Hi everybody,
I am very new to fish keeping and this website. I will attempt to give all information necessary and try not to be too long winded. I have a black skirt tetra who has not eaten for 4 days (Fish 1). Fish 1 had two days of zero attempts to eat, and two days of trying to take a bite or two and spitting it back out which was yesterday and today. He has been swimming fine in all other regards as far as I can tell. This all started 6 days ago, I had another black skirt (Fish 2) die. He had not eaten in two days, and was swimming near the surface, breaking the surface, breathing fast, and on the 3rd day sideways at the bottom. I tried to use Melafix, had an air stone, and water changes, but no avail. I am worried the same will happen to the Fish 1, though his symptoms are different. He has the eating issue, but he is swimming normally, chasing the other fish, not breathing heavy, and not going to the surface awkward and listlessly.
I am worried that it has something wrong with its mouth or bladder or stomach based on what I have read. Some sort of digestive issue. But let me be clear, I have a month of reading experience and I am clueless.
Per the API freshwater master test kit.
I have 0 ammonia and nitrite.
My ph is kind of high at 8.0-8.2 which is the high range for this fish, but I have read it is best not to use chemicals and try to change it. If they can deal with it, it should be fine was the consensus vs trying to change it.
My nitrate levels were getting high to the 20-40 range. I am sure I was overfeeding at first, it is very hard to learn how much to use. I have asked at the store and had them demonstrate for me, which has helped. Generally 2 small pinches submerged under the surface so it puffs out into a ball. I use Tetra flakes. Enough for two minutes of eating.
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/start...k-aquarium-starter-kit---10-gallon-58682.html
I have this tank and filter. I have had this setup for about a month.
https://imgur.com/a/RH3azZ9
A couple pictures.
For the past 4 days I have been doing more changes because I thought Fish 2 might have passed from high nitrate. I did a 30% change, then a 10%, then a day off, then a 10%. I use tap water which per the testing has no nitrates, I add 1ml dechlorinate in a 2gal jug, let it sit a day, and use that water. Slowly and stopping if the heater kicks on, waiting to add more.
I think part of the problem is I didn't cycle fully before adding them.
A family acquaintance was moving and didn't want to take his fish. I wound up with 2 black skirt tetra that he would have got rid of. They were already a year or two old. Unfortunately I received them with zero experience and zero supplies. Literally got them in a big Folger's coffee jar.
So I have been making mistakes since day one but none too costly. Day 1 I bought the tank. I had his old filter and rocks which I kept in the tank to ensure bacteria. I did all my reading on the cycling but I did not have the time to wait. I added the pre-conditioned store water with some of the Tetra starter bacteria. After a day I added the two fish I purchased and they have been doing fine for weeks.
I purchased 2 more black skirt tetra, and one passed away. It was breathing near the surface and fast. This was before I added an airstone. I am not sure what happened but I chalked it up to being from the fish store and my inexperience. It was way sadder than I thought it would be. So I went out and bought 2 more, hopefully for the last time for a while. So right now I have 4 Black Skirts with 2 of the 6 passing. 1 original and 1 of the new ones. A 10 gal tank. I only added more fish after reading so much about them schooling and 2 gal per fish is the minimum. I wish I got a bigger tank. I wish I didn't rush to add fish. But it is what it is and I want to get better at this.
The nitrate has been becoming more towards 20 than 40 per the testing kid via the water changes. I also got a gravel vaccume and have used that to do the changes this week. I do have a separate goldfish bowl, with no additional filter or heater, if I need to separate him. I just don't know if the water is as good or too cold, I think it would be worse.
The only other info I can think of is when the fish who died Monday stopped eating last weekend, I tried to get another food. I got freeze dried bloodworms. I soaked them in water for 30 seconds or so and dropped a few in. I noticed them bite them and not swallow them and spit them out. Kind of panic and just scooped the other bits out. They seemed too hard for this small fish to eat. Is it possible this one tried to eat one and hurt his mouth?
Really don't want him to pass, he's the last of the two originals and the biggest. The weird thing is the other 3 fish, all from petco, are schooling and playing and perfectly fine. This one plays with them a bit too, but doesnt 'hang out' with them all day. He is not in the back under the filter or at the surface like I saw with the other fish, he looks fine, just struggling to eat. This makes me think its not air, filter, water, of infection from the new fish.
So. Digestion? Worms? Mouth? I am clueless. Do I pay the fish guy at petco $40 to come over? Figured I would ask here first. Thanks in advance, I really want to get this right.
