I have had a 40g tank running since Mar 20th. I did a fishless cycle using pure ammonia. I waited until the bacteria could convert the ammonia from 3ppm to 0ppm in one day. I then waited another week just to make sure everything was good for a fish. My ammonia was still dropping to 0ppm in one day so I decided to buy a black moor. I had that fish since the 19th and have been checking the water constantly. Everything was just fine until the 29th when my ammonia was 0.25 and my nitrites were at 0.25! I dumped in a bottle of TSS in the tank in hopes of pushing it along.
I did another water test on June 1st to see how the TSS was working. My ammonia and nitrites are sitting somewhere between 0 and 0.25. My nitrates were at 40ppm. I put water inside of a bucket with a little prime and waited 24 hours before adding it to the tank so I could dilute the nitrates a little bit.
To make things worse the two panda goldfish that my parents ordered a month ago came in the mail. I opened the box and the company actually put three fish inside instead of two! Although the gesture was nice, I think now I am overstocked, or on the verge of being.
The company that shipped the fish did not put any packing peanuts inside of the box, so the fish were rolling around the entire time. When I opened the box one of the fish had rolled on top of another and the water from the bag was on one side with the fish on the other. There was barely enough water to keep the fish alive.
Once I got the fish in the tank they did perk up quite a bit. That is when I noticed that pescado had a ripped dorsal fin and a ripped tail fin. pescado has had his fins clamped since I got him. The other fish have all perked up and are doing great.
Day 6 of TSS (June 5th) I am getting really worried about the levels.
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 80!
Decided to ditch the TSS and did two 50% water changes waiting an hour between. Dosed with Prime each time.
I thought Pesca was dead but then Oso nudged him and he started to float around the tank again. He isn't using any of his fins to swim he just moves his body back and forth. It is really sad because he usually swims behind Oso and follows him around the tank. Now he just kind of wiggles after Oso.
Is there anything I can do for pescado? I don't want to lose him
Here is a video of how he swims, he seemed lively this morning
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/pandafishies/?action=view¤t=VID-20120606-00093.mp4
So a few tank stats to help with answers...
Tank: 40g long
Stock: 3 panda butterflies 1 black moor.
Filters: x1 Tetra whisper ex70, x1 eheim classic 250 external canister filter 2213. I also just ordered another canister filter to help with the over stocking. This one is a Aquatop CH400 with UV 9w
Test kit: Api liquid
pH: 8.0 (it is usually 8.2 not sure why it dropped)
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 1.0
Nitrates: 40
I am so frustrated over this. I did the whole fishless cycle so that the fish wouldn't have to experience this!
Pescado alone in first image. Pescado and Oso together (pesca on the right)
I did another water test on June 1st to see how the TSS was working. My ammonia and nitrites are sitting somewhere between 0 and 0.25. My nitrates were at 40ppm. I put water inside of a bucket with a little prime and waited 24 hours before adding it to the tank so I could dilute the nitrates a little bit.
To make things worse the two panda goldfish that my parents ordered a month ago came in the mail. I opened the box and the company actually put three fish inside instead of two! Although the gesture was nice, I think now I am overstocked, or on the verge of being.
The company that shipped the fish did not put any packing peanuts inside of the box, so the fish were rolling around the entire time. When I opened the box one of the fish had rolled on top of another and the water from the bag was on one side with the fish on the other. There was barely enough water to keep the fish alive.
Once I got the fish in the tank they did perk up quite a bit. That is when I noticed that pescado had a ripped dorsal fin and a ripped tail fin. pescado has had his fins clamped since I got him. The other fish have all perked up and are doing great.
Day 6 of TSS (June 5th) I am getting really worried about the levels.
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 80!
Decided to ditch the TSS and did two 50% water changes waiting an hour between. Dosed with Prime each time.
I thought Pesca was dead but then Oso nudged him and he started to float around the tank again. He isn't using any of his fins to swim he just moves his body back and forth. It is really sad because he usually swims behind Oso and follows him around the tank. Now he just kind of wiggles after Oso.
Is there anything I can do for pescado? I don't want to lose him
Here is a video of how he swims, he seemed lively this morning
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/pandafishies/?action=view¤t=VID-20120606-00093.mp4
So a few tank stats to help with answers...
Tank: 40g long
Stock: 3 panda butterflies 1 black moor.
Filters: x1 Tetra whisper ex70, x1 eheim classic 250 external canister filter 2213. I also just ordered another canister filter to help with the over stocking. This one is a Aquatop CH400 with UV 9w
Test kit: Api liquid
pH: 8.0 (it is usually 8.2 not sure why it dropped)
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 1.0
Nitrates: 40
I am so frustrated over this. I did the whole fishless cycle so that the fish wouldn't have to experience this!
Pescado alone in first image. Pescado and Oso together (pesca on the right)