Hi! I hope I can provide enough info for someone to help me, but I'm afraid I might be lacking.
July 9 (this year)- Set up a 20 gallon aquarium. Put "multi purpose conditioner" in the water.
July 10- added some live plants to the tank. I was unconcerned about them dying because they were free. I also added 2 Apple Snails that are each about 1.5" tall. I fed the snails apple or cucumber before bed every night, then took out what was left every morning. They were hungry, active and seemed happy exploring.
The tank was running with a Marineland Penquin 150 Bio-Wheel power filter. The tank holds pretty steady around 76/78 and I do turn the light on during the day then off at night.
July 17- I took a water sample to the store to make sure my snails were happy. They told me that the tank was actually ready for fish, so I got 5 glow light tetras. The tetras settled in nicely. I fed them North Fin Premium Community food (and broke the pellets in half for their tiny mouths).
July 26- I returned to the store with another water sample and was told that I was still good to go, so I got 3 fancy female guppies and 1 male. They never really settled in. They were eating every day (same food as the tetras), but they were very inactive and mostly hid in the top back corners of the tank or behind the heater. Sometimes when I came down in the morning, the male was lying in the gravel. I went back to the store (they hate me and all of my questions!) and was told that guppies are shy and my male might "just be a little weird"
August 2- I brought home a little cup of Salvinia. I was hoping that the floating plants would make my guppies feel more comfortable.
August 4- Tank was fine in the morning, but in the evening every single one of my guppies died in a matter of hours, and both of my snails climbed entirely out of the water for the first time. Tetras seemed completely unfazed.
August 5- I took a water sample to the store and was told "PH is a little low and there is a bit of ammonia, but that is probably because fish died in there." "Guppies are weak, so they're usually the first to go" and "snails get out of the water all the time." (Sigh) They did sell me a product called 'Matrix' by Seachem to add to my filter and I did a 25% water change. (As soon as the water change was done, by snails got back in the water).
August 7- I noticed that my tetras are growing white fur. 2 of the 5 are very fuzzy around the gills and forehead, but I think they all have spots of it. They're still active and hungry. I'm going to attach pictures if I can figure out how.
Tomorrow I'm going to go back to the store for a test kit, as I think having that may have saved my guppies. (Are the ones you just leave in the tank accurate?).
I'm just not sure what to do about my little tetras?! If there is something I can get to help them, I want to do it ASAP.
I'm also worried about ever getting more guppies. Did I kill the poor little things with those floating plants?
Thank you!
July 9 (this year)- Set up a 20 gallon aquarium. Put "multi purpose conditioner" in the water.
July 10- added some live plants to the tank. I was unconcerned about them dying because they were free. I also added 2 Apple Snails that are each about 1.5" tall. I fed the snails apple or cucumber before bed every night, then took out what was left every morning. They were hungry, active and seemed happy exploring.
The tank was running with a Marineland Penquin 150 Bio-Wheel power filter. The tank holds pretty steady around 76/78 and I do turn the light on during the day then off at night.
July 17- I took a water sample to the store to make sure my snails were happy. They told me that the tank was actually ready for fish, so I got 5 glow light tetras. The tetras settled in nicely. I fed them North Fin Premium Community food (and broke the pellets in half for their tiny mouths).
July 26- I returned to the store with another water sample and was told that I was still good to go, so I got 3 fancy female guppies and 1 male. They never really settled in. They were eating every day (same food as the tetras), but they were very inactive and mostly hid in the top back corners of the tank or behind the heater. Sometimes when I came down in the morning, the male was lying in the gravel. I went back to the store (they hate me and all of my questions!) and was told that guppies are shy and my male might "just be a little weird"
August 2- I brought home a little cup of Salvinia. I was hoping that the floating plants would make my guppies feel more comfortable.
August 4- Tank was fine in the morning, but in the evening every single one of my guppies died in a matter of hours, and both of my snails climbed entirely out of the water for the first time. Tetras seemed completely unfazed.
August 5- I took a water sample to the store and was told "PH is a little low and there is a bit of ammonia, but that is probably because fish died in there." "Guppies are weak, so they're usually the first to go" and "snails get out of the water all the time." (Sigh) They did sell me a product called 'Matrix' by Seachem to add to my filter and I did a 25% water change. (As soon as the water change was done, by snails got back in the water).
August 7- I noticed that my tetras are growing white fur. 2 of the 5 are very fuzzy around the gills and forehead, but I think they all have spots of it. They're still active and hungry. I'm going to attach pictures if I can figure out how.
Tomorrow I'm going to go back to the store for a test kit, as I think having that may have saved my guppies. (Are the ones you just leave in the tank accurate?).
I'm just not sure what to do about my little tetras?! If there is something I can get to help them, I want to do it ASAP.
I'm also worried about ever getting more guppies. Did I kill the poor little things with those floating plants?
Thank you!
