stillnzcookie Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 We've been having an assortment of random issues with our tank over the last few weeks, culminating in two of our baby panda cories dying in the last week. Our current set up is as follows: 54L tank, planted with Java Fern, Anubias and Ambulia, dark small gravel (5mm) and driftwood Temperature 24 degrees Inhabitants: 3 Otos, 3 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish, 2 Harlequin Rasboras, 8-10 Ember Tetras, 6 Adult Panda Cories and an uncountable number of baby cories Fish are fed an assortment of dried foods - JBL Granomix, Granocolor, NovoTab, NovoPleco and NovoDaph and Tetra bloodworms (mostly Granomix and Granocolor, with one or two of the others each week) Water change: 9 litres per week, fresh water treated with StressCoat Ferts: 1-2 drops of Valray ferts per day All water tests fine, pH 6.4, KH 17.9ppm, GH 89.5ppm Apart from constant issues with black beard algae, the tank has been running well for most of the year, until a few weeks ago one of the rainbowfish was swimming right at the top of the tank (with its dorsal fin out of the water) and doing an occasional "death roll". I separated it into a smaller container within the tank, and it seemed to be constipated because, after doing the biggest poo I've ever seen a fish do, it gradually came right. The next day, the same thing happened to the other female rainbowfish, which also recovered quickly. About a week later, one of the harlequins died, so I did a water test and change, and the pH had dropped below 6. I added more coral rock and that plus the water change seemed to fix the pH. Ever since then (and also up until that point), all the tests have been fine, but it seems to have affected the fish - the female rainbowfish both have a little white dot on their mouths, one of the harlequins seems to "shiver" and, as I said, two of the baby cories have recently died. One of them just went very pale and died in the space of 24 hours, the other one did the same, but also had black stuff coming out its gill - I have no idea what? I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do from here? I realise there are too many fish in the tank - we have another tank, but are waiting to get new carpet laid before we can set it up. Until then, any ideas on what I should be doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilobite Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Do you know the ammonia, nitrite and nirtrate levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Rainbow fish do tend to get cysts on their mouths - which often pop and go away, although it seems a coincidence that they both have it now. I am wondering if perhaps you may have some parasite but unless you have a microscope to look under you won't be able to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillnzcookie Posted June 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Do you know the ammonia, nitrite and nirtrate levels? Yes - as I said above, they are all fine - all 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillnzcookie Posted June 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 I am wondering if perhaps you may have some parasite but unless you have a microscope to look under you won't be able to see it. I wondered that too but, if that is the case, what should I do? Is there any general anti-parasitic, or do you need to know what you're dealing with to be able to treat it? And if it's not that, and I do a treatment, is it likely to do more harm than good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Are any of them 'flashing' (flicking themselves or scraping themselves on plants, rocks? Any with clamped top fins? Are both the gills on each fish moving freely and are any of them clamping one fin to the side all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanityChelle Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yes - as I said above, they are all fine - all 0 How are they all zero? You can't get zero nitrates, even in a densely planted tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillnzcookie Posted July 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Are any of them 'flashing' (flicking themselves or scraping themselves on plants, rocks? Any with clamped top fins? Are both the gills on each fish moving freely and are any of them clamping one fin to the side all the time? We have one adult cory who has had something wrong for about a year now and, yes, it occasionally "flashes". It is also really pale - it looks like a ghost alongside the other cories. Apart from that one, I haven't noticed anything, but I'll keep watching them. What would any of these be a symptom of? How are they all zero? You can't get zero nitrates, even in a densely planted tank. I have been told this several times before, but, according to our test kit, the nitrate reading in this tank is always zero. Hubby is a water engineer, and I've discussed it with him at length - he says it is because we have a full nitrification denitrification cycle at work in our tank (as I understand it, we have anaerobic bacteria in the gravel which consume nitrates to complete the nitrogen cycle). So either he's right (and he thinks this is a good thing to have - as he has a PhD in water treatment and runs a water treatment company, I'm inclined to believe him!), or our test kit is faulty. Either way, with 0 ammonia and nitrite and weekly water changes, nitrate isn't a problem. I had a "D'oh" moment tonight, when I realised that I have been overdosing Stress Coat - I'm doing smaller water changes, but realised I'm using the same amount as I used to :facepalm: . Although it is supposedly still within the "safe" limit, I'm going to cut back and see if that makes any difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 For six months I battled an awful algae caused by the fact that i had zero nitrates in my densely planted tank. The massive sword plant I had was sucking absolutely everything out. Once the sword was removed my nitrate returned and the algae disappeared. It is possible but I suspect it is not common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 How are they all zero? You can't get zero nitrates, even in a densely planted tank. Sure you can. I can't remember having a nitrate reading in my planted tank. Some of us 'add' nitrates to get a balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrazyGeoff Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Could be a really simple answer........... Sometimes fish just die? Without being rude of course. You have a heap of fish in there You have all the complications and benefits of the plants You have (possibly) the most qualified water dude of any aquarist You change a very specific amount of water (I do a similar thing but in cm's of tank height), personally I would do at least 14 liters in a 54 tank. I would have thought that if you had a problem in the tank then all the baby pandas would have been wiped out in 24 hours. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillnzcookie Posted July 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2014 Could be a really simple answer........... Sometimes fish just die? Thanks for the reply. Actually, this is something that has occurred to me already - our tank has been running now for over 6 years, so some of the first inhabitants are probably reaching the end of their natural lifespan! Doesn't explain the baby cory deaths though... No more changes or deaths this week, so I guess I'll just keep on keeping on and see what happens. Thanks for all the replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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