, plus a couple of small Cryptocorne plants from my 20 gallon aquarium. I moved 4 danios into this aquarium to start it, plus I've already added 3 small flame tetras and intend to add 3 more tetras in the next day or two. Ammonia and nitrite tests zero. I hope to add 2 - 3 small angelfish to this aquarium in the near future.
I also set up a 5 gallon aquarium also on the 16th, using 2 small Tom internal filters I used on my Betta aquariums (from the aquariums that had no signs of illness), and purchased 3 platies for this aquarium. They seem to be doing ok, but are doing a fair amount of just sitting around the bottom in between swimming around, sometimes with clamped fins. Ammonia and nitrite tests zero.
Anyway, that's my intro and my issues. If anyone can provide any insight to the issues I've had I'd appreciate it.
Anyway, I seem to be having trouble keeping fish alive for long. I started out with 2 Bettas, and another week later, added two more, and then quickly progressed to a few aquariums. I also quickly upgraded the Bettas' little containers to 3 gallon filtered aquariums, and managed to cycle them. After cycling the aquariums, I changed 20% of the water in each aquarium each week. Still, I have 1 Betta that's still alive from 6 Bettas I've purchased over this time period, and that is not including the pre-cycled containers. Three of my four Bettas recently died, one showed some signs of fin and tail rot, another other had a bit of bloudy ends on his fins, the third just stopped eating with no other signs of illness. Ammonia and nitrite showed zero, nitrate was around 40 ppm or less. The remaining Betta is now in a container within a 36-gallon aquarium and I took down the 3-gallon aquariums I had the other Bettas in.
I currently have 5 aquariums. All currently have some live plants, Anubias and Cryptocorne species. The first aquarium I set up was a 20 gallon high. This aquarium has a Marineland Biowheel power filter and a heater. The first try in stocking the aquarium ended up in disaster -- I purchased and added 3 small angelfish, 3 platies, 2 dwarf gouramies, and 2 cory cats, all at the same time. I did add some bacteria starter, and the bottle seemed to indicate all would be fine as long as I added it for several days after starting the aquarium. The platies lasted a week; the others died within 48 hours. The 2nd try proved more successful, with 5 zebra danios cycling the aquarium, and I think 3 of those made it through the cycling process. The aquarium cycled in a month. Then I added 2 small tiger barbs, and a week later, two more small tiger barbs. One of the tiger barbs died, everything tested fine. A few days later I bought another tiger barb, then a few days later, added 3 black ruby barbs. A tiger barb died soon after, then one of the black ruby barbs died, but I think he had been nipped and bacteria set in. Then another tiger barb died with no signs of illness. I purchased two more tiger barbs. Plus I had some trouble with danios as well, but do not remember the specifics as I added then moved them around to other aquariums. I had a couple of weeks when all seemed to be ok. A few days ago I moved the danios out to start my newest aquarium. Just yesterday I lost another tiger barb after it was hiding out among the plants at the bottom for a few days without eating, and another is hiding at the bottom now. There are no signs of illness and all tests come out ok. Since cycling the aquarium, I've done 3 or 4 20% water changes. I can understand loosing fish when the aquarium is cycled, but does anyone have clue what is happening here when all tests come out ok and there are no signs of illness? Also I should add I am using Prime as a dechlorinator/water conditioner.
Another aquarium I set up, soon after my 20 gallon aquarium, was a 8-gallon Biorb aquarium. I put 3 danios in it and it cycled in about 5 weeks with no losses. I moved another danio from my 20-gallon and it was fine, until I changed the filter and it disappeared, reappearing in the filter a few hours later. I've since added 2 more danios to this aquarium and it's been fine (for a total of 5 danios). I do not have a heater in this aquarium at the moment.
Another aquarium I set up, soon after my 20 gallon aquarium cycled, was a 12-gallon Marineland Eclipse system. I put a few danios in it, plus an old filter from my 20 gallon, and it cycled within a week. I soon added 3 gold barbs and 3 cherry barbs, all of which are doing fine. No heater is currently in this aquarium as the light keeps it warmer, plus my room temperature is around 74-76 degrees Fahrenheit.
The most recent aquarium I set up is a 36-gallon Bowfront aquarium which was set up I believe on the 16th. It has an Aquareon (sp) power filter and a heater. Again, I managed to fit an old filter from my 20 gallon, plus I put some ceramic media in from my Biorb, plus a couple of small Cryptocorne plants from my 20 gallon aquarium. I moved 4 danios into this aquarium to start it, plus I've already added 3 small flame tetras and intend to add 3 more tetras in the next day or two. Ammonia and nitrite tests zero. I hope to add 2 - 3 small angelfish to this aquarium in the near future.
I also set up a 5 gallon aquarium also on the 16th, using 2 small Tom internal filters I used on my Betta aquariums (from the aquariums that had no signs of illness), and purchased 3 platies for this aquarium. They seem to be doing ok, but are doing a fair amount of just sitting around the bottom in between swimming around, sometimes with clamped fins. Ammonia and nitrite tests zero.
Anyway, that's my intro and my issues. If anyone can provide any insight to the issues I've had I'd appreciate it.
Sounds like you set up alot in a short time. Hope it all works out for you.
