very worried.

[AimeeOR]

I am just so upset. I have a 5 1/2 gallon tank with a golden tetra , a white cloud minnow and a skirted tetra, two algae eaters, a cory and an african dwarf frog. I just started this tank in January. It was doing okay until I moved it from my old place to my new place about a month ago. I noticed that my raspbora had cotton mouth about two days before I moved. When the tank arrived at my new place, I took my water in to be tested, the nitrates were high, so I did a 75% water change, added the medicine and took the carbon out of the filter. Within two hours my raspbora started swimming upside down then he died. I also noticed that one of my two white cloud minnows had died as well - previously he has seemed very healthy. All the others seemed to be freaked out. I was very worried. But it seemed to calm down after a day or two.

For the last week I've been keeping a close eye on my White skirted tetra. He seemed to be getting a bit listless. I noticed about two days ago that he had developed the same disease as the raspbora. Last night I came home and he was breathing very heavily and now his gills are very red. He has just begun to lay on his side, resting amongst the plants. I know he is dying and I'm pretty sure it is too late. I am very upset. I think he is about to die any minute. I'm not sure what I need to know or if I am just panicking a little. I am worried about all my other fish/frog dying as well.

At first I thought something in the water here is very unhealthy, but after reading a few things here, I suspect that it is me and I don't want to keep making the same mistakes. I feel awful.

I would appreciate anything anyone has to tell me. I have had several tanks in the past which did very well. I did them old-school and I just don't know exactly how it is done now. If anyone can lead me in the right direction, I would appreciate that as well.

 

[AimeeOR]

Some Notes

My skirted Tetra died last evening. I decided to replace the water in my tank and put fungus medication in it. I let it sit for a few hours and then added the fish back in. They seemed much less stressed almost immediately upon reentering. I had quarantined the tetra prior to his dying.

I am keeping a very close eye on them. They've all been eating fine. Only my minnow seems a bit dull colored but she seems healthy and alert.

I've decided to start with keeping a gallon of water at all times next to the tank and remove a gallon of water (20%) each week and replacing it with new. I will purchase a water test kit ASAP. I will also attempt to feed them 2-3 times a day - only enough for them to consume within 3 minutes. I hope this stabilizes the balance. I am also trying to keep a very close eye on the tank temperature. It has been VERY hot here (but is cooling off this week) and I think that the fluctuation has really made the fish stressed. It certainly made me stressed over their welfare.

I inspected my skirted tetra when he died and I think he may have had ich. I've had two other tanks in the past 15 years and I've actually never had an ich problem. But I think that he had that rather than cotton mouth as the previous rasbora had. I'm just taking precautions regarding the rest now.

I realize that I may have jeopardized all the fish but I felt I had nothing to lose, I just felt like the water was poisoning them before I changed it. I am hoping that this drastic change doesn't kill them but I had to start somewhere.

I just feel better writing this down and if anyone thinks I have screwed up very badly, I would like to think they would let me know. Thanks.

 

[reefrunner69]

Did you take the water to have it tested before you changed the water? Changing all the water isn't usually a good idea, it is very stress ful for the fish, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. What is the temperature of this tank?

I will also attempt to feed them 2-3 times a day - only enough for them to consume within 3 minutes

I think if you do this, your going to run into some serious water quality problems, if you want to feed them 2-3 times per day...then no more than they can eat in about 1 minute or a little less.

and I think that the fluctuation has really made the fish stressed. It certainly made me stressed over their welfare.

I asked above what the temp is, how hot has it gotten in the tank? 82-84 is acceptable for the fish you have and you can stabalize that with the use of a heater.

 

[AimeeOR]

The temperature of the tank is about 75 right now - is that too low??????? - but it has been fluctuating with our heatwaves and cold-spells lately. On the hot days it has been between 78 and 84 each day but I've always kept my tanks between 75 and 78. Upon my observation, they do seem to be more comfortable when the temp is lower, rather than higher. But what do I know, I only the human.

I did want to test the water but I don't have a car and getting to a tropical fish or pet store is difficult, so I didn't get it tested yesterday as I wanted to. I will test it in about a week, hopefully, during that time, I won't lose any. I know, I am probably a big, huge idiot. Last time I had it tested (a month ago) it had ridiculously high nitrate levels (my filter had broken and they were without it for two days). I changed 75% of the water as told by the tropical fish store and my fish just became very, very stressed. Within half an hour, two fish died. I didn't touch the water after that, except to add to it.

Regarding the feedings. I have been feeding them once a day enough for them to eat in about 5-10 minutes. I've always done that but I read that if you feed them less more often, that it will cause you fewer problems with your water, so I thought I'd try it. Is it a bad idea? I'm not wed to anything at the moment. I think I'm floundering a bit.

As I said earlier, the fish were much less stressed with this water change. I could see it with their movements and, its been about 24 hours now, my minnow has brightened back up to her normal shade. Two days ago she was very pasty. And they are all eating well. I did manage to keep about 20% of the old water, so I didn't put them in without that, but I don't know if it will work.

I am also keeping my fingers crossed. I know that water changes are VERY stressful.

 

[reefrunner69]

The temperature of the tank is about 75 right now - is that too low???????

Yes these are tropical fish, over the course of a few days you should bump the temp up to about 82.

Upon my observation, they do seem to be more comfortable when the temp is lower, rather than higher. But what do I know, I only the human.

They are simply more active at higher temps, fish are cold blooded and draw their body heat from the water, lower temps slow down their metabolism. The fluctuations are extremely stressful and can be cured with the use of a heater.

I changed 75% of the water as told by the tropical fish store and my fish just became very, very stressed. Within half an hour, two fish died.

Please stop listening to the advice of this fish store, they aren't that bright or knowledgable about fish.

Regarding the feedings. I have been feeding them once a day enough for them to eat in about 5-10 minutes.

I'd almost be willing to bet, this is the root of your problem. Fish cannot eat for 5-10 minutes, that is alot of food and alot of waste in the tank, this is probably the source of the fungus and certainly the source of the high nitrates, ammonia to I'm sure.

Feed no more than your fish can eat in a couple of minutes if feeding once per day, if you feed multiple times, cut down the amount of food per feeding.

 

[reefrunner69]

I know that water changes are VERY stressful.

Smaller more frequent water changes are not stressfull to your fish, make sure to adjust temp and ph to that of the tank, and are beneficial to the tank and are an integral part of it's maintenance.

 

[AimeeOR]

Thank you for your advice.

The fish are doing better now. I thought the feedings might be a contributing to the water issue. I've been giving them only enough to consume within a few minutes. I've been watching to see how long it takes them to lose interest, and time it that way, with less food. I will gradually bump the water temp up to around 82.


Thanks again.