Caper Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 I just checked tank...couldn't find a neon...to my horror he was tail first in the bottom of the filter...I immediately unplugged the filter and he came out...but not looking good...his still breathing but having a difficult time...and tries to swim. I don't know what to do...I turned the filter back off while posting this...cuz he's too weak & it almost sucked him in again He was fine a while ago...can a healthy fish be sucked in...oh...any ideas what I can do...how long can I leave the filter turned off...the air pump is on...please, please, help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 I suspect he was ill and so was able to be sucked up the filter. You must turn the filter back on or the good bacteria in it will die and pollute the tank. Put the neon in a container and float it in the tank. If he looks too far gone then put it out of its misery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted June 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 Thank you Caryl...when I went to do as you said...poor little bugger was dead He as the second of the 2 neons that were bought for me last Thursday...now both are gone I got my other fish on Thurs/Fri before...this is the first time I had one for this amount of time and died. I did a 25% water change last night...was it too soon after getting the new fish? What I did before when I got new fish...was leave the water change go till the next week. The first one died within a day or 2...but this guy seemed to be fine...oh well...joys and sorrows of owning fish ...I bought 2 otto's myself that same day...I hope they make it. I checked my water earlier....meant to do it last night after a couple of hours post water change...but fell asleep. Anyway they are: ammonia 0 pH 7.2 nitrite...I'd say it was between .1 & .3... the first 2 times I checked the nitrites...more towards the .3 According to the book that came with the test kit....3 is supposed to be safe...is this true? Oh...by the way...so if I'm understanding correctly...a healthy fish would not get sucked in??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 Yup... I have neons in a 4' 140L tank with a 1200L/hour cannister filter, it's kind of like a river.. they love it and can swim against the current just fine, i.e. no chance of getting sucked into the intake (they play around it even) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 I find neons to be not very hardy and it may have just been the stress of being caught and transported to a new environment that killed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted June 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 Thanks Caryl & Misnoma misnoma...that's funny, I sometimes watch the fish when they pass through the bubbles from the air pump & I used to think they'd get hurt but sometimes I think they all like it. Yah Caryl...I think I've seen you in a post before as well as others saying neons aren't very hardy. I'm thinking that it was just the fact that they were newest additions so you're probably right the move did them in. Not that I'm glad they get sucked into the filter...but I'm glad to know that it doesn't happen with healthy fish...if you now, what I mean :roll: The nitrites? Reading between .1 & .3 okay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Hi Caper, Might be time to consider putting a bit of mesh over the filter intake.. or a cage of some sort to stop the fish getting sucked up there. Some "Ladies hair curlers" of the perforated type might be ideal to slip over the end with a bit of mesh covering the open end bit. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted June 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Thanks Bill, But if I put mesh over it, won't it get plugged? As I understand, they only get sucked in if they are ill. Not that I want that to happen but I don't want to take a chance on screwing up by putting something over it Bill, I was asking about the nitrites: nitrite...I'd say it was between .1 & .3... the first 2 times I checked the nitrites...more towards the .3 According to the book that came with the test kit....3 is supposed to be safe...is this true? What do you think? Also, we had a really hot day here today, normally the temp in the tank is 72 and if it is warm, it will go up to 74-76 when I turn the lights on. I just got home from work and the temp is already 74. So, I know if I turn the lights on it will go up probably to 78. Can I leave the lights off? I don't have any real plants in my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 I wouldn't worry about using the mesh, as you said if they are sick enough to get sucked in it's proberly too late anyway. Over here we tend to measure nitrite in part per million (PPM) so the number you gave is a little confusing. I don't think that level is too bad, but if your tank is completely cycled you should really have 0 nitrite, maybe you should consider reducing your feeding for a week or two. It is supprising how little fish eat and most people over feed when they start out, just remember that fish will happily go for a week without being fed (I not suggesting that you do this normally but every once in a while is fine, like if your on holiday). Temp of 78 is fine, I run my tank warmer than this all the time, if it starts to get to the low/mid 80's think about blowing a fan over the tank to help cool it a bit. If you don't have any plants the lights are only there for you, so yes you can leave them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 Suphew said: I wouldn't worry about using the mesh, as you said if they are sick enough to get sucked in it's proberly too late anyway I suppose it's the age old question.. "What came first... the chicken or the egg..?" Questions being... "Was the fish sick to start with..?" .. or "Has the fish become sick because it was sucked into the filter...?" Caper said: But if I put mesh over it, won't it get plugged? If you use the right mesh it won't. It's all part and parcel of "catering for your fish".. and sometimes we have to do little things to avoid disasters Caper asked: Bill, I was asking about the nitrites: Quote: nitrite...I'd say it was between .1 & .3... the first 2 times I checked the nitrites...more towards the .3 According to the book that came with the test kit....3 is supposed to be safe...is this true? What do you think? Nitrite at high levels is toxic to fish because it prevents the fish's ability to use the dissolved oxygen in the water. High levels of nitrites indicate that the breakdown of organic materials isn't complete and that the aquarium does not have adequate biological filtration, or in simple terms, your filtration is not coping with your fish load and nitrites. So any sign of Nitrites or Ammonia means that something is not quite as it should be. Readings of Nitrates in small amounts will be a decent indication that things are starting to work, and the nitrobacter bacteria in your system is is in suffiicient numbers to keep the Nitrite and Ammonia levels at a level of safety. These should be at Zero.. BTW. HTH Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 On most of the filter intakes in my tanks I use a piece of net curtain held on with a rubber band as I have lost MANY fish the way you describe....and I don't believe they were all weak or unhealthy fish. I have not lost a fish via the filter since....but yes, once they have been grabbed, they are pretty much goners, and it isn't very nice to see. Sure hoe you have some better luck soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted June 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Thank you suphew & Bill Okay...did water change yesterday, normally do on Mondays but had to move tank :roll: :roll: Didn't think to test first, anyway tested this morning and here's the results: ammonia - 0 pH - not quite 7, but more towards 7 then 7.2 (I must drive you guys nuts) nitrite - not quite .1 but more towards that then the .3 suphew I'm terrible at this stuff so I'll try to explain the test kits, please forgive if I'm not explaining good enough:( For testing the ammonia: test is mg/L at top of scale...it has 0 ppm (mg/L) then goes on to .25, .5, etc. Nitrite: on box "(0.0-3.3 mg/L) test" Since there is no 0 on the scale that means the water would be clear, do you think?? The scale starts at .1, .3, .8, etc. So I should be aiming for 0 nitrites which I'm assuming would be clear water in tube?? I'm sorry guys if I'm not explaining this very good. Once the fish are in separate tanks, and Sam has 1? 2? new goldfish with him, I think I will increase the water changes to weekly not every second week. I've done a water change last week and this week, do you think that maybe that's why the nitrites are down some??? Sorry so long!!! About the feeding...I feed twice a day as I was told by the pet store. Now, I know there are many opinions on this, some I have read here. So, like you said suphew I should probably try reducing the feeding. Okay...weekly water changes...reduce feeding...which should come first...the chicken or the egg, oh shoot...wrong story or should I do both??? THANK YOU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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