Larry Little
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2017
- Messages
- 98
After being away from aquariums for 30+ years, I've had my 65 gallon tank set up for about 2.5 months. Strictly old school, it has natural gravel, hard limestone rocks (from around the Beaver Lake area in NW Arkansas), driftwood bought from an aquarium shop and seasoned for about 12 months, and live plants. I'm using a Bio-wheel filter and a submersible heater. I added liquid bacteria (this was new to me) and let it cycle for about a week. I began with Otocinclus (6), then about a week later added two banded Plecostomus and three Corydoras sterbae. About a week after that, I bought six small (nickel body size) silver angelfish, then a few days later added six blue rams. The rams died off to one blue and one bolivian that had been part of the ram purchase by mistake (both species were in the same tank at the store). I added a trio of marigold swordtails, then a trio of pineapple swords.Everything remained stable with the fish eagerly eating, no shyness, angels growing like weeds, etc. Then about a ten days ago, I six small black angels. They seemed to do well until I then tried to replenish the ram population a few days later Since that time, I've been experiencing a die-off. All but one of the black angels have died, three of my original silvers, and several of the rams. No apparent disease other than one by one ceasing eating, then hiding, then dying. Now all three of my remaining silvers are hiding and not eating. The rest seem to be more shy, but eating well.
Did I get too greedy with my last additions? Could this have knocked the nitrogen cycle out of whack in a tank this size? I've done a couple of partial water changes; have not tested the pH or nitrogen (as I said, old school), but I think I'm going to break down and get the kits to do so.
Obviously I'm not going to add any more fish for a while. I would be grateful for any insights, advice, or information that y'all could give me,
Thanks in advance.
Did I get too greedy with my last additions? Could this have knocked the nitrogen cycle out of whack in a tank this size? I've done a couple of partial water changes; have not tested the pH or nitrogen (as I said, old school), but I think I'm going to break down and get the kits to do so.
Obviously I'm not going to add any more fish for a while. I would be grateful for any insights, advice, or information that y'all could give me,
Thanks in advance.