I have a new 10 gallon tank that has been up and running for 4 weeks. I started out with three male guppies, live plants (anacharis, and a moss ball). I used a bottle of tetra safe start and did a fish-in cycle.
The cycle went well. ammonia rose to a level that was barely detectable (0.25) for one week then went to 0. I never saw any nitrites or nitrates. I am using an API Master liquid test kit. I was puzzld by the fact that I never saw any nitrates, but I assume that with my low bioload the plants must be taking care of the nitrates. I also do weekly 25% water changes.
One week ago (tank was 3 weeks old) I added three pygmy cories. The cories seemed healthy enough at first, but I never saw them eat anything. They were active and would constantly forage for food and pick through the gravel, but they would swim right over any visible food.
I tried flakes, shrimp pellet, and bottom feeder tablets (broken into pieces) but I never saw any of them eating.
Over the past week the cories have become less and less active. I found one dead yesterday, and another one was swimming upside down and in serious distress. Today the two remaining fish are back to hiding and are not swimming upside down. They spend 95% of their time hiding or lying on the bottom and when the do swim they dart at high speed from one hiding place to another.
The guppies are fine, and show no signs of distress. The guppies have never paid any attention to the cories and are not chasing them or nipping at them,
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate all test at 0ppm.
What could be killing my cories? Is there something else in the water I should check for other than ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Is the problem that they aren't eating because I bought too few fish? Would they have done OK if I had a school of 6 instead of three?
Can I assume that my tank is cycled even if I have not seen any nitrates? Is it true that live plants can keep nitrates at 0pmm?
The cycle went well. ammonia rose to a level that was barely detectable (0.25) for one week then went to 0. I never saw any nitrites or nitrates. I am using an API Master liquid test kit. I was puzzld by the fact that I never saw any nitrates, but I assume that with my low bioload the plants must be taking care of the nitrates. I also do weekly 25% water changes.
One week ago (tank was 3 weeks old) I added three pygmy cories. The cories seemed healthy enough at first, but I never saw them eat anything. They were active and would constantly forage for food and pick through the gravel, but they would swim right over any visible food.
I tried flakes, shrimp pellet, and bottom feeder tablets (broken into pieces) but I never saw any of them eating.
Over the past week the cories have become less and less active. I found one dead yesterday, and another one was swimming upside down and in serious distress. Today the two remaining fish are back to hiding and are not swimming upside down. They spend 95% of their time hiding or lying on the bottom and when the do swim they dart at high speed from one hiding place to another.
The guppies are fine, and show no signs of distress. The guppies have never paid any attention to the cories and are not chasing them or nipping at them,
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate all test at 0ppm.
What could be killing my cories? Is there something else in the water I should check for other than ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Is the problem that they aren't eating because I bought too few fish? Would they have done OK if I had a school of 6 instead of three?
Can I assume that my tank is cycled even if I have not seen any nitrates? Is it true that live plants can keep nitrates at 0pmm?
