The water is clear, but ... soupy?

[billTheTailor]

A week ago we purchased new gravel, fish, and plastic plants for our established, 10 gallon freshwater tank. At the same time, I did a water change of about a gallon, and put in a new carbon filter.

Now, the water is mostly clear, but kind of soupy. The bubbles created from the filter's water-flow form this little island, what bubbles there are that do make it below the surface take their time floating to the top, and the fish food doesn't sink. Just over half the fish have died (leading me to think that the fish that remain must have superpowers.)

So, what's going on and how do I fix it?

Thanks so much!

- Bill in KCMO

 

[librarygirl]

Was the tank set up with fish before you added the new ones? Is it cycled? Have you tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate recently? How did you acclimate the new fish? What's your normal water change schedule and do you vacuum the substrate too?

What fish are in there?

First thing is check your levels as stated above and do a 50% water change with dechlorinator and see if that helps. Could anything have gotten into the tank (antibacterial agents, Windex, etc)? Did you rinse everything prior to putting it into the tank?

Sorry for the questions but more info would help.

 

[billTheTailor]

Was the tank set up with fish before you added the new ones? Is it cycled? Have you tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate recently? How did you acclimate the new fish? What's your normal water change schedule and do you vacuum the substrate too?

What fish are in there?

First thing is check your levels as stated above and do a 50% water change with dechlorinator and see if that helps. Could anything have gotten into the tank (antibacterial agents, Windex, etc)? Did you rinse everything prior to putting it into the tank?

Sorry for the questions but more info would help.

Thank you for taking the time!

Setup with fish prior: yes, it had been going healthily for about a year.

Tested for ammonia: no, but neither do I smell it. Nitrite/nitrate: no. Can get that done, though.

New fish: 1/2 hour in the bag, transferred using a net.

Usual water schedule: first of the month, 20% change out, vacuum the gravel, too. Quick scrub on the pagoda with an old toothbrush and clear water.

Remaining fish: 4 surviving, some sort of larger tetra, don't remember the name.

Did we rinse? Nope. Neglected that step. Four new plants, new neon gravel.

I expected questions.

Next step(s)? (besides testing the water)

 

[okapizebra]

Water change! I'd do a big 50% water change right away (with fresh declorinated water). IMO, one 20% water change a month is not cutting it. I do at least a 20% water change once a week. I'm assuming your water is soupy because of lack of water changes/waste build-up and lack of rinsing the new gravel.

 

[librarygirl]

I see a couple of issues:

When accilmating new fish, floating the bag and then adding the fish isn't sufficient. Floating only acclimates them to the temperature of your tank, but not differences from your water and the water it came in (such as PH, etc). The drip acclimation method is preferred or, barring that, float the bag and then every 10-15 minutes add a small amount of your tank water to the bag until the bag doubles in volume; then pour out half of the water (NOT in your tank) and do it again until the bag doubles again. This should take about an hour or so, then net the fish into the tank.

Not rinsing the plants and gravel could be the cause of the cloudiness too.

Also ideally water should be changed 50% per week to restore minerals in the water that the fish use up; also clean water can go a long way in reducing instances of illness and disease. I'd bump up your maintenance routine to weekly and vacuum the gravel regularly as well.

I'm not sure what fish you have but it's possible you may be insufficiently or overstocked ("larger" tetra generally need a larger tank than 10 gals) which can also lead to fish stress, toxins in the water and illness.

 

[blert]

+1 on that large PWC ASAP and upping your maintenance routine.

Also, changing your filter media could have thrown you back into a non-cycled state (along with changing the substrate and cleaning all the decor). Does your filter have more than one type of media or just that sole cartridge?

 

[billTheTailor]

+1 on that large PWC ASAP and upping your maintenance routine.

Also, changing your filter media could have thrown you back into a non-cycled state (along with changing the substrate and cleaning all the decor). Does your filter have more than one type of media or just that sole cartridge?

The filter is this:

The filter is carbon wrapped up inside floss which sits in a holder with a "biological grid" for bacteria growth. I've been very pleased with it.

 

[billTheTailor]

When accilmating new fish, floating the bag and then adding the fish isn't sufficient. Floating only acclimates them to the temperature of your tank, but not differences from your water and the water it came in (such as PH, etc). The drip acclimation method is preferred or, barring that, float the bag and then every 10-15 minutes add a small amount of your tank water to the bag until the bag doubles in volume; then pour out half of the water (NOT in your tank) and do it again until the bag doubles again. This should take about an hour or so, then net the fish into the tank.

Didn't know about that method. I'll remember that.

Not rinsing the plants and gravel could be the cause of the cloudiness too.

To make sure we're not confused here: the water IS clear. It's just ... thick. As if a thickening agent was added to it. The food doesn't sink, bubbles rise very slowly, and it's pretty obvious the fish are stressed.

The only time I've seen a liquid do this before was caused by bacterial growth: a colony of Alcaligenes Viscolactis (very common in tap water) in a pitcher of iced tea that turned it to syrup.

Also ideally water should be changed 50% per week to restore minerals in the water that the fish use up; also clean water can go a long way in reducing instances of illness and disease. I'd bump up your maintenance routine to weekly and vacuum the gravel regularly as well.

That I can do, starting tonight.

I'm not sure what fish you have but it's possible you may be insufficiently or overstocked ("larger" tetra generally need a larger tank than 10 gals) which can also lead to fish stress, toxins in the water and illness.

1-1/2" fish, four of them for a ten gallon tank. Definitely not overstocked.