Cherry Barbs Dying

[brunettebaby4571]

If you are replacing the filter media every month you are basically going to go through a new cycle each month. Just rinse the used media in old tank water after a water change and you are good to go.

 

[catfishkid]

According to the api, you need to shake the bottle for 2 minutes minimum. Set a timer, your arm will feel like its going to fall off, but keep shaking til the full 2 minutes has passed.

Ok, thank you so much for you help!

 

[rmiller]

Anytime. Let me know how your test turns out tomorrow.

 

[Rokuzachi]

I did a water test and everythings fine. although right now this is happening to another one

View attachment 203156

He's flopping around and his eyes are bulged out like crazy.

Sounds like you may have gotten some 'bad' fish in the batch.

There are some illnesses that can kill a fish before you even see symptoms (though eyes bulged are obviously a symptom of something). When a fish suddenly dies I find it best to assume that you're dealing with some form of illness and move forward accordingly - fish rarely just up and die for no reason.

With new fish its often a good idea to place them in a tank by themselves (that does not need to be cycled) to observe them for a while to avoid bringing diseases or parasites into your main tank. Lots of people use large tupperware for this (things like 25 quart sterilite bins) with an airstone. You can take it a step further and treat the new fish with general antibiotics and parasite medications while they are waiting to be transferred into the new tank.

Many of the things that can kill our little friends are actually in the tank already - they are opportunistic (bacteria, parasites), and sometimes all it takes is a bit of stress from being moved or harassed by a tankmate for the fish to become weak enough for a sickness to set in and cause an outbreak in your tank.

Something to watch out for in pet stores is newly arrived fish as well - I tend to ask the folks how long ago a given fish came in. If it's only been in the store for a few days, you may want to hold off because it might not have recovered from the shipping and having another transition so soon could likely stress it enough to kill it or come down with something. If you let it 'marinate' in the store tank for a few weeks and check back, you may manage to avoid picking up fish that would have died for one reason or another soon after arriving at the store.

 

[bshenanagins]

These are the filters that I despise because cartridges set you up for failure. The problem is that they tend to clog very quickly, which gives the new aquarist the assumption "oh, I need to replace the cartridge." FALSE, the manufacture wants you to do this so you keep buying their over priced polyfill frame. By replacing the cartridge every month your are throwing away essential beneficial bacteria, in which is responsible for actually filtering your water. The bacteria harbors itself on the padding and take cares of the nitrogen waste. By removing it every month, your removing your entire workforce, thus initiating a new cycle. The Bacteria needs to once again multiply, which allows nitrogenous waste like ammonia and nitrite to build up. As mentioned if they are the typical carbon filled pads, the carbon only is probably only doing its job for about a week because the amount provided is abysmal and gets exhausted fairly quickly depending on your stock. It will eventually become a breeding ground for BB as well, but there is speculation that exhausted carbon eventually releases the toxins back into the water column. I am not sure of the validity of this as I am not a carbon user and therefore it is of no concern to me lol. I would highly recommend acquiring a filter that allows you to customize the media you put into it.

 

[bshenanagins]

BTW, is this your 22 gallon tank in your profile we are discussing? If so, you need a new filter ASAP. I enjoy over filtration, so I recommend an AC50 or AC70.

 

[catfishkid]

Yes it is the 22 gal in my profile. When you all say I shouldn't change the cartridge because it restarts the cycling process, but it is so filled of stuff that it won't filter any more.

 

[rmiller]

Does it have carbon in the cartridge? If so the carbon is bad by now and totally useless. You can use 100% polyfil in your filter instead with the same result. As it gets dirty rinse it in dirty tank water during your water changes. Add a few biorings and a sponge to your filter compartment and you have a very effective filter.

Make sure the polyfill has no flame retardant or antibacterial additives. You can get it at any craft store. It's cheap and lasts forever.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

When its gets gross and filled just rinse it in old tank water.

 

[bshenanagins]

Not sure if you read my full post, but that filter is simply not enough for your tank

 

[catfishkid]

Alright, I will definitely look into a new filter. Any suggestions for better filters?

 

[bshenanagins]

Alright, I will definitely look into a new filter. Any suggestions for better filters?

There's plenty of options. You can go with a HOB filter or a canister. My personal preference is canisters because they provide the most room for media and typically have a higher turnover rate. For a HOB id choose AquaClear and I'd go with the 70 or 110. For a canister I'd recommend a fluval 20(4,5, or 6) or a Rena (now API) Xp series. You can also go the "cheap" route and grab a Sun Sun canister filter that works just the same. Someone else will have to chime in about the sun suns as I have no personal experience just heard good feedback on them.

 

[catfishkid]

Okay, I'll look into those.


And some more death in the tank today A cherry barb AND a corydora died today. The corydora was very red around his gills but I don't know if that means anything. I did a water test and everything is fine. I don't understand why they keep dying!

 

[brunettebaby4571]

What are your test numbers?

 

[bshenanagins]

Red gills is usually attributed to ammonia poisoning

 

[catfishkid]

pH - 6.5
ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 0

 

[bshenanagins]

pH - 6.5
ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 0

Something is off here. Are you sure your tank is cycled? Having zero nitrate indicates that either your still cycling or your not properly using the drops. I believe it's the first dropper you have to really shake as the formula settles and will give you a false positive if you do not disturb it prior.

 

[rmiller]

It's the #2 nitrate bottle that needs shaken for 2 minutes solid. It will not read right otherwise.

 

[catfishkid]

Something is off here. Are you sure your tank is cycled? Having zero nitrate indicates that either your still cycling or your not properly using the drops. I believe it's the first dropper you have to really shake as the formula settles and will give you a false positive if you do not disturb it prior.

Yeah I ran into this earlier. My tank is fully cycled and i shake the bottle but nothing comes up for nitrates.

 

[1998golfer]

Yesterday I bought 10 cherry barbs that all looked perfectly healthy (although 2 look pregnant) and this evening I discovered one was dead! I waved it off as some freak thing but then a few minutes ago another was lying still and upside down on the pebbles. Just before I called my dad to scoop him out, he flipped up and swam in a circle, still upside down, like he was having a seizure. He then dropped back to the bottom and lay still. After that he stopped moving all but a slight twitch of a fin. Once that stopped we scooped him out.
(here's a pic of the two if it helps)

Is this something I should worry about?

I had a red platy do that to me years back.spazzed out banging itself on everything in sight. It eventually died.it was freaky.

Edit: this happened before I knew anything about fish keeping.I had no idea what ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite was.I didn't until they past few months.that tanks had been running for a year or so but then it sprung a leak and I had to give away the fish.