Recent content by ThievingScouser

No, I know :-( The nuggets at a nice size, about 4", got nice colour and filled out nicely, it'll be a real shame to lose him. :(

Yes, I did a big water change this morning (called in sick!) Took the level down as far as I dared, any more and the rainbows couldn't have stayed upright. The plecs still at the surface, and one of the danios is up there more than usual. The rainbowfish are a lot better. Not 100%, but much...

I took out as much as I dared, any more and some of the fish couldn't have stayed upright! :/ Couple of hours later and sore hands from lugging 20kg buckets with narrow handles and fish are looking MUCH happier. I lost count part way through so was either 240 or 260l. Seems to have made a good...

I borrowed a friends feeder and really liked it. It's the Fishmate F14 It's simple in the way it works, and not the prettiest feeder, but it's very versatile and fits perfectly on the cross bar, under the hood in my tank. It's got 14 compartments for putting any combination of food you want...

UPDATE: No deaths overnight! Many of the fish are looking much happier. There are still 3 danios at the surface, the gold nuggets still up there too. Total loss so far has been 2 x rainbowfish, 5 x danios :( I've decided that if I do an 80% water change (carefully) it'll get the bad tank water...

Cool, it's sounding like an 80% change is on the cards for tomorrow morning (will take a while, that's 240l to bucket back and forth :/ ) Think I might be "feeling unwell and unable to get into the office" tomorrow morning..... it's in a good cause!

Something just occurred to me. The "rinse your bio-filter in tank water" thing. Is that strictly necessary? Could it be rinsed in RO or treated tap water? A huge water change would be taking 80-90% new water into the filter, effectively rinsing the bio-media in non-tank water.

Great, that's what I'd hoped. :) I'm pretty new to the hobby, so am glad someone more experienced could confirm what I've understood from reading around. Thanks Ed

Thanks :) Sorry, forgot to mention, the "2 Deaths" thread starts with an issue I had a couple of weeks ago. The recent problem starts on post #7 (although one does follow the other)

What would you consider the maximum % water change? It's an emergency situation (I think a toxin has entered the tank somehow - see my post in emergency section for background if interested) so there's that to consider too. I read someone somewhere saying they regularly drain it till there's...

Some of the danios have quite pink gills, and one looks red on it's upper lip. Haemorrhaging brought on by the toxin or accelerated breathing maybe?

The Pimafix has gone... after this episode I'll be hard pushed to try using that med again. The 'mood' in the tank has certainly improved, it's far from being back to normal though. The danios are at the top still, as is the nugget. The blue rainbows have all their colour back and are swimming...

Yep, I've an air pump with a couple of stones. I've also raised the spray bar so it jets into the surface. As well as stirring up the surface to give greater area, this creates much finer bubbles and I can see them being carried right across the tank in the current. I did a 100l water change...

I agree, it's horrible to see them like this. Following this water change, if there's no improvement.... I don't know..... if they're suffering then I'll have to get hold of some clove oil. :( 5 danios are hanging out at the surface still, as is the golden nugget. The rainbow fish have much of...

It's a 300 litre tank (80 US gallons, 65 Imperial gallons) Last night there was a 60l, followed by 80l water change Today at lunchtime there was a 100l water change Just got back from the office to find my favourite red rainbowfish and the smallest of the blue rainbows dead. :( About half of...