Introduction and help needed

[Aft626]

Hi everyone. New to the group and looking for some help with our tank. We have had tanks over the last several years. Everything from 5 gallon to our current 65 gallon tank. We got the new tank a while ago, let it cycle for about 6 weeks without fish. We tested once a week during the process to monitor our progress. Once we got the levels to where they needed to be, we got Harliken Rasboras to start cycling the tank. We got 13 to get started. They were doing well for 3 months. During that time we did lose a few. We then got 2 Albino, 2 panda and 2 skunk Cory. It has been about a month now and we are down to 3 of the Rasboras and the 2 Albino Cory. We test our water at least once a week and are trying to get help getting this figured out so that we can continue to add and build on what we have. Any assistance anyone could offer would be great.

 

[Aiken Drum]

What are your test results?

What did you do during that 6 weeks to cycle the tank?

 

[Aft626]

We started with Dr Tim's to start the task, we dropped a little food in there. The problems didn't start until about 2 months after the 13 fish were added. Ph 7.5, carbonate and general hardness was about 150, not registering any nitrates, nitrites and ammonia.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I would question if you are doing your testing correctly. If you are cycled i would expect to see some nitrate. If you arent cycled then ammonia and/or nitrite depending on how far progressed your cycle is. Double check you are doing your testing correctly, especially the nitrate test.

Have you historically seen anything in your testing?

Whats your water change schedule? How much, how often? When did you last do this?

Are you seeing any symptoms that might give a clue on what might be the issue?

 

[Aft626]

We bought a brand new master test kit when we bought the new tank. We are following the process for all the instructions. Testing is done correctly according to instructions. The only levels were worried about are thr hardness being what it is. The tank did cycle when we put the first batch of fish in cause we were testing twice a week. We have seen the levels fluctuate as expected with nitrate and nitrite and ammonia levels. First water change was 6 weeks after we got the fish. The levels have cycled through with the tank, levels going up and down. We have had issues in the past. We assumed this was partly due to the hard water.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Really shake the heck out of bottle #2 on the nitrate test. Like bang it on the countertop.

 

[Lucy_S]

I'm rather new to fish keeping, so maybe not the best advice out here.. But as most of it all happened after you added the cory's, couldn't it be a disease that came along with the cory's? Or worms?

 

[ColdKoi]

If after ~5 months your tests aren’t showing any ammonia/nitrite/nitrate I’d assume the test kit is faulty. If there’s fish in the tank, you HAVE to show a positive test for either of the 3, there’s just no way it’s possible not to unless you were constantly flushing the tank with fresh water.

 

[Aft626]

We are not putting fresh water in except for when we do water changes. Boyfriend said that it registered minimal reads. Will have to go and redo to get new reads.

 

[ColdKoi]

Were you testing before or after the water change? How often are you changing water and how much are you changing?

If after 6 weeks of having fish in there, say the tank was cycled, the nitrates should have been pretty high. Enough that even a 50% water would still leave you with enough nitrates to clearly show on a test.

It’s possible that the recent deaths are related to something the new fish brought into the tank, but either way you need to know where your water parameters are at and 0-0-0 is just impossible without steady and major water changes

 

[Aft626]

The first water change was about 40%. We did testing before and after the changes. We have done 2 25% water changes since. Again, we tested before and after. Lost one of the Albinos last night. We have had tanks before and eventually had the same issue with them dying. Testing again this weekend and will post results.

 

[ColdKoi]

I’m not sure what to say but There has to be something up with your test kit or the way you are doing the tests if you are showing 0-0-0 on the tests with a tank that’s had fish in it for that long.

Since you’ve had issues keeping fish in the past, maybe something in your water is skewing the test results? Are you on treated water where you can acquire a test report of the water? If you’re on a private water system it may be wise to get the water tested

 

[Aft626]

We've got a well. We have had the water testing done and it tested good. We paid extra for the full spectrum of tests since we thought that was the issue.