Fish Dying And Snail Problems
- Thread starter Dean_W
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If your tap water is at least 8.0, you could do a 20% change but no more at first. I must assume that the 0.1 ppm