OK, what do I do now

[aquamanis]

If you read my first post: Fish Murderer, in the newbie section you will know what I did. I,m trying to stop the remainer of my fish from going the same way but they are still dying. The tank is 3 weeks old, no ammonia, no nitrites and a small amount (5ppm)of nitrates. PH is 7.Volume is 140 lt. There are about 16 live plants that are growing well. Filter is internal 600lt/hr with foam insert. Lighting is 32watt grow tube. The remaining fish are gasping for air, turning red on the sides and gills and darting about for no apparent reason. I don,t want them all to die, what should I do next? The nitrite levels were high for a few days, would the effects continue after the levels have dropped? I have been putting salt in the water at changes, would that hurt the fish? I tried to quicken the cycle by adding a bacteria supplement (nitrivec), would that hurt the fish? And lastly I have some nice colourfull rocks from marble bar in there, could they be hurting the fish? I don,t know if this means anything but my hydroponic trungeon which messures dissolved salts is reading 1300ppm which seems high, tap water is around 800ppm in my area. Please help me and my fish, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bigfish]

sounds like your rocks are altering the water chemistry?

or

your adding tooo much salt?


Depends on what fish you keep, if you got tetras or catfish then they are dying because of the salt.

Tell me what fish you have?

 

[aquamanis]

Hi Bigfish, I found out yesterday from the LFS I haven,t been putting salt in the tank, it was only a declorinator so I don,t think thats the problem. Had my water double checked by the LFS and he says its fine. He seems to think it could be a fungal parasite attacking the fish but dosen,t want to recomend anything without knowing for sure. Last night I noticed the fish seemed to be very hungry so I kept feeding them untill they didn,t take anymore. I watched as the colours started to come back on the tiger barbs and a couple of dark spots dissappeared from the silver sharks. Could it have been that I was underfeeding them? Everyone told me not to overfeed them so I have been reluctant to give them too much but last nights little experiment seemed to have paid divedends. I did notice that a lot of the fish in there were rubbing there sides along the piece of driftwood or the rocks, is this a sign of itch or something? If it is what should I do? My remaining albino cory looks pretty happy now and I don,t think he,s got whatever the others have. Total fish in there are: 1 cory, 6 tiger barbs, 2 silver sharks, 4 platys, 3 gouramis, 4 small danios, 6 small cherry barbs.

 

[smb]

Could it have been that I was underfeeding them?

No. You've only had your tank for 3 weeks. Fish can go a month and a half w/o eating and you've fed them everyday. No matter how little you've fed, the fact is you've fed them and this is not the problem.

I did notice that a lot of the fish in there were rubbing there sides along the piece of driftwood or the rocks, is this a sign of itch or something?

It is sometimes. The fact that you've only had the tank setup for 3 weeks makes me belive that the tank isn't cycled. I know that you have ammonia and nitrite reading at 0 ppm, and this is what confuses me. I've never known a tank with fish to cycle in 3 weeks.

Even tho you have 0ppm ammonia and nitrites the fact that the fish "flash" just makes me believe they are flashing because the ammonia and nitrites are attacking their gills and suffocating them.

I know you say different and I surely am not trying to argue with you at all because you are there and definately know better than I, but with what experience I have, I have to believe this might be true.

I even think that you might not have a good test kit or it's outdated. Somethings not right here.

Please don't take this as offensive at all. With these questions and your answers it will help with the process of elimination so I hope you take it as such.

 

[aquamanis]

Hi SMB, mate it takes a lot to get me pissed off and getting friendly advice does not make me angry even if I don,t agree with you. All help is welcome, as you said its a illimination process. My test kits are new and the LFS confirmed my readings so I,m pretty sure the water is ok now. I did put some filter media from my mums ponds filter which has been going for years so I think that helped speed up the bacteria. I do have some brown algae starting to grow on the glass and rocks etc, dosen,t that mean the tanks cycling? The live plants should take care of too much algae and I plan to replace the plecos as soon as I know everything is hunky dory. I couldn,t see anything on the fish but I thought I saw some small white spots on the driftwood, does white spot stick to wood as well? Cheers!

 

[AllusiveLife]

This cycle is BS, it's to improve the tank and have a better chance of the fish. Hell you're lucky or you're not that's how I see it. I just recently set up a tank "15 gallon" been set up for 3-4 days now, I placed the fish in 48 hours later. I have 4 shrimp 3 female guppies so far. They're doing fine and it's been 2 day's since they've been in the tank.

