I'm new & need help! Desperately

[SteffeyJ]

Hello all, I am new to the forum, and fairly new to the hobby. (Had a tank when I was younger that totally died due to ich from walmart fish about 18 years ago!) So that doesnt count.
I recently got sober. And needed something to take up my time & money... and boy did i find it!
Started with a few gallon jars and some plants.. a few hitchhiker snails..
And now. Have a 20g, a 10g, a 3.5g and about 9 gallon tanks/ jars for plants and the hitchhikers.. lol.
Anyway, the big tank was my birthday present back in march.. I waited... and waited.. and finally got it cycled enough. So I thought.. got 4 guppies and they died within 2 days. So I waited more...
Then got a couple fish. They lived, so got more.
The girl at LFS talked me into a Garra Rufa. Which i never heard of. After a LITTLE research and her assurance, I took it home. And ended up with him showing cotton moth issues almost immediately... then I saw a white fuzzy mass... and it was one of my black kuhli loaches, dead..
So go back to store, they give me stuff and assure me it will treat the fungus. "Its what they use."
Then find out it isnt invert safe!!
So set up an emergency 3 gallon. Move my 2 big mystery snails, my small magenta snail, found about 7 out of 8 of the Malaysian trumpets. And 12 cherry shrimp... moved them to the 3 gallon. I put some used sponges in the tank. (They dont fit in the tiny filter and have since started running a small sponge filter as well as the teeny power head it came with.)
They all seem ok in the 3 gallon. I have to water change frequently though.
So 1st question... is putting sponge media directly into the tank enough BB for cycle?
Have also been using Seachem Stability. And use it with each water change along with Prime.
2nd. I still have 3 black kuhli loaches and 4 panda cory cats in the big tank.. while still treating it..
They show no signs. And I've ran the treatment and increased heat like it said to...
Everyone seems ok..
Would it be safe for me to run a carbon filter for a week... maybe 2, and then put the shrimp and snails back?
OR... Is it best to just leave them in the 3.5 gallon because they seem perfectly happy there!
(And moving them there was stressful enough!!)

Sorry so long...
My LFS seems to be of no help to me..
And I DESPERATELY need help..
ANY ADVICE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
Thank you..
Jazz.

 

[pwypGlofish]

For the first question, yes, it's definitely OK to take used sponge media to cycle immediately the tank and carbon filters are one of the best to use in fish tanks (I don't know if some people might disagree) If your snails look happy in the 3g tank, it's up to you to either move them to their first home or leave them there.

 

[SteffeyJ]

Thank you so much for replying!
I have a carbon filter pad in both tanks and also a sponge filter in both tanks.. in the larger tank I have some sponges along with the carbon filter (that is what I threw into the 3.5 gal)
They just seem happy there.. and I dont want to stress them out further by moving them back.. plus, it might be MTS and I want an excuse. ����

Do you have any knowledge of fungus?
If the remaining fish show now signs and all is testing fine, is it safe to add fish again? Treatment has been completed. (Removed the carbon filter during and put a new one in after the treatment)
Thank you for your help!
Glad I joined!

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.

 

[SteffeyJ]

I also have one more question....
My gold Inca, has a 'V' shaped chunk out of her shell right above he reproductive organs...
Has been 4 days and she seems ok. But my larger black mystery is all over her.... ALLLLL the time!!
Should I separate them?
Or rehome one?
She is laying clutches 1-2 times A WEEK!!
she seems perfectly fine...
But i feel If I was in her shoes, I wouldnt be happy!! Haha!

Then my first snail, a small magenta, he has a hairline crack.. seems 'Okay...' But he seems more active and happier in the smaller tank, (1 gal!!!) I had him in a 1.5 gal to start. Then to a 20. Then moved to a 3.5 because of a fungal treatment... he went dormant... and now that I've moved him back to a 1 gal. He is back to his old self, running the place and being active all the time.. which NEVER happened in anything bigger than 2 gallons!!