I am very new to fish keeping and this website. I will attempt to give all information necessary and try not to be too long winded. I have a black skirt tetra who has not eaten for 4 days (Fish 1). Fish 1 had two days of zero attempts to eat, and two days of trying to take a bite or two and spitting it back out which was yesterday and today. He has been swimming fine in all other regards as far as I can tell. This all started 6 days ago, I had another black skirt (Fish 2) die. He had not eaten in two days, and was swimming near the surface, breaking the surface, breathing fast, and on the 3rd day sideways at the bottom. I tried to use Melafix, had an air stone, and water changes, but no avail. I am worried the same will happen to the Fish 1, though his symptoms are different. He has the eating issue, but he is swimming normally, chasing the other fish, not breathing heavy, and not going to the surface awkward and listlessly.
I am worried that it has something wrong with its mouth or bladder or stomach based on what I have read. Some sort of digestive issue. But let me be clear, I have a month of reading experience and I am clueless.
Per the API freshwater master test kit.
I have 0 ammonia and nitrite.
My ph is kind of high at 8.0-8.2 which is the high range for this fish, but I have read it is best not to use chemicals and try to change it. If they can deal with it, it should be fine was the consensus vs trying to change it.
My nitrate levels were getting high to the 20-40 range. I am sure I was overfeeding at first, it is very hard to learn how much to use. I have asked at the store and had them demonstrate for me, which has helped. Generally 2 small pinches submerged under the surface so it puffs out into a ball. I use Tetra flakes. Enough for two minutes of eating.
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/start...k-aquarium-starter-kit---10-gallon-58682.html
I have this tank and filter. I have had this setup for about a month.
https://imgur.com/a/RH3azZ9
A couple pictures.
For the past 4 days I have been doing more changes because I thought Fish 2 might have passed from high nitrate. I did a 30% change, then a 10%, then a day off, then a 10%. I use tap water which per the testing has no nitrates, I add 1ml dechlorinate in a 2gal jug, let it sit a day, and use that water. Slowly and stopping if the heater kicks on, waiting to add more.
I think part of the problem is I didn't cycle fully before adding them.
A family acquaintance was moving and didn't want to take his fish. I wound up with 2 black skirt tetra that he would have got rid of. They were already a year or two old. Unfortunately I received them with zero experience and zero supplies. Literally got them in a big Folger's coffee jar.
So I have been making mistakes since day one but none too costly. Day 1 I bought the tank. I had his old filter and rocks which I kept in the tank to ensure bacteria. I did all my reading on the cycling but I did not have the time to wait. I added the pre-conditioned store water with some of the Tetra starter bacteria. After a day I added the two fish I purchased and they have been doing fine for weeks.
I purchased 2 more black skirt tetra, and one passed away. It was breathing near the surface and fast. This was before I added an airstone. I am not sure what happened but I chalked it up to being from the fish store and my inexperience. It was way sadder than I thought it would be. So I went out and bought 2 more, hopefully for the last time for a while. So right now I have 4 Black Skirts with 2 of the 6 passing. 1 original and 1 of the new ones. A 10 gal tank. I only added more fish after reading so much about them schooling and 2 gal per fish is the minimum. I wish I got a bigger tank. I wish I didn't rush to add fish. But it is what it is and I want to get better at this.
The nitrate has been becoming more towards 20 than 40 per the testing kid via the water changes. I also got a gravel vaccume and have used that to do the changes this week. I do have a separate goldfish bowl, with no additional filter or heater, if I need to separate him. I just don't know if the water is as good or too cold, I think it would be worse.
The only other info I can think of is when the fish who died Monday stopped eating last weekend, I tried to get another food. I got freeze dried bloodworms. I soaked them in water for 30 seconds or so and dropped a few in. I noticed them bite them and not swallow them and spit them out. Kind of panic and just scooped the other bits out. They seemed too hard for this small fish to eat. Is it possible this one tried to eat one and hurt his mouth?
Really don't want him to pass, he's the last of the two originals and the biggest. The weird thing is the other 3 fish, all from petco, are schooling and playing and perfectly fine. This one plays with them a bit too, but doesnt 'hang out' with them all day. He is not in the back under the filter or at the surface like I saw with the other fish, he looks fine, just struggling to eat. This makes me think its not air, filter, water, of infection from the new fish.
So. Digestion? Worms? Mouth? I am clueless. Do I pay the fish guy at petco $40 to come over? Figured I would ask here first. Thanks in advance, I really want to get this right.
