Ummm Cories almost died on entry

[Laird-and-Dad]

Hi. So I have had plants in my tank for almost a year, and I just got 5 Julii cories. They were happy and swimming in the bag, I floated the bag for 20 minutes, and as soon as I opened the bag, they swam out and kind of sank to the bottom and turned on their sides. So I took them out as soon as I could, and put them with my betta in a 5 gal. 3/5 seem to be doing fine, one is still on its side, and the other is upright but not moving. I checked all my parameters (ammo-0, trites-0, trates-20, temp-74.5 F) but then I checked my drop checker, and it was way in the yellow. I had put the CO2 really high before today, because I had only plants, but today and yesterday I had it like none. So I turned on my air stone to evaporate some of the CO2. Is there anything else I can do to dissipate the co2 faster, and should I put the Cories back in as soon as the drop checker reads green, or should I wait like 2 days just so that I don't have to transfer them so soon?

Also, I used Tetra SafeStart and some seeded material from my 23 gal community tank, and the SafeStart was all clumpy and made the tank cloudy. Maybe that had something to do with it? Or is that normal?

Thank you!

-Laird

 

[Laird-and-Dad]

Oh, so all of them have moved, but they're all not moving very much, like they'll just sit there and not move even if my betta comes really close to them. They all seem to be breathing, though, so that's a good sign.

 

[Fresh2o]

I killed some furcata forktail rainbows with too much CO2. However, these had been in the tank almost a month. Too much of an increase in bps.
Appears they were shocked by the CO2 level and/or pH difference. Don't put them back in until you get the CO2 down. One or more water changes should help. Aeration via airstone or lowering the water level to encourage more splash from the filter should help.
I just bought some celestial pearl danios and otos tonight and in the process of a drip acclimation for an hour or so. Then into the QT for a week or two before they go into the DT. If anything I've learned to be patient with aquatic obsession.


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[Laird-and-Dad]

Hey, thanks for the reply. I know that my lfs and I use the same water, so there's never been s problem with pH. But I checked anyway, and it's about 8.2. Ik it is very alkaline, but that shouldn't have been the issue, because the fish were already acclimated to that pH (I've tested the store's water several times in the past and it is always about the same.) the CO2 is getting down to a more reasonable level (kind of a yellow green in the drop checker) so I'm going to give it 2 or three more days, just to make sure it stays at that level with the co2 back on. Then I'm going to put the Cories back in with some new seeded material.

As for the Cories, they are all alive (phew!) and they've all moved at some point. Some are more active than others, but they're all becoming increasingly active.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi. When I introduce new fish into the main tank I always reduce Co2 rate a day or two prior giving a blue/green in the drop tester. When the fish are really settled I increase the Co2 rate slowly, day by day, until I reach the yellow/lime green colour. I never go into the yellow range as you don't know how far you've exceeded the Co2. Once your dropper reads yellow you have no idea how high the Co2 has reached, even lethal levels. Plant growth is still good and fish are healthy.


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[Laird-and-Dad]

Hi. When I introduce new fish into the main tank I always reduce Co2 rate a day or two prior giving a blue/green in the drop tester. When the fish are really settled I increase the Co2 rate slowly, day by day, until I reach the yellow/lime green colour. I never go into the yellow range as you don't know how far you've exceeded the Co2. Once your dropper reads yellow you have no idea how high the Co2 has reached, even lethal levels. Plant growth is still good and fish are healthy.


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Yeah, well that's what I planned on doing, but I forgot to lower that before getting the fish.

Also, the reason the drop checker was in the yellow range was because I didn't have any fish yet. So I was just stimulating plant growth. Now that I have fish, I definitely intend to keep it at the lime green level.

 

[ScotJudd]

As a follow up, and you probably know this already, but plants only need the Co2 when the lights are on. In the dark the process reverses and they produce some Co2 so you don't want to be adding any more. Also, it's a good idea to run an air stone at night to drive off Co2 and help with oxygen absorption. I use simple plug in domestic timers to control the lights, air stone and Co2 which is very simple, cheap and effective.


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[Laird-and-Dad]

As a follow up, and you probably know this already, but plants only need the Co2 when the lights are on. In the dark the process reverses and they produce some Co2 so you don't want to be adding any more. Also, it's a good idea to run an air stone at night to drive off Co2 and help with oxygen absorption. I use simple plug in domestic timers to control the lights, air stone and Co2 which is very simple, cheap and effective.


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Yep. I have a day/night timer, so my co2 and lights are synced. I also run an air stone at night.

 

[Laird-and-Dad]

Alright so just an update. I've had the Cories with my betta for almost 10 days. They are definitely becoming much more active, and they've been eating a combination of aqueon algae rounds, bottom feeder tablets, and another bottom feeder food that I can remember the name of and its not near me right now.

But I've noticed that they move in bursts, and then they just stop moving. Like, they'll be eating and swimming around and then they stop. And when they stop, you almost can't tell that they're alive. So sometimes it'll look like all I have in the tank is my betta, then one of the Cories will start moving which I guess triggers the others.

So there are 3 most active one, 1 that is kinda active, and 1 that only occasionally moves, and I am worried that he is not getting enough food.

Also, I've seen all of them dart up to the top for air. I put an air stone thinking that increasing oxygen in the water would stop this. But they continue to do this.


I've been hesitant to transfer them back to my other tank for fear of stressing then further. There are two that I would feel comfortable moving over, and I could get more from the store to put into the other tank so I would have 5 in the planted and three in the betta tank. So could I

a)split that group of 5 that I currently have

b) have only three in a tank together

And

c) move them back to the other tank while they still seem to be recovering?

Thanks!

 

[Laird-and-Dad]

one of the cories died last night. He wasn't doing to well to begin with, but I hoped that he would recover like the others.

 

[Autumnsky]

Glad they are doing better.

Always add in the water to mix together even when the water is similar. I just add in X amount similar to 1/4-1/5 the amount and keep adding it into the rest for about an hour every ~15 min if the water is similar.

If not similar I will do it with less amount of water over a longer amount of time. Dump out half water half way through the process, then continue. Make sure they don't get too cold.