bluerose
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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.
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.