UPDATE....Lost 5 Tetras

[Ferris]

He survived the ph change this morning so he will probably be fine going back to the big tank ph wise. The fact that another fish appeared ill makes me think there is still a problem in the 29 gal though, too much coincidence. Problem is, we still haven't established what that actual issue is.

The symptoms you described for the Serpae sound like early signs of swim bladder disease, which is worrying. It may be worth treating the 29 gal for this as it wouldn't show up in the water parameters and could be the problem.

Difficult though, I hate treating a tank unless i'm certain there is a problem but something is still not right in there. Your choice, tricky one though .

 

[pendragon]

Very glad to hear your serpae seems better.

I think it's time for broader questions now. Testable water parameters look ok. Let's talk other chemicals:

Have you used any cleaning chemicals in the room around the 29g lately? Used any aerosol sprays of any kind remotely near the tank? Do you use an air pump (if there's bad stuff in the air, they'll put it in the water)? Have you had your hands in the tank a lot lately? Maybe it's something on your hands?

What about differences/similarities between the two tanks? Do both the 29g and the small one have tops on them (and do they stay closed)? Are they in the same room?

There's got to be something that gives a clue as to what's happening; it's just a matter of discovering it.

pendragon!

 

[rdd1952]

Have you used any cleaning chemicals in the room around the 29g lately? Used any aerosol sprays of any kind remotely near the tank? Do you use an air pump (if there's bad stuff in the air, they'll put it in the water)? Have you had your hands in the tank a lot lately? Maybe it's something on your hands?

I haven't done any cleaning at all in the room other than my wife vacuumed the floor on Saturday but the problems all started after I did the water change on Monday night. There haven't been any kind of aerosol cans in the room. I do run an air pump on that tank but I also run one on the other 2 tanks that have fish in them and they are all within about a 20' diameter area so any air qulity problem should have affeted all of them. As for my hands, naturally, in doing a 40 to 50 percent water change I did have my hands in the tank quite a bit Monday but I washed my hands good before I started.

What about differences/similarities between the two tanks? Do both the 29g and the small one have tops on them (and do they stay closed)? Are they in the same roo

Both tanks do have tops on them. The tops stay closed all the time except when I'm feeding of changing water (I lost a betta that jumped out of his 5 gallon tank through the 1 inch wide hole where the heater went in. I make sure there are no openings large enough for a fish to get out). They aren't in the same room but are only about 25 feet apart with really nothing seperating them. the 29 gallon is in the great room while the 2.5 is in the kitchen on the counter. It is open from the kitchen to the dining area and great room. The biggest difference between the two tanks is that the pH in the 2.5 gallon was definitely lower than the 29 gallon.

Is there possibly something else that I am missing or that I could test for? In doing the sand vac could I have disturbed a pocket of gas in the sand? I added the plants about 3 weeks ago so I wouldn't think any gas could have built up in that time. I also have corys which root around in the sand anyway and I try to kind of rake it about once a month.

This is totally bizarre. What ever the problem was/is, I still can't believe it wiped out all the red eyes and didn't get the others. Red eyes are very hardy fish.