Dead Oto

[AndyTaylor]

Water changes to dilute the nitrates as per the advice above.
Are you vacuuming the gravel regularily? The nitrate seems very high even if it is 20 out of the tap.
I'm not sure about the chemicals TBH. Dechlorinator doesn't usually have any effect on Nitrate/nitrite as far as i know.
Personally, i avoid using chemicals where-ever possible....
The high nitrate could be responsible for the deaths but i'd expect to see signs of the other fish being affected too.
Try to figure out what's causing the levels?

 

[Mikaila31]

Yeah i know the nitrates r high and i do water changes once a week and vacume the gravel once a month. the water changes never seem to have a effect on the nitrate and i've tried many times to get it down to at least 20. the only way i've gotten the nitartes to go down is to put in one of the nitra-zorbs but it only worked until it ran out and don't really solve the problem. the only cause i an think of would be the alge i don't have that much of it. The tank it's is pretty much clear of alge but the hoses to my filter(rena xp3) is where i can't get rid of it. I even made some black stocking like things to go over the hoses becuse they where clear. They slowed the alge down but didn't stop it . anyone have any suggestions to get rid of it?

 

[Torrean]

Yeah, a filter brush. I had the same problem in my 55. A long clear tube sticking down into the tank. the inside got coated with algae. I took my filter brush and ran it through a few times. Now it's sparkling clean and the algae isn't growing back(odd) good luck

 

[AndyTaylor]

Throw in some more fast growing plants, if your tank is suitable. They should use some of the nitrate. The nitrate is most likely a contributing factor in your algae growth so getting the nitrate down may reduce it.
I'm not sure about the algae killing your otto, though. i would vacuum when you do your water change. use a gravel cleaner thingy weekly for a month, see if it make any difference.
Then again, i lost my first otto today, so what do i know?

 

[rdd1952]

I apologize if someone has already mentioned this but otos are all wild caught and travel quite a ways before reaching your LFS. There is a sizeable die-off when they get there. If your LFS had just gotten them in, the one you found was probably just one of the casualties. When buying otos, it is best to ask how long they've had them and don't buy unless they have been there for 2 weeks. By that time, the die-off is pretty much over and the survivors should be fine.

 

[Mikaila31]

The tank is not planted it only has .55wpg and i don't think anything would grow in that.
Filter brush! I wish it was that easy but the tubes r around 4.5 feet long. They connect the filter to the tank and cleaning them is a nightmare . the only way i've managed to do it takes forever and leaves my hand sore and red .

I will test my water again later tonight and i'm going to try to get some water straight from r well and test that. I'm surpised i have nitrates in my tap water because we live like 1/2 mile form some natural freshwater springs, i expected the water to be very clean.

Also is there anything i could add to my tap water before i put it in the tank that would get rid of the nitrates?
thanks for all the help peps !

 

[rdd1952]

Also is there anything i could add to my tap water before i put it in the tank that would get rid of the nitrates?

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any additives that will remove nitrate. There are some products you can add to the filter that are supposed to remove it but I've never used them and don't know how they work.

 

[Mikaila31]

This is the worst week i've had in a long while. Here r my water stats:
55gal.
ammonia - 0ppm
nitrate - around 70ppm
nitrite - .25ppm

Should i do another water change?
Also i have a bottle of stuff called Prime and the bottle says it detoxifies nitrate & nitrite. It gives a separte dose to do this, should i use this stuff or not?

 

[AndyTaylor]

Ok...

How much water did you change?
How long after the water change were these tests done?
Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that you are using/reading the test kit properly. What brand is the test kit?
Nitrates are the product of decaying plant/animal (generally speaking). Is there something in your tank that could be causing these nitrates?

 

[rdd1952]

Nitrates are the end result of the nitrogen cycle: ammonia (fish waste, dead leaves, etc.) is transformed into nitrite which is transformed into nitrate which you remove with water changes. Some people have nitrate in their tap water which makes lowering nitrate more difficult.

Although you want the nitrite and ammonia to be 0, I wouldn't be overly concerned by the nitrite at .25. You are probably experiencing a small mini cycle which may be almost over since your ammonia is at 0 and the nitrates are high. I would do a 25% water change to lower the nitrates some and then check again tomorrow. By then the nitrite should be back to 0.

I would stay away from the chemicals except as an extreme last resort. Your tank will be back to fully cycled in another day or so.

 

[Mikaila31]

i did a water change on wednesday to try and lower my nitrates and nitrites and i vacumed the gravel. I changed around 40% of the water. I'm not completly sure if i'm reading the test kit right, it's a API freshwater master test kit. I'm going to clean the tubes to the filter and i will check the filter's pads and everything.
My main problem is i can't figure out whats causing the nitrates there r no live plants in the tank only plastic ones, rocks, a plastic fish food containr and a glass jar for caves, and a peice of wood, and i've gone through the whole tank and can't find anything .

Ok rdd1952 i will watch it closely over the next few days and do that water change.
thanks for the help

 

[Torrean]

Attach a long piece of tough string to the end of the filter brush then tie a weight (fishing weight oughta work) to the other end of the string. Drop the weight through the long tube then pull the brush through. Repeat as needed. I thought of this because this is how I cleaned my horn in band in high school.