 

[Alien Anna]

This cycle is BS, it's to improve the tank and have a better chance of the fish. Hell you're lucky or you're not that's how I see it. I just recently set up a tank "15 gallon" been set up for 3-4 days now, I placed the fish in 48 hours later. I have 4 shrimp 3 female guppies so far. They're doing fine and it's been 2 day's since they've been in the tank.

Well unless you "seeded" your new tank from an old one, your guppies are going to start struggling a few days from now. I hope it works out for you but I'll admit to being nervous on your fish's behalf.

 

[lordmoose]

This cycle is BS, it's to improve the tank and have a better chance of the fish. Hell you're lucky or you're not that's how I see it. I just recently set up a tank "15 gallon" been set up for 3-4 days now, I placed the fish in 48 hours later. I have 4 shrimp 3 female guppies so far. They're doing fine and it's been 2 day's since they've been in the tank.

Another fine example of somebody who doesn't have a CLUE. Damn I feel sorry for this guy's fish.

 

[AllusiveLife]

""Grabs the dumb book and throws it out of the window""

Most people suggest to cycle it for 48 hours, some say your tank needs to be set up for 24 hours. Some of you people scare me, cause if the book said jump off a cliff I bet alot of you would probably do so. " I like alien anna reply very much " her reply makes me calm inside. LordMoose, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to cycleing, They suggested the 6 week period for a better chance. WE ALL KNOW it would work, BUT it's a suggestion, you don't have to wait that freaking LONG just to place none hardy fish in the tank. Some of you need to not be so freaking zoned into having to have everything perfect... Perfectionests SUCK

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> They're doing fine and it's been 2 day's since they've been in the tank.

Yes, it takes some time for the level of pollutants to build up to levels where the fish start to really suffer. It is the biological process for breaking down waste products that needs to be established in the cycling period. Sure you can ignore it, sure sometimes if you understock you'll get away with it...

but not every time.

I feel sorry for your fish too.

 

[AllusiveLife]

half of the water in the tank is from my original tank, and the other half is from current water " had that way for 48 hours " everything is fine and she has already given babies and she is done " I took her out like 10 minutes ago cause she had them last night. But I'm leaving the other 2 females in there cause they're babies females with no color just yet and the 4 shrimp are too small to do anything...

 

[lordmoose]

AllusiveLife, it's not suggestion it's scientific FACT. Without the proper level of nitrifying bacteria FISH WILL SUFFER. You might condone animal cruelty but I certainly don't. You are clearly too irresponsible to keep fish.

We aren't perfectionists, we just actually know what we're doing, unlike you. YOU CAN'T CYCLE A TANK IN 48 HOURS.

Take some advice from people who know what they're doing: Get a clue. Seriously.

Oh and BTW I find "I know what I'm talking about when it comes to cycleing" very hard to believe when you can't even spell the word.

 

[Kissifish]

Just curious, moose. How long you been doing fish?
And BTW, sumetymes wen we tipe we tind 2 git n a hrry.............

You need to chill. We are mostly amateurs, trying to help each other by sharing previous experience and if by my many mistakes, someone else can be helped, then, so be it. And there's no need to swear here.

 

[AllusiveLife]

Oh wow, are you serious? Are you the next messiah to come? Scientific fact you say? Scientists have made alot of statements and called them facts then had to recant it and call it a theory... I don't know what I'm doing? WELL THE FISH ARE STILL ALIVE ARE THEY NOT ? With half the fish water you currently have mixed with tap water and set for 2 days with the filter and everything...
Cmon give me a break, the female guppy has been in this tank condition for several days if she was not in a good enviorment she wouldn't have had offspring lastnight. My fish have shown no signs of white spots or erritation and I went to petco before I placed those guppies in and the water conditions were good. But since you call it animal cruelty I guess I should try talking with the fish and asking them how they feel about living in the tank. Another thing, bringing someone's spelling into this is very mature, WTG you just earned a class act keep it up and just maybe you'll win won of these

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

c'mon guys lets not get personal, this is a family forum.

I also hope that your fish stay and continue to remain healthy. The fact that you added some water from an established tank will IMO help to speed up a cycle, 48 hrs does seem to me a little quick.

But lets hope I'm wrong