So So Frustrated!

[squealor]

I know that I've written about this before, but I just lost another cory (3 total now) and it's just so upsetting! It's always the day after a water change. I did a 20-25% water change last night and today, one of the cories is trying to swim but only doing spirals and crashing to the gravel. I transferred him to my QT, but it didn't matter. They never last long once they start doing that.
I've tested everything a million times and the ONLY thing that I can come up with is that my tap pH (8.8) is a lot higher than my tank (7.2). The tank has a big piece of driftwood, which I assume is the cause for the decrease in pH.
I know that many people are against adding chemicals to neutralize pH, but what else can I do?? I leave the water out in a big rubbermaid for days with declorinator in it and it's still high.
Other than chemicals or maybe adding a big piece of driftwood to the rubbermaid, what can I do? I know that people said to do smaller water changes, too, but doing tiny water changes every other day is just so tedious and I plan on having this tank for a long, long time. And it's hard when vacuuming gravel to keep it to a small amount of water...
I get so upset when I lose fish!!!

 

[Elmware]

Do you use straight cold water when you do a water change?

Assuming you do, try prepairing the water ahead of time so that it is able to get up to room temperature. What may be happening is the sudden drop in temperature may be causeing stress on their immune system from the sudden temperature change.

I don't know if that's exactly what's happening in your tank, but if it helps any then it's worth a shot.

 

[squealor]

Nope, it's aged water that sits out for days and is room temperature (which is close to the tank water temp) b/c it's so hot out here... I even checked the temp of the rubbermaid bucket and it's within a couple of degrees.

 

[RabidChild]

You could try taking the driftwood out of the tank.

 

[Elmware]

That is puzzling. I assume the buckets are completely clean and didn't have anything harmfull in them before.

 

[squealor]

I bought the bucket and the rubbermaid container exclusively for the tank cleanings... I just rinsed them with tap water before using them to get any dust out.

 

[mattrox]

When you sit the water out in the rubbermaid, add an airator to agitiate the water. This will help equalize the CO2 in the water with the atmosphere. Water with a high pH can sometimes be difficult to 'age'. Make sure the pH has dropped before adding it to your tank.

(if the pH doesn't drop then you need to find out why the tank pH is much lower)

 

[TomK2]

squealor-
you said it is always after a water change, but I presume that it does not happen after every water change? I was trying to think along different lines of thought. That a physical stress or injury is caused by the manipulation of the tank. The fish gets really scared or stressed by the water change activity, or that it physically injures itself trying to hide somewhere? And you have only had losses with the bottom dwelling cories? Any chance of physical injury with the siphon tube? Ever consider only cleaning half the gravel at a time, so that the bottom dwellers can hide over on the undisturbed side?

Just a thought. It really might be the pH differences. I am curious, does the tank pH change after the water change? Or does the tank pH stay the same, despite the differences in water change and tank pH? Perhaps a more gradual introduction of the water change water?

I am puzzled, and hope this does not happen to you again.

 

[Hara]

If you are doing a 25% water change with water that has a ph that is that far from what the tank water is then yes, the fish very well could be suffering from the shock.

Try using RO water for your water changes.