Sorry I haven't replied sooner. We moved our tank and took the opportunity to watch our fish after doing so. Before we moved them we tested and the water was fine. To move the tank we emptied and stored approx 75% of the water. The fish went in a rubber tub. We cleaned the tank, put in new substrate (we use eco-complete) and then put the water back in with 25% new water (counts as that tank's water change), got the filters and heater going, and then floated the fish so it wouldn't shock them. The filters were the same, not new, so we didn't disturb the biology of the tank, so really all that was new was the substrate. We've been testing and watching and our numbers are fine. We use the mardel five-in-one test strips. We have low nitrates, trace nitrites and ammonia. Our pH is fine. Our
CO2 levels are fine. We have live plants, but floated them so we could watch the fish. Seems that the only ones that die are small or long-finned. We did think the red-tail shark at first, but while the other fish were eventually let back out, we kept him in the floating bag by himself. We changed his water often and did this for two days. We made sure he was ok, we just wanted to see what would happen. Well, other fish were beat up. So we tend to think it's the flying foxes who are the biggest in the tank and who were also being VERY territorial. So we let the red tail out and he's fine. He does seem to have territory moments with the flying foxes, but since we replanted everyone has figured out their own space. At this point we have some pristella tetras, bleeding heart tetras, cherry barbs, chinese gold barbs, one zebra danio, a colombian tetra, one glass catfish left
, two flying foxes, the red tail shark, one neon
two harlequin rasboras, one serpae tetra, two black phantom tetras, and our somewhat young angel fish. We are going to give it more time, see how they do with the plants in there and then add to the groups since obviously the survivors are big/tough enough for whomever our antagonist is.
