Hey Everyone --
The QT has been up and running for about a month, with the anticipation of getting some new fish. Life got in the way, and I didn't get around to it until a few days ago (got a royal gramma and lawnmower blenny). The QT was filled with water from the main tank (again, a month ago), but did not have anything in it all that time, except for a mantis shrimp and manthrix crab that I evicted.
So, when I got the gramma and blenny, I acclimated them as usual, and all seemed fine. Next morning, the gramma was visibly stressed. I tested the water, and it was all out of whack -- quite bad all around (and yes, I'll admit I made the mistake of not re-checking the water before adding them -- lessoned learned). So I did a 50% water change, and it brought everything much closer to normal. I've been rechecking the Ammonia and Nitrites every day, and they are both hanging around .5 ppm. And so each day (for three days), I've done a 50% change. Today I noticed a spot on the gramma.
So, knowing that I really !@#$%^'ed this, I need some thoughts.
1 - It didn't hit me until today, but I suspect that with all the water changes, I now have essentially uncycled water. I am now inclined to take the fish out, chuck the QT water as-is, bleach the hell out of it, and refill with water from the display tank (whose levels are spot-on).
2- Given that these fish have not had the most ideal home for the past few days, what sort of problems might come up? For instance, is the spot I see on the gramma now just a symptom of stress? Or will it made it susceptable to some other problem? If so, what should I look out for and what sort of medication should I treat him with?
I really am kicking myself over this -- and would appreciate some guidance. Thanks.
Matt
The QT has been up and running for about a month, with the anticipation of getting some new fish. Life got in the way, and I didn't get around to it until a few days ago (got a royal gramma and lawnmower blenny). The QT was filled with water from the main tank (again, a month ago), but did not have anything in it all that time, except for a mantis shrimp and manthrix crab that I evicted.
So, when I got the gramma and blenny, I acclimated them as usual, and all seemed fine. Next morning, the gramma was visibly stressed. I tested the water, and it was all out of whack -- quite bad all around (and yes, I'll admit I made the mistake of not re-checking the water before adding them -- lessoned learned). So I did a 50% water change, and it brought everything much closer to normal. I've been rechecking the Ammonia and Nitrites every day, and they are both hanging around .5 ppm. And so each day (for three days), I've done a 50% change. Today I noticed a spot on the gramma.
So, knowing that I really !@#$%^'ed this, I need some thoughts.
1 - It didn't hit me until today, but I suspect that with all the water changes, I now have essentially uncycled water. I am now inclined to take the fish out, chuck the QT water as-is, bleach the hell out of it, and refill with water from the display tank (whose levels are spot-on).
2- Given that these fish have not had the most ideal home for the past few days, what sort of problems might come up? For instance, is the spot I see on the gramma now just a symptom of stress? Or will it made it susceptable to some other problem? If so, what should I look out for and what sort of medication should I treat him with?
I really am kicking myself over this -- and would appreciate some guidance. Thanks.
Matt