I was starting my water change when I made this and wasn't able to... I also didn't have something with a good camera on it at the time. Maybe I'll try today but my corydoras are SUPER skittish...
When you say you've sat there for ages observing the peacocks with the cories and no issues, sleeping next to each other etc? Do that, but with your camera phone handy, and slowly and casually take snaps of them over an hour or so while you sit there and read/write/whittle, whatever you do while you sit near the tank to observe, giving the fish some time to settle and get used to you sitting near the tank pointing a phone at them.
Main first question, you said you usually change water weekly, but didn't mention volume of water you usually change!
Not that I can remember...
Yes
I forgot the nitrate test also reads nitrite. Thanks for the reminder on that!
Yep, I don't like the look of that nitrite test result. It should be sky blue. That purple shade isn't good, and will have the fish stressed and make them produce excess slime etc. You've been here long enough, you know if ammonia or nitrites are above zero (and your nitrites are above zero, no doubt) then you water change it out!
Actually we did recently have power outages. Thursday I think ot was. BUT the issue has been going on way before that...
Last time u cleaned the filter was probably 4-5 weeks ago...
should I stop priming the filter with the straight tap water? Is that affecting it? I thought about that but wasn't sure if that was the issue...
Yes. At least use declorinated water if you're not wanting to take it from the tank. I highly doubt it's killing off many of your good bacteria, but it's certainly not helpful, and a bad habit worth breaking.
Will do that
Honestly I can't promise that. There's so much going on and I don't think I can do daily water changes. But I'll do larger than normal water changes weekly and clean the filters for sure.
Understandable that you can't promise daily, but I'm sure you can squeeze at least bi-weekly until it's stable and fish are better. Just do it when you get chance, and aim to do it several times this week, and see if your fish and test results improve. I'm betting you will see an improvement, and it's just a case of tank perhaps being a bit under-maintained as you're busy and we all tend to slack off a bit at times, and as we get a bit complacent. When yours was always maintained regularly, skipping a water change or two no big deal, but then it can pile up, and suddenly you realise the levels have been getting off balance and fish have been low level stressed for too long.
Will do!! I usually take the media bag and wash it really well in old tank water and scrub the inside of the filter with a sponge that's meant only for the tank and make sure the impeller is cleared off and stuff.
All my media sponges get dirty quick as well... It's tiring to keep up with lol.
If they're getting that filthy that fast, are you perhaps overfeeding, under cleaning, or do you need more or better filtration? I'm guilty of not cleaning my canister filters often enough, but they still don't get that filthy that fast! Perhaps adding an internal filter that improves flow on the other side of the tank could help? Can get some pretty decent little ones that aren't crazy expensive. Or add a HOB or sponge filter. I've often run two filters plus live plants in heavily stocked tanks, and found it helpful.
Maybe I'll drop the tank level a bit to increase agitation next week
Adding a HOB, internal or sponge filter would do that, without the need to decrease volume. Plus, cories enjoy the flow! Not sure about the gudgeons though, not my fish.
I'll try... But I can't promise that as my fish are super shy
At least a pic of the tank as a whole?
Ah ok. Good to know.
Its weird cause the gudgeons are super happy and active/healthy, but the corydoras are mire sensitive im noticing.
What's the substrate? And how/how often do you clean it?
After draining, I put a measuered amount of conditioner in the tank and then fill with hose water (I let the hose run for a few minutes before I use any of the water I it).
What do you do about the temp? Mixer tap? Is there much of a temp difference between the tank temp, and the new added water temp?
I'm strong, but am unable to lift buckets of water up and over to dump in the tank.
Plus it messes up everything in the tank when I do it.
Rocky...! Putting on my motherly, naggy voice! Haha. You don't just lift a 15L bucket and tip it in... no one should do that, terrible for your back, and will make a mess of your tank, as you say! If you use the bucket method, you move the bucket near the tank (I have a low table near the tank I can put the bucket on, after putting down a fish towel) then use something like a plastic jug to add the new water a jugful or two at a time. You can use something like a disposable plastic plate on the surface to pour the water onto, so it disperses the force and doesn't just pour into the tank and make a mess of your plants/substrate/pouring it directly onto the fish... although some seem to enjoy that! My mollies do, anyhow.
