RackinRocky
Aquarium Advice Addict
I bought 8 Cherry barbs day before yesterday. Brought them home to the quarantine tank I had already gotten set up for them. A 4 gallon Kritter Keeper, heater that was staying right at 80, and an air bubbler. Oh, and a small plant decoration for hiding.
I made it a point to look at them all really good after they'd been caught and bagged. All erect fins, and very active. I'd seen them at the store a few weeks prior and they had looked good then. I thought that was a good sign that they weren't already sick. The guy even mentioned they'd been there a while when I bought them.
I bring them home and one dies while being acclimated. I figured it must have been stress. I put the others in the Kritter Keeper, and all is fine. They had great appetites. I fed them well...maybe a little TOO well. Fed them twice yesterday. I fed them again this morning, and afterward I siphoned up the poop, then did a 40% water change. Within just a couple of hours, one is dead. Then, over the next hour TWO MORE died! I had checked on them frequently, and hadn't seen any signs of problems until within minutes of death.
My first thought was it HAD to be the water, for them to drop so fast like that. I felt I HAD to get them out of that water as quick as I could. So I netted and put the remaining ones in my 55 gallon (which was going to be their destination anyway). I have no other quarantine tank, so had no other choice.
The PH tested at 7.6, exactly the same as my tap. I tested the ammonia and got 0.25, but this was AFTER I'd done the water change. I'm wondering what it was BEFORE the water change. Also, (slaps forehead) I had put 8 fish into a 4 gallon container all at once. It hadn't even occurred to me, since they are such small fish. What do you guys think caused the deaths? So far, all are acting fine in the 55 gallon, although it's only been an hour.
I am getting 4 more Cherries from someone here on the board when it warms up a bit, and I want to be sure I don't make the same mistake twice! Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!
I made it a point to look at them all really good after they'd been caught and bagged. All erect fins, and very active. I'd seen them at the store a few weeks prior and they had looked good then. I thought that was a good sign that they weren't already sick. The guy even mentioned they'd been there a while when I bought them.
I bring them home and one dies while being acclimated. I figured it must have been stress. I put the others in the Kritter Keeper, and all is fine. They had great appetites. I fed them well...maybe a little TOO well. Fed them twice yesterday. I fed them again this morning, and afterward I siphoned up the poop, then did a 40% water change. Within just a couple of hours, one is dead. Then, over the next hour TWO MORE died! I had checked on them frequently, and hadn't seen any signs of problems until within minutes of death.
My first thought was it HAD to be the water, for them to drop so fast like that. I felt I HAD to get them out of that water as quick as I could. So I netted and put the remaining ones in my 55 gallon (which was going to be their destination anyway). I have no other quarantine tank, so had no other choice.
The PH tested at 7.6, exactly the same as my tap. I tested the ammonia and got 0.25, but this was AFTER I'd done the water change. I'm wondering what it was BEFORE the water change. Also, (slaps forehead) I had put 8 fish into a 4 gallon container all at once. It hadn't even occurred to me, since they are such small fish. What do you guys think caused the deaths? So far, all are acting fine in the 55 gallon, although it's only been an hour.
I am getting 4 more Cherries from someone here on the board when it warms up a bit, and I want to be sure I don't make the same mistake twice! Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!
