Minnows345
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2018
- Messages
- 4
Very sadly, two of my three fish died Tuesday morning. I had been monitoring the tank for slightly elevated ammonia and too low ph. But I didn’t think things were that bad. I was shocked and devastated to see the male floating. I saw my two females swimming. Then one stopped dead. She’d gone next to a fake rock and the tank wall. Died that suddenly. I think she swam into the wall too forcefully because of whatever caused her diminished capacity
I moved her and the only surviving fish, Ella, to a one gallon tank, the only other place I could. I couldn’t believe the other female had died like that and kept hoping she was in shock. I left her in the water for 8 hours. She didn’t breathe for all that time. It was gut wrenching.
I did a 90 percent water change in my regular tank. Wiped everything down because I felt all the dosing I’d done with ammonia reducer, ph increase, beneficial bacteria, stress coat, and water declouder had caused a mess and the tank was visually cloudy with white powder looking material lining the top of the filter. But I got rid of everything. I was worried I cleaned it too well. So I put in starter bacteria each day. The first day the levels were all good. Then by day 2/3, the Nitrate went up. Then went down. Then the ammonia went way way up. I used Ammonia reducer, a massive amount. 10 times over. Nothing lower worked. Then It went down. Then the ph went way down. Yesterday I had to add 6 times the dose to see it go up at all. Then it went up to6.4. I know it shouldn’t go up more than.2. This morning it was below 6 again. I put in 2 1/2 times the dose. During all this, I see Ella is swimming at a 45 degree angle, nose up. I don’t think she’s going to make it. I don’t think changing the water and having the ph naturally change again would help. I don’t want to needlessly frighten her while she’s dying.
Does anyone have any helpful advice. I am already sick with guilt. I loved these fish. No need to tell me I didn’t do things the best way. If I could go back I would have just changed the water every day. My mother has stage 4 cancer and ive just run out of energy. Any kind helpful words would be appreciated.
I moved her and the only surviving fish, Ella, to a one gallon tank, the only other place I could. I couldn’t believe the other female had died like that and kept hoping she was in shock. I left her in the water for 8 hours. She didn’t breathe for all that time. It was gut wrenching.
I did a 90 percent water change in my regular tank. Wiped everything down because I felt all the dosing I’d done with ammonia reducer, ph increase, beneficial bacteria, stress coat, and water declouder had caused a mess and the tank was visually cloudy with white powder looking material lining the top of the filter. But I got rid of everything. I was worried I cleaned it too well. So I put in starter bacteria each day. The first day the levels were all good. Then by day 2/3, the Nitrate went up. Then went down. Then the ammonia went way way up. I used Ammonia reducer, a massive amount. 10 times over. Nothing lower worked. Then It went down. Then the ph went way down. Yesterday I had to add 6 times the dose to see it go up at all. Then it went up to6.4. I know it shouldn’t go up more than.2. This morning it was below 6 again. I put in 2 1/2 times the dose. During all this, I see Ella is swimming at a 45 degree angle, nose up. I don’t think she’s going to make it. I don’t think changing the water and having the ph naturally change again would help. I don’t want to needlessly frighten her while she’s dying.
Does anyone have any helpful advice. I am already sick with guilt. I loved these fish. No need to tell me I didn’t do things the best way. If I could go back I would have just changed the water every day. My mother has stage 4 cancer and ive just run out of energy. Any kind helpful words would be appreciated.