Cory acting strange??? AND stcking ideas...?

[Ashleey1000]

I have a 5gallon hex aquarium and after running it for a few weeks i decided get some new fish. My mom always had guppies growing up so i decided to get a male and female and a cory catfish. We have well water and our wateris pretty hard with nitrates. I treat it well with Seachem but it doesnt really help. When i tested it, it said its safe, just a little on the high side for mostly everything (excpet pH). So the people at the petstore said its ok but the cory cat is acting very strange and swimming up and down frantically and 'breathing' hard. When my brother got one once, it did the same thing and died about a month later (along with all the other fish). I know that they are schooling fish, but im not going to go buy anymore unless i know hes not going to die. Is something wrong with him? is he going to die? he seems really stressed... The guppies seem fine and i have some stuff floating at the top and a nother tank for when the female has babies. i'm just worried about the cory. is there any products that make the water not so hard?

Also, i may be getting a 37 gallon tank and i wanted some stocking ideas. i would love some female bettas in the tank with someother fish. They need to be hardy fish too.

 

[summit]

did you cycle the tank?

 

[Ashleey1000]

yes i did

 

[Lowryder]

What kind of test are you using? I think I speak for everyone here when I say get an API liquid test, they are FAR more accurate.

 

[summit]

I agree, API test kit for water testing.

As for your problem, can you help me narrow it down a bit with some information?

My first thought is the tank may not be cycled properly, how did you go about doing the cycle? Do you test your water parameters? Don't take it personally its a pretty standard question around here when diagnosing and a tank will usually take 4-6 weeks to cycle without filter media, and you mentioned you had it set up for a few weeks so its my first thought.

Second thought is well water, you mention its high on everything? Can you be more specific on what its high on, and what the levels are? Seachem is a brand with many products, which seachem product are you using? I am thinking you mean seachem prime?

Does your 5 gallon hex have a filter, bubbler, powerhead, or something to get oxygen into the water?

 

[fearlessfisch]

Put him in the 37-gallon with some friends and he will be much happier.