29 gallon fail.

[FoxRob]

Well it turned out the tiger barbs in my 29 gal really like hurting other fish. First were my emerald cory cats early this week. Then they turned their attention to the kissing gourami's, lost one yesterday morning then the other was looking better yesterday afternoon but lasting it was on the bottom of the tank one of it's eyes was cloudy and that side of It's face was red and irritated looking. I turned the heater up and added some salt brought the temp up 2* but it was floating this morning. I took the tigers out yesterday morning. I know the gourami's were too big for tank but they were still small. I tried to get a pic of it but it would keep moving lastnight. I just finished doing a 50% pwc in both of my tanks. Now I'm going to move the last fish from that tank onto my 55 gal which is a small pleco bit what should o do to make sure it doesn't have what ever killed my gourami? Since I don't have a QT tank.

Forgot water param's
Temp was 77*
PH 7.6
Ammonia 1.0 ppm(my tap water tests 1.0 out of the tap and I do use prime)
NitrIte 0 ppm
NitrAte 10 ppm

The PH rose from 7.0 to 7.6 since yesterday my tap water is 7.6 after sitting out for 24 hrs.

My 55 gal Temp is 77*
PH 6.8
Ammonia is .50 ppm
NitrItes 0 ppm
NitrAtes 10ppm
I have been doing daily PWC's for the past week trying to get a grip on the ammo

 

[HUKIT]

I'm confused did the gourami have a illness or was it attacked by tiger barbs?

 

[FoxRob]

Both gourami's were being attacked by the tigers the first one had alot of chunks taken out of it. The other gourami looked in better shape a few bite's on it's tail nothing really major and looked fine other wise till lastnight. I pulled the fish from the tank as soon as I found them floating or on the bottom of the tank. I started to treat them the way we did when the tigers nipped all the fins off one of our long fin rosy barbs, which doing much better these days he's actually chasing the other rosy's again and his fins are coming back in nicely. Just shocked to have lost both gourami's with little time to try and help them.
I'm thinking the tigers had stressed them to the point they could deal with anything. The gourami also didn't eat at feeding time.

I want to take the tank down and redo it with sand bottom and more plants but I also don't want to endanger my fish in the 55 gallon or the pleco for that matter. We are planning on a 150 gal tank next year(after we move, don't have the room for it now).

Thinking of re stocking it with 4 black fin cories, 6 black phantom tetra's, rubber lip or bristlenose pleco I'm not sure what else yet after it re cycles with an added filter.

What kind of plant's would be good the one left in it is not doing too good, the tigers were having there way with the plants too.

 

[HUKIT]

The fish was certainly stressed from the effects of high ammonia and being attacked by the tiger barbs. Just like people the effects of stress are harmful and fatal in some cases. Short-term stress will cause an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. The fish is reacting much as we do with the fight or flight mode. The fish can only maintain these altered states for a short period of time and then they will adapt or the stress will become chronic. Stress is accompanied by the release of the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for many of the negative health effects associated with stress. In addition to having a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and digestion, chronic stress will also lower the ability of the immune system to respond effectively and fully. This lowered immune response is what allows parasites, bacteria, and fungi to infect a stressed fish and cause disease and death.

 

[FoxRob]

Thinking of re stocking it with 4 black fin cories, 6 black phantom tetra's, rubber lip or bristlenose pleco I'm not sure what else yet after it re cycles with an added filter.

Would a pair of keyhole cichlid be a good idea with the other fish I posted? AqAdvisor doesn't have any warning against it.

 

[FoxRob]

The fish was certainly stressed from the effects of high ammonia and being attacked by the tiger barbs. Just like people the effects of stress are harmful and fatal in some cases. Short-term stress will cause an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. The fish is reacting much as we do with the fight or flight mode. The fish can only maintain these altered states for a short period of time and then they will adapt or the stress will become chronic. Stress is accompanied by the release of the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for many of the negative health effects associated with stress. In addition to having a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and digestion, chronic stress will also lower the ability of the immune system to respond effectively and fully. This lowered immune response is what allows parasites, bacteria, and fungi to infect a stressed fish and cause disease and death.

Thank you for the explanation. So since they were not bothering the pleco he should be fine to move into my 55 gal then? Maybe I'll wait a few days before I move him.

 

[HUKIT]

I'm sure it will be fine to move him, good luck we've all been there and trust me it does get better.

 

[FoxRob]

I'm sure it will be fine to move him, good luck we've all been there and trust me it does get better.

Thank you, I'll move him tonight so all the lights will be out.