Cycling wit Fish and Bacteria in a Bottle

[VictoriaC]

Thank You Elise!

Okay its day 10, and my readings don't change...
.25 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates.

My PH around 8

I currently have 3 guppies in 10 gallon and 1 ghost shrimp.

Is that enough? I did 2 water changes so far.
One 30%, and one ( or two?) days ago - 50%. I use API stress coat - i think they claim that it takes care of ammonia from tap.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Enough fish to cycle? Yes. You can cycle a tank with just one fish.

 

[VictoriaC]

Went to the store to exchange sick guppy... came back home - and noticed that new guppy has parts if its tail missing.... Aghr... and i lost previous receipt - so they exchanged it without one... now its second day and this guppy not eating well its tail looks worse - can it be fin rot? and if yes - will my other guppies get sick?
my first guppy not eating well too...
but two ( males) runing up and down around the tank - looking happy.

soo the guys at the store started saying that i change my water too much - and my tank wont cycle because of that!( i change it about twice a week - 50%)
they also said do not change water until ammonia reaches 1.0-2.0!!!!! They said that fish gets used to it!!!!

I think i should stop going to petsmart - and find a local fish store or something tired of getting sick fish - and wierd advice!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I'm sorry I'm a little lost. :/ I read too many threads lol!
Are the guppies with the Betta still?
If its a clean cut it would be a nip or if it's jagged, melted looking or has black or white edges it's fin rot. Fin rots not contagious. It's brought on by stress and poor water quality. Clean water and a little salt will help it heal.
Is there any fuzz?

 

[VictoriaC]

Oh betta is out, we tried puting him back in ( as he looks very sad in his small 1.5 gallon) but i cant spend any money on the bigger tan right now - so he would have to wait a little) and he just became a shark - going right after guppies so back he went.

no the new guppy - i just brought home yesterday.. i noticed a tail missing little in the middle. But today it looked worse - and i think it has a little white edge.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Super clean water and salt - 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. Add it slowly over a day or so. It sounds like fin rot from the stress at the store.

Poor mr Betta. I use large Tupperware containers for tanks sometimes. Or storage boxes. Works well are they're cheap.

 

[VictoriaC]

SO i noticed fuzz on the tail - googled and looks exactly like columnaris
i wont be purchasing any fish from that petsmart! i moved sick fish out yesterday, clean water with some salt - but today its not looking well at all

it cant swim - laying on the floor and if floating -its vertical...
don't now what to do now!
i guess should create a post in disease section of the site?
how should i treat my other 2 guppies? the first male i got -looking good but trying to play with the other one... the other one just sitting on the bottom of the tank most of the time... i think i saw a white worm-like thing coming out of it... grhhh

i have not even cycled tank yet - already so many problems!!! almost feel like starting over or something.
but for sure - no more petsmart!!!!

 

[VictoriaC]

Week 2 day 2 parameters

Ammonia .5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate close to 5.0 ( its not yellow but not quite the 5.0 orange just yet)

I am about to do a 50% water change.

WHy no Nitrites? i thought ammonia goes to nitrite and then nitrate?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Week 2 day 2 parameters

Ammonia .5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate close to 5.0 ( its not yellow but not quite the 5.0 orange just yet)

I am about to do a 50% water change.

WHy no Nitrites? i thought ammonia goes to nitrite and then nitrate?

It is possible for the nitrite > nitrate bacteria to grow at the same rate as the ammonia > nitrite bacteria. If that happens sometimes you don't see a spike. Check your tap water for nitrates. It maybe coming from there.

I'm sorry I missed your other post somehow. How are they all doing?

 

[VictoriaC]

Its ok,

well the sick one passed - i had no hope for it actually
the other two ar fine - except the newest male is sitting at the bottom of the tank most of the time... he passed long stringy white or clear poo.. from my research - he is either constipated or has parasites hes eating well though.. the healthiest one ( the first one i got) - is constantly trying to play with him - he's like " why arent you playing with me like first couple of days" ...
so i'll get some food from parasites.

as far as nitrates - i was testing them every other -two days, so i was not seing it as orange as now - it had a very light orangish tint before - but against the light it looked yellow. So don't think its my tap.
i also have about 4 live plants plus moss ball - can that be helping?

Thank you for your time!!!

 

[VictoriaC]

good news - my betta loves hes 1.5 gallon - builds bubble nests all day so someone is happy and healthy at least

 

[VictoriaC]

Today

Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5.0 ( now its clearly orange)

SO i just wait for ammonia to go down to 0 now?
i noticed the sick fish eat today - but he still stays at the bottom of the tank for the most time. moving a little but looks bloated

 

[Mumma.of.two]

If you have access to meds I would treat him with an anti parasitic medication just to be on the safe side. He's not sounding too good.
Check your ammonia test on some bottled water. If it shows the same result as your tank you know the .25ppm you are getting if a false positive. Some of the ammonia tests do that.

 

[VictoriaC]

I tested my filtered water from refrigerator - it shows ammonia 0, so the test is working...
yeah i need to get to the petstore - will have time tomorrow. I read that special food from parasites better than adding meds to the water.

Should i use filtered water for water changes? or tap water would be fine if the tank is cycled?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Tap waters fine to use with a dechlorinator. Filtered water can be stripped of all the minerals needed in a healthy tank.
Medicated food is usually better if you can get it. If he's not eating you'll have to dose the water.

 

[VictoriaC]

oh no! now the scales protrude on a sick guppy.. the one that was bloated - i read i should isolate it? is it Dropsy? I just bought some parasites meds and used it yesterday...

 

[Mumma.of.two]

oh no! now the scales protrude on a sick guppy.. the one that was bloated - i read i should isolate it? is it Dropsy? I just bought some parasites meds and used it yesterday...

No need to isolate. He basically is with only one tank mate. If he's pineconing it sounds like dropsy. Dropsy isn't actually a disease but a symptom of something like an internal infection or organ failer. I'm sorry but there's usually no going back after the scales start protruding. It's not (usually) contagious. You can try salt baths daily to help with the swelling or if he's suffering euthanasia.

 

[VictoriaC]

Oh no - poor guy yeah i searched the web and most say that as soon as the cones are visible - its too late
so i guess no need to treat the tank for parasites anymore?
i need to get a new carbon filter - is it normal for it to fall apart in less than a month?

water today -
ammonia .25
nitrite 0
nitrate between 5-10

when should i do next water change?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Oh no - poor guy yeah i searched the web and most say that as soon as the cones are visible - its too late
so i guess no need to treat the tank for parasites anymore?
i need to get a new carbon filter - is it normal for it to fall apart in less than a month?

water today -
ammonia .25
nitrite 0
nitrate between 5-10

when should i do next water change?

The cheap filters can. Keep all the bits and put them next to the new media. I make my own media for my filters. I buy sponge that's going to last longer and use that. Carbons not needed. It only last a few weeks then is useless.

I'd do one now so the waters as clean as possible for your sick guy.

 

[VictoriaC]

This is what i did first week that i've set up - i bought some bio-things in a bag for another brand of filter and a sponge - and fitted that around charcoal filter that came with aquarium. So is this enough - without charcoal?

Now my other guppy appears to be sick - they both now sit at the bottom of the tank by the air-stone, and the other guppy does not eat. The one that's about to explode - eats well tho ( but spits some of the food)

my water parameters staying the same.