Fish scared of me

[connor31556]

Would need to get it all properly tested using solution / vial at shop for nitrates, nitrites and ammonia I’m afraid. The strip tests are just wrong. In my experience both pool and aquarium strip tests are next to useless unfortunately.

Since it looked like some ammonia in early photos - I’d suspect the tank is unstable still.

The algae is driven by light.

Worth checking in though to answer the question for sure.

I'm planning to go to the store pretty soon so I'll ask them about the water after they do the test there

 

[Delapool]

Good luck! Has to be solution kit else try another store. All strip tests here that I’ve tried mis-read. As you would know - get results written down - don’t allow them to just say “looks fine” ime. Most stores are really good about it but also as you know - no need to buy ph up / down products.

And having been there and done it - even if the tank has cycled early and/or it’s not the zeolite filter giving false readings, the tank is still unstable. Resist the temptation to buy any more fish. Check out live plants instead or something is my thought.

 

[Delapool]

Guys do you think that my tank might already be cycled? I'm saying this cause on the first night 2 neon tetras died (probably cause the tank wasn't cycled) and after that I didn't change the water for a week or so cause I didn't know any better. in this time, and a couple weeks after I didn't test the water, or go to the store for them to test it. So I am proposing that mabye in that period of time my tank could have gone through a cycle and when I got the testing kit the tank was on the tail end of the cycle so it looked like in fact the cycle was just starting while it really was ending. I have reason to say this because I saw on the internet that the strips show different colors then what they are soposte to occasionally, and if you look closely at the picture below you can see that the nitrate color is not what it is soposte to look like When it's actually at 0. This would explain the algae growing all over and why the ammonia test is showing 0 ammonia. Another thing during the time period where I couldn't test the water it was really merky especially when I breify took out the ammonia filter for about 3 days this could have been the cycle acting too cause around then I was adding chemicals and only doing weekly water changes which could have greatly sped up the cycle. Thoughts?

On water changes - as long as there is some ammonia in water (so some reading above 0ppm) and ph/kh and temperature are in range. There will be a nitrifying population increase as the bacteria are trying to catch up.

Daily or weekly water changes would make no difference. It’s just cycling a tank takes a long time. As the bacteria live on any surface and not in the water, the only issue that might pop up is if eg any ornaments are taken out weekly and cleaned.

 

[connor31556]

Ok here's the water parameters for today I put a picture of one of my angels down below does he look ok cause he's missing some of his fins I don't know if he's growing or if that is nipping

Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Total hardness 150
Total chlorine 0
Total alkalinity 110
Ph 7.2
Ammonia is in the picture below looks like it's high to me

 

[Delapool]

Looks higher to me than previous as well. Maybe 0.5ppm. Yeah, onto water change. Sometimes tanks can reset or ammonia takes time to completely go to 0. So even if you are getting nitrites processed to nitrates, definitely agree not fully cycled and not stable.

 

[Delapool]

Fin damage could be a function of nipping and / or water chemistry. The ammonia could be damaging the fins slightly.

It’s not bad - as long as not getting worse, I’d keep up water changes to reduce ammonia and organics - just clean water from water changes should solve it. I wouldn’t treat at moment as could damage bacteria and meds are a risk in themselves.

 

[Delapool]

Might as well ask - what fish do you have now and tank size. Are you seeing fin nipping?

 

[connor31556]

I have 2 baby anglefish 2 baby almost 1.3 " albino corydoras and 1 one year old ish marble anglefish the tank is a 20 gallon and I see the big Angel chase around the little angels when they come near him or the top of the tank when I'm near

 

[connor31556]

I'm thinking about getting a qt tank not for this specific situation but for future things what size do you suggest I'm not looking for something to break the bank just something good quality and cheap

 

[King Fisher]

Water changes as everyone stated. Get that ammonia to zero. I'd do one 50% water change daily and monitor your water. IME Angelfish are not cool with each other in numbers in a 20 gal or even a 30 gal. If it were me I'd keep just one angel for the tank size you have. A 10 gallon QT tank should be ok for what you have.

 

[Delapool]

I have 2 baby anglefish 2 baby almost 1.3 " albino corydoras and 1 one year old ish marble anglefish the tank is a 20 gallon and I see the big Angel chase around the little angels when they come near him or the top of the tank when I'm near

Yeah, as above - angelfish do squabble. I’ve had one that lost an eye. Just nothing you can do unfortunately - I don’t even think fake plants would help long term if one or a pair decide part of tank is theirs. Like putting two elephants in a room - they just keep bumping into each other and being cichlids ....

 

[Delapool]

I'm thinking about getting a qt tank not for this specific situation but for future things what size do you suggest I'm not looking for something to break the bank just something good quality and cheap

As above - 10 or 5 gallon, or even just a clear plastic container.

 

[connor31556]

Ok I'll see what kind of tank I can get anyway here's today's water stats

Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
Total hardness around 200
Total chlorine 0
Total alkalinity 100
Ph 7.8

One thing about the ammonia is I totally forgot about changing the water yesterday and the ammonia is back own to 0 with no nitrite so that s a good sign

 

[connor31556]

Ok I'll see what kind of tank I can get anyway here's today's water stats

Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
Total hardness around 200
Total chlorine 0
Total alkalinity 100
Ph 7.8

One thing about the ammonia is I totally forgot about changing the water yesterday and the ammonia is back own to 0 with no nitrite so that s a good signView attachment 306725

My bad I used the wrong card give me a sec

 

[connor31556]

Here's the good ammonia one

 

[connor31556]

Ok here's the water parameters again

Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
Total hardness around 200
Total chlorine 0
Total alkalinity 100
Ph 7.4

Ammonia down below

 

[smallfry53]

That doesn't appear to be zero to me... probably somewhere around .25 or so

 

[connor31556]

Ok for the past couple of days I've checked the water and everything looks normal except for the ammonia and the nitrites the nitrites are really hard to tell but after I checked it more closely It looks like it's closer to .5 than 0 I've also noticed the ammonia is around .50 I be changed the water 1/3 everyday and these numbers are still consistent one more thing I noticed is that the water is a lot clearer than usual also should I keep to what I've been doing or do something differently?

 

[Angellove78]

One thing is for sure, your strips are not reading right. You show ammonia on liquid more than usual and none on the strip test. Gotta get that ammonia down. Change 50% then do another test. If it's still high change another 50%

 

[Kishore]

Catching up on the thread, I read this:

to properly test with API freshwater kit good mixing of the bottle 2 is required to break the crystallization in the solution. and the test tube has to be shaken hard (wrap in paper towel, I hate how these lousy API plastic caps leak) and long to mix those solutions together.

I just tested my tank's water parameters. While doing the nitrate test, the solution in the bottle spilled drop by drop all over the floor. Worse than that, while shaking the test tube for about a minute as advised, about 1 ml of the solution had leaked by the time I finished shaking it. API have got to design their caps better.