I've had him almost 2 years and he was the first 'live' critter I got after getting back into the hobby...
I want him to be happy!
I put in crushed coral and cuttlefish bone (both are in ALL TANKS big and small.)
He just seems happier alone, and in a smaller tank.... should I just leave him be in his small home??
Or is he more active because he needs more space?
But when he was in the big tank, he only stayed in one spot for WEEKS!! idk what to do!!
And I want my baby to be happy!!
I even have a hopeful 'girlfriend' on the way!!
What else can I do for him??
Or just leave him be??
I want what's best for him!!!!
Thank you to ANYONE that can help!!

Jasmine..

 

[pwypGlofish]

Well, I think the answer is simple If your snail is happier in the 1g tank, it would be better to leave him there. Sometimes people in the hobby exaggerate the parameters in which fish and snails have to live in (One single of them needs 20g and if you want more purchase 120g!) things like that; in practice it’s all about trial and error. If your small tank isn’t overstocked and the snail is happy there, then leave it be since you want all of your fish to be happy and healthy xD My only advice would be to do frequent water changes but it’s as simple as that!

 

[SteffeyJ]

Ok!! Thank you so much!!
I honestly didn't know if it was 'okay' or 'cruel' but he is just sooo much happier alone and with less space it seems!! So going to leave him where he is happiest!
And yes, I agree..
And I know 1 gallon is small...
But that's what he seems happiest in!
Thank you so much for the reassurance!

 

[Autumnsky]

Hi SteffyJ, welcome - and you have a lot going on there.

Snails cruise all around in a tank eating. Having a good bit of space with biofilm and foods is beneficial for them.

They do one heck of a lot of mating if they feel like it. You can move one of them. It isn't like you are gonna break their hearts. You can always allow special visitations...

Do you know about the nitrification cycle? The article in my signature link has the information about that and other useful info.

Maintaining the sponge filters with beneficial bacteria / BB without washing it in untreated tap water is important. Keeping BB alive and functioning to maintain safe water parameters for the fish, and snails is critical.

Changing water in the smaller tank you are doing is good.

Congrats on your sobriety, and many new tanks.

Carbon in a filter has the potential to remove medication. Though it is most potent for a relatively short period maybe 7 -10 days. (disclaimer - not a scientist and haven't done special testing on it : ) ) Many accounts and information from respected sources states that is looses it potency.

 

[SteffeyJ]

Thank you for the reply!!
Yes I Definitely know about the cycle lol.
After getting my water 'tested' at a box fish store and them saying it was 'fine' got 4 guppies and all died within 2 days! Was heartbroken.. almost gave up at a couple points.. but here I am.. about a year later and the tank is most definitely cycled. And thank goodness I kept an extra micro sponge filter and ended up using it for an emergency 3.5 gal for my shrimp (and snails) during the ick treatment of the large tank.. after 5 days, I put a carbon filter in to remove the rest of the treatment. And after running it for a week or two, I put the snails back in the large tank and removed the carbon filter and put back my normal sponges and other media I normally use.. and all has been fine..
Except the 2 large snails.
She can be in the middle of laying eggs and he will climb out of the water after her! And if I push him away, the second she drops down back in the water, he is on her!! Cant help but feel bad for her lol!!
However, she does seem fine. No signs of stress other than the small chip in her shell which has almost completely healed already...
I think it is more me putting human emotions onto a snail! Lol..
But, if I do see signs of stress or anything, my LFS said they would be willing to take one of them...
My only other option is my 3.5 gallon shrimp tank and idk if it can handle the boiload of such a large snail to be honest....
I just cant find anyone else with the same issue!
Its crazy to me! Lol.
Thanks for all of the help though!

 

[Autumnsky]

What has happened to me in the past with a small tank 5-12Gs was a mid size or large MS would die and me not see it dead right away and it would really hit the water quality hard, the little shrimp weren't good with the high ammonia.

There have been a lot of different groups of shrimp in the last 8 1/2 years and at least 3 times had good sized losses from MS dying. I only keep the small marble-ish to maybe a little bigger in the little tanks, then try to find a new home or move to a different tank.

Recently I reduced the number of tanks I keep (moved) and my bigger tank has Clown Loaches which like to eat snails, so I am not comfortable putting them in there even as adults. Because they'd likely become a buffet item.