frassquatch
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2024
- Messages
- 2
About a year ago I got a nice 15 gallon aquarium It ran for a while with some tetras I got from someone who was tearing down their tank. I let the tetras live out their lives but never added any more fish(minus some Amano and cherry shrimp that became a snack for the serpeas and a lesson for me)
The last fish dies, tank sits mostly empty for a couple months, heater and filter running. I discover there is still an amano shrimp running around in there.
I want to get it running again. I do a couple water changes, about 15% each week for 2 or 3 weeks. all params look good, and lone survivor's shed skin is spotted. he's still in there doing shrimpy things. ready for some fish.
I take my kid to the LFS only to discover it has shut down so we go to the big chain. I get a Betta, an algea eater and a Mystery snail. Algea eater is dead within 3 days or so. Betta acts really lethargic and dies about 7 days later. I test parameters, solid. I figure must be bad luck from big chain fish store. I get a warranty betta(and some ghost shrimp), same deal. super lethargic, stuck against filter intake( I put a prefilter on that to try to reduce flow, still stuck). Dies about 7 days later.
I test again. Here's the stats;
15 gallons. part of the tank is a filter with large sponge, some ceramic doughnuts I bought years and years ago. and I added Seachem Matrix after betta1 died.
a few plants, some algea, poorly contained Java Moss outbreak.
Temp 82F
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
PH 7.5
Alkalinity 180
Hardness 150
Chlorine 0
I tested myself with master kit, and the person at the petCOrporation confirmed my numbers. I treat water with Seachem Neutral Regulator on changes, doing about 10% each week or so, each time one died.
What do I do now? 3 fish, albeit from the same shop, dead shortly after arrival. Really not sure what to do here.
The last fish dies, tank sits mostly empty for a couple months, heater and filter running. I discover there is still an amano shrimp running around in there.
I want to get it running again. I do a couple water changes, about 15% each week for 2 or 3 weeks. all params look good, and lone survivor's shed skin is spotted. he's still in there doing shrimpy things. ready for some fish.
I take my kid to the LFS only to discover it has shut down so we go to the big chain. I get a Betta, an algea eater and a Mystery snail. Algea eater is dead within 3 days or so. Betta acts really lethargic and dies about 7 days later. I test parameters, solid. I figure must be bad luck from big chain fish store. I get a warranty betta(and some ghost shrimp), same deal. super lethargic, stuck against filter intake( I put a prefilter on that to try to reduce flow, still stuck). Dies about 7 days later.
I test again. Here's the stats;
15 gallons. part of the tank is a filter with large sponge, some ceramic doughnuts I bought years and years ago. and I added Seachem Matrix after betta1 died.
a few plants, some algea, poorly contained Java Moss outbreak.
Temp 82F
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
PH 7.5
Alkalinity 180
Hardness 150
Chlorine 0
I tested myself with master kit, and the person at the petCOrporation confirmed my numbers. I treat water with Seachem Neutral Regulator on changes, doing about 10% each week or so, each time one died.
What do I do now? 3 fish, albeit from the same shop, dead shortly after arrival. Really not sure what to do here.