Fish scared of me

[connor31556]

The corydoras on the right lost his left mouth thing what should I do with him should I put him in the mini holder I got?

 

[Delapool]

Should grow back if not completely gone. You could put him there for a day or so to monitor around barbels but will likely take some weeks to heal.

Causes as I understand can be rough gravel but also excess ammonia, nitrates or organic material. Possibly ammonia as I have the yoyo loaches bury themselves up to their eyeballs in fine gravel with no problems.

Clean water and gravel vacs should solve. Just keep an eye on area for any red streaks developing.

 

[Angellove78]

If he's still acting normal than I'd just keep an eye on him.

 

[connor31556]

Ok I'll watch him closer for a while I'll report back on him in a couple days also the ammonia won't go down in hoping I'm adding enough prime to kill it off but I also a
Wanna be careful not to add too much so it doesn't completely stops the cycle

 

[connor31556]

Quick question do you think I might be getting ammonia readings cause I don't clean to tube out good enough I usually since it out with water then dry it off with a tissue inside and out should I do it differently?

 

[King Fisher]

Ammonia will go down with water changes. If you can't control ammonia there has to be a source besides the fish normal waste. Also, overcrowding can make ammonia out of control. If you are using power heads for your filtration I would take them out, take them apart, and clean them thoroughly. Sometimes the tubes and impeller holds some gunk in it.

 

[Angellove78]

Did you check everywhere in your filter for that catfish you lost? Might wanta check again. If your doing 2 water changes a day and still have ammonia then there's something hiding somewhere. Or your over feeding alot.

 

[Delapool]

Quick question do you think I might be getting ammonia readings cause I don't clean to tube out good enough I usually since it out with water then dry it off with a tissue inside and out should I do it differently?

Sitting here and put down a few notes.

No more Cory cats!! It looked like you bought more fish several weeks back. No more fish buying for two months and the tank is too small anyways to be buying more fish.

Take a water sample into shop and get it tested for ph, nitrite and nitrate. As I don’t think you have a solution / vial test kit. Without proper tests we’re just guessing where cycle is at.

It looked to me as well that tank is now over-stocked and possibly zeolite no longer working - which was always going to be some pain as it takes up to 2 months to cycle a tank.

Either it will cycle or ammonia will be persistent until some fish are too stressed, die and tank bioload reduces so tank can establish. Watch the Cory cats as they seem a sensitive species imo.

Water changes and prime.

The prime may on occasion slow a cycle down but all tanks eventually cycle. (Just in case you see threads saying to stop using it).

The cleaning as actually too clean. Just rinse it in old tank change water as the bacteria live everywhere and you are cleaning them off.

When tank is cycled you can clean parts of filters as enough bacteria elsewhere to repopulate. Nitrifying bacteria growth is very slow so this is why it takes ages.

Any plants will use up ammonia, etc and worth a try. Eg stem or floating plants.

 

[connor31556]

Ok I'll watch all that but to deal with the over crowding do you have any suggestions for a more powerful filter that's quiet?

 

[Fresh2o]

I would get a AquaClear 50 and run it along with the one you already have. The AC50 does not use cartridges so you can customize the media (I use filter floss and the provided ceramic media).
A seasoned filter should be able to process the ammonia being generated. A few years back my tap water contained 1.0 ppm ammonia and 5.0 nitrate. Even with weekly water changes (these were 25-40%) the ammonia was always at 0 ppm. I had no plants in my tank at the time.

 

[King Fisher]

Fluval AC70 should work good

 

[Fresh2o]

Fluval AC70 should work good

I was going to say get the AC50 over the AC70 and put the money saved towards an API FW Master test kit, however, the difference between the two (on Amazon) is about $10.
The flow for either can be scaled back as needed.

 

[King Fisher]

I was going to say get the AC50 over the AC70 and put the money saved towards an API FW Master test kit, however, the difference between the two (on Amazon) is about $10.
The flow for either can be scaled back as needed.

I didn't remember what he was running. If he's got an AC50 already then yes I'd just add a second AC50. He needs the filtration if he's overstocked or maxed out.

 

[Delapool]

And increase water change %. I found that when I got the DT. Ammonia, etc was fine but needed longer gravel vacs / larger volume changed to reduce organics load (big risk for any bottom dweller swimming along mucky tank bottom).

 

[connor31556]

I went to the store today and got the filter I have some questions though I know I should have gotten the aqua flow but it just wasn't in my price range.

1. Should I run both or just one filter

2. If only run the big one should I put the old filter cartridge in the new one

Please respond quick I wanna get this in the tank ASAP


Thanks

 

[connor31556]

One more thing about the old filter I found out, they gave me a filter for a 10 gallon and that's why the ammonia wasn't clearing up that quickly and they have different size cartridges so I cant use the old one in the new one

 

[King Fisher]

Run both

 

[connor31556]

Run both

There's one small problem with that is running both that important or can I just run one the heater has to be placed a lot lower too if I wanna put both in

 

[libertybelle]

Agreed, you absolutely must run them both at the same time because it’s not the filter exactly that deals with the ammonia but the bacteria that grow inside that filter. The new filter has no bacteria growing in it yet. If there is carbon in there it might absorb a little ammonia on its own but most of the toxin processing power will come from the bacteria that will eventually grow in there.

Looks like that filter comes with a replaceable cartridge?

It will probably recommend that you change that once a month, but you should probably ignore that; you need the bacteria growing in there more than you need a little bit of fresh carbon. Cleaning your filter should mostly involve just rinsing the cartridge in dechlorinated water or your tank water bucket.

 

[connor31556]

Agreed, you absolutely must run them both at the same time because it’s not the filter exactly that deals with the ammonia but the bacteria that grow inside that filter. The new filter has no bacteria growing in it yet. If there is carbon in there it might absorb a little ammonia on its own but most of the toxin processing power will come from the bacteria that will eventually grow in there.

Looks like that filter comes with a replaceable cartridge?

It will probably recommend that you change that once a month, but you should probably ignore that; you need the bacteria growing in there more than you need a little bit of fresh carbon. Cleaning your filter should mostly involve just rinsing the cartridge in dechlorinated water or your tank water bucket.

I know I shouldn't replace them I just usually wash them once am month but can I just put the cartridge from the first filter in the back of the second filter?