Do I have enough?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Maxkolbe

Maxkolbe

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Nov 14, 2011
Messages
747
Location
Peoria, Illinois
Lost three of my eight ember tetras today to an unknown cause. My question is if I have enough tetras with the remaining five. I know it isn't an ideal number but will they be ok in this amount until I can order some more, probably mid spring? Thank you.
 
I see no problem with 5. I know in the cold weather I wouldn't want to order anything either.
 
Ok, Another one died while I was at school. They all looked healthy yesterday and I evendid a 50% PWC. Do you think they could be having a reaction to Flourish excel? I just started using that around the time the first ones started dieing. Please help, I've lost half the school in 2 days and I'm not sure what I should do.
 
If you think that might be causing it stop and wait a week or so and see what happens. Excel only stays in the water 12-24 hours before it is gone from the water. Usually you'd see the fish reacting/having visable issues within a short time of adding it to the tank, when the Excel is at it's strongest in solution. What size tank do you have and how much Excel are you dosing. The only fish I've heard can have sensitivity issues with larger amounts of liquid carbon are Oto's.
 
It's a ten gallon. I followed the instructions and did a full cap for the initial dose or after large water change but when some died the night after I did a 50%. pWC and dosed with half a cap in the morning. The fish died while I was at school and I haven't done anything else except for take out the dead fish. Would it hurt them if the lights were off when you dosed since the plants wouldn't be using it? I put it in before school and the lights turn on at 2.
 
To me putting it in that early when lights don't come on for several hours is a waste of the product your paying for. The plants can't use it until they have light but it shouldn't hurt anything being in the tank as long as your filters are running. Have you tested your water for ammonia/nitrites/nitrates since all this began? Have you recently added anything new, fish, plants, snails, etc.?
 
Another one is starting to look bad. He just sitting there shaking and won't eat even when the food was right in front of his face. He's also really skinny. I have notice many of the dead ones had swollen, white or burst open stomachs when I found them. Does this sound like some kind of internal parasite. If so is there a chance it could infect my beta? What treatment options do I have for this little guy? I haven't tested very recently but there hasn't been any very recent additions other than the excel and some vaseline I used to lube the filter, this is supposed to be 100% nontoxic though. Unfortunately there were a couple nights where I couldn't run the filter and had to make do with an airstone. Could this have been the problem?
 
I don't know what they have but it's obvious they have some type of illness or perhaps an internal parasite. So you have a betta in there too? Is he showing any signs like the others? I really can't tell you want to treat with or what to do at this point. In 30 years I've never encountered what your describing. You might want to try posting about this in the Unhealthy fish forum. Maybe someone can shed some better light on this. Sorry I can't be more help.
 
That sounds pretty similar to what I'm seeing. Do I need to quarantine them or will the meds kill my plants?
 
Those couple of nights that you couldn't run your filter killed off your good bacteria. The ammonia levels are likely high, weakening your fishes' immune system. As a result, something, not necessarily the ammonia, is killing your fish.

David
 
I think your beneficial bacteria are fine. But you can test your ammonia to be sure. The camellanus med Levamisole is safe for plants. Please check out my recent post about it. I've just dealt with camellanus and found the recommended dose to be too much for my fish. Be careful. There are other meds I don't know much about though.
Here's more info on treatment.
http://www.loaches.com/Members/shari2/levamisole-hydrochloride-1
 
I didn't dose excel today and the one who was looking bad yesterday is out swimming again. He even came up to eat when I sprinkled some food in. I'm thinking it's a reaction to the excel. Could it be possible I got a bad batch? I have a big test to study for but if I have time I'll try and test the water. It could be possible my bio filter is back up to speed and took care of any amonia. Thanks for all the help so far. :). This tetra has always been freakishly skinny compared to the others so maybe there's nothing wrong there...
 
Maxkolbe said:
I didn't dose excel today and the one who was looking bad yesterday is out swimming again. He even came up to eat when I sprinkled some food in. I'm thinking it's a reaction to the excel. Could it be possible I got a bad batch? I have a big test to study for but if I have time I'll try and test the water. It could be possible my bio filter is back up to speed and took care of any amonia. Thanks for all the help so far. :). This tetra has always been freakishly skinny compared to the others so maybe there's nothing wrong there...
Click to expand...

I doubt you got a bad batch but it is very possible that species of tetras are sensitive to Excel. Or as stated you might have had a temp ammonia spike which could have righted itself with the filter running properly now.
 
Sounds about right, I'll post something if things turn south again. Will they be ok with four or if I did lose another three until I can order more?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Danio8
Upgrading Tank Size
Replies
8
Views
294
Danio8
Danio8
J
Oil surface cause may be damaging my tank?
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
Aiken Drum
Aiken Drum
S
Am I doing something wrong?
Replies
5
Views
511
Andy Sager
Andy Sager
B
How do i fix my cycle?? I’m begging for help.
Replies
2
Views
604
Effluorescence
E
Salukie
20 high stocking ideas
Replies
3
Views
429
Colin_T
C

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom