50% fish losses :(

[maestromad]

Ok so on Sunday I brought my betta, 5 chili rasboras and 5 harlequin rasboras home from the LFS and put them in a new tank which had been set up with some established filter media and plants.

My nitrates have been 10-20 and ammo 0.25 so i have been doing pwc of 40% daily. Nitrite is 0. pH 7.6

in 24 hrs I lost two harlequins then when I got back from work the next day the other 3 had died.

Today I have fished out a chilli and the others are either hiding the terracotta pot or one is swimming verical nose up adn being pushed around in the flow of the filter (i'm trying to work out the lowest setting).

my betta initally was swimming around and chasing its reflection but now seems to either hang out in the pot or under/ontop of the filter.

I went to the LFS today about the 5 harelquins and they also tested my water, I know he didn't do the nitrate right as he said i didn't have any!! The man there basically told me that the rasboras died because the pH is too high. Does anyone know if this is the case?

He gave me bogwood to add to the tank to naturally drop the pH and the rest of my plants came today so i'll be adding them shortly.

Does anyone have any ideas? I don't my betta to get sick and die - on hand I have primafix/melafix if anyone thinks a dose of those will help ward off anything.

 

[maestromad]

Quick update I've done a 50% pwc and added more plants. I'm now down to 2 chili and they both appear ok looking for food.
My betta however is just laying at the back of the tank looking very sad for himself he's not gasping or anything just laying there please help

 

[LyndaB]

What size tank?

How did you acclimate the fish?

You need a testing kit of your own..... $20 + or - on line.

 

[Gingimaru]

I have a betta also and my PH is about 7.4-8. even with the API master test kit its so hard finding the right reading (IME/O) and my betta is (for want of a better word as he is losing some fin at the moment but we dont think thats down to PH as he is now healiing a little) fine so PH should be good.

what do you have in your tank in terms of decoration?
betta fish generally do better in low currents (mine is a notch above minimum flow)
depending on tank size it may be over stocked
did you use water conditioner?

 

[maestromad]

The fish are in a 15 us gal tank, it was started with seeded media from my other tank. I know his test was off as I'd done my own before going down there.
I am nowhere near overstocked lol.

The fish were acclimated very slowly, floated for 30mins then majority of water taken out of the bag then 20ml of tank water added every 20 mins took over 2 hours before released. I personally find this the best way.

My parameters are good, I am strongly considering adding some pimafix to see if it helps my betta as he's just hiding behind a plant now! He does watch me when I come close tothe tank and did have a little swim earlier

 

[maestromad]

Here's a picture of where he's stayed for the last few hours

 

[LyndaB]

What's the temp in the tank?

 

[maestromad]

27 degrees

 

[LyndaB]

ok, roughly 80 degrees farenheit, I was concerned that perhaps the tank was too cool.

 

[maestromad]

Do you think he's just gettibg used tothe tank? Or should I be worrying??

 

[siva]

I don't know what's causing this, but PimaFix contains clove oil, which is used to sedate and euthanize fish. Personally, I wouldn't use it, especially not with labyrinth fish like bettas, and your fish aren't exhibiting any symptoms that it would treat anyhow.

Is the betta possibly trying to stay out of the filters flow?

 

[maestromad]

I don't think so, the flow is higher up the water column than that, i have no clue whats going on. I've Ben next to him most of the day and haven't seen him surface!

 

[siva]

Maybe try, just to experiment, turning the filter off for just a bit and see if he perks up.

 

[maestromad]

Ok I will have to do that tomorrow as I'm off to work a night shift I'm going to get a sponge too and see ifthat helps. I hope he's going to be ok

 

[siva]

I hope so too! I have experienced this with males especially. Sometimes they will avoid surfacing so they don't have to battle the flow.

 

[maestromad]

Well get this, I turn the tank lights off and out he comes looking at the new pot I put in!! Maybe the rearrangement of the tank and the other fish dying have stressed him out a bit??

 

[gypsydancer]

That Ph is definitely too high for your betta. They are a"soft water" fish. Add Novaqua and salt according to instructions. The Ph is probably burning of their slime coatings.
Namaste,
Gypsy

 

[Jill]

I have a betta also and my PH is about 7.4-8. even with the API master test kit its so hard finding the right reading (IME/O) and my betta is (for want of a better word as he is losing some fin at the moment but we dont think thats down to PH as he is now healiing a little) fine so PH should be good.

I second this about ph. My ph is 7.6-7.8 and bettas do fine in my water.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The pH is fine. I keep bettas and harlequins at 7.6-8 without issue.

 

[siva]

More likely he's prob just stressed by the new environment. Some take a while to settle in.

Bettas are versatile and should be able to thrive anywhere from 6.0 - 8.0. Personally, I would never use additives to lower pH. If you did want to lower it for any reason, filtering with peat is a better alternative.