Atoche
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hello, thank you for reading my post. I am new to the board (today), and I am also new to the hobby.
I started about 2 years ago with a 5 gallon tank. Lived through 3 "fish kills" where my fish would die off after about 2 months of doing fine (guppies and platties). I decided to get a bigger tank thinking the water would be easier to keep in parameters.
Went to a 13 gallon tank. Cycled the tank (5 weeks)... populated with only a Swordtail and a Blue Neon Tetra... things were going good after 4 months, added 2 more Tetra's (pink and yellow) and a Gourami. Started to get a lot of algae - so I added 2 Mystery Snails (orange) and added some plants (Anubias)... things seemed to be very stable over the next 4 months...
About two weeks ago Swordtail was swimming slow and would not "perk up his fins" and the blue tetra seemed to be very bloated... the other two tetras and the gourami seemed ok... I added Metronidazole... 2 days later the swordtail seemed to perk up. Performed my normal 25% weekly water change (tap water + stress coat)... Two days later, the swordtail died . I am sad, and worried another "fish kill" is imminent.
I am worried about ammonia and oxygen levels so I ordered the ammonia test kit, as well as an air pump and bubble rock. They should arrive tomorrow (8.27.2024)...
Water Parameters: No3: 0; No2: 0; PH: 7; KH: 80; GH: 180. I don't know my ammonia number, that test kit arrives tomorrow. First pic is of the tank with the fish (minus the Swordtail). Second pic is a close up of the Gourami - I am curious if he has "hole in the head"....
Any advice, recommendations, encouragement or observations would be very welcome and greatly appreciated. My daughter loves the tank, feeding the fish... she even "misses them" when we are away for a couple of days. I feel terrible about killing the swordtail...
Thank you!
I started about 2 years ago with a 5 gallon tank. Lived through 3 "fish kills" where my fish would die off after about 2 months of doing fine (guppies and platties). I decided to get a bigger tank thinking the water would be easier to keep in parameters.
Went to a 13 gallon tank. Cycled the tank (5 weeks)... populated with only a Swordtail and a Blue Neon Tetra... things were going good after 4 months, added 2 more Tetra's (pink and yellow) and a Gourami. Started to get a lot of algae - so I added 2 Mystery Snails (orange) and added some plants (Anubias)... things seemed to be very stable over the next 4 months...
About two weeks ago Swordtail was swimming slow and would not "perk up his fins" and the blue tetra seemed to be very bloated... the other two tetras and the gourami seemed ok... I added Metronidazole... 2 days later the swordtail seemed to perk up. Performed my normal 25% weekly water change (tap water + stress coat)... Two days later, the swordtail died . I am sad, and worried another "fish kill" is imminent.
I am worried about ammonia and oxygen levels so I ordered the ammonia test kit, as well as an air pump and bubble rock. They should arrive tomorrow (8.27.2024)...
Water Parameters: No3: 0; No2: 0; PH: 7; KH: 80; GH: 180. I don't know my ammonia number, that test kit arrives tomorrow. First pic is of the tank with the fish (minus the Swordtail). Second pic is a close up of the Gourami - I am curious if he has "hole in the head"....
Any advice, recommendations, encouragement or observations would be very welcome and greatly appreciated. My daughter loves the tank, feeding the fish... she even "misses them" when we are away for a couple of days. I feel terrible about killing the swordtail...
Thank you!
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