Tank crashing.

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bluerose

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
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616
Location
Southern CA
OK... so my lovely little 10 gallon has dwindled to 1 neon tetra, 4 ghost shrimp, and some pretty happy plants (down from 6 neons, 2 cories and the shrimp).

Something's going on-- I've lost two fish in the past few days and lost three the last time I moved the tank in Sept, although slowly. I haven't previously had moving difficulties-- very similar pH in both areas, I use plenty of dechlor, keep about 1/3rd of the original water, fish always perk back up in a matter of hours.

Just tested the water-- parameters are perfect, if the fish weren't dying. 0ppm ammonia and nitrite, 5ppm nitrate, pH 7.6 as usual. Temp was a little high, but not horribly (78). The tank's been up for a year.

I was planning to move them to a smaller tank anyway (Marineland 5gal hex-- plastic vs glass, much easier to move and easier size to have in a dorm)... so I just put water in the new tank. I figured I would have no problem cycling it as the 10gal filter has an extra sponge-- but if something in the 10gal is killing the fish, I'm thinking I should write off that filter material. Needless to say the substrate is being pitched and everything else doused in vinegar or bleach solution once I figure out what to do with the shrimp and tetra, if it lives.

Should I pull the tetra out? I can put it in my hospital tank, although it would have to keep the "contaminated" heater and go filterless. (Probably not an issue with one tetra, though, I'd think.)


As far as the new tank goes, I have enough plants to easily cycle a 5gal (if I lose this last neon, and I suspect I will, I'm thinking about a betta and shrimp or otos)-- will java fern survive an H202 bath? The anubias will, certainly. I should re-boil the driftwood too I'm thinking... and H202 the terra cotta pot.

What about the shrimp? If there's a parasite or fungus or something in the 10gal (it's not ich, and I've lost a tetra or two to NTD and they waste away before dying-- these guys are fine until I find what's left of them), should I assume the shrimp are carrying it but not affected by it?

Ach... sigh. I was having such good tank luck until this. :(
 
If there was a contaminate in your 10g tank causing the fish to die, IMO, your shrimp would have been the first to go. Since they are still alive, I would look into other causes for the fish deaths.

How long has it been since you added new fish to the tank, what kind of fish have died over the past few days?
 
I haven't added any fish since spring (April, IIRC).

I lost both cories over the summer and the tetras have been dying since then (3 in September and two others in the past few days). The last tetra is still alive, although freaked out, understandably as it's alone. I don't want to intro any new fish, though, until I know what's going on.

Sigh...
 
Blueiz is right. Invertebrates are usually the first to die off if the tank is contaminated.

The corys may have died from stress. They like to be kept in larger groups. If the tank is well established, and it seems like it is, look for an illness or a stressful event as the cause. You've lost the fish over a fairly long period of time, so it could just be natural deaths. Chances are, the fish were wild-caught, so you don't know how old they were. I'd let the 10g be and wouldn't worry about using it's filter media elsewhere.
 
The shrimp surviving is what had me confused.

So the issue is what to do-- I'm still planning to switch to the 5gal hex tank, because it's a hassle to move a 10g glass in and out of a dorm (having to drain the tank and whatnot). I don't think neons would be so happy though with less room... and one neon is not such a happy camper.

Would a fish store take a neon? We have the usual PetSmart/Petco here although there is also a little independent store. I don't think a neon would be a very happy tankmate for a betta, either, which is probably what I would get for a 5gal. Hmm...
 
the local independent stores usually take free fish... and usually they give you half of what the fish is worth for store credit...
 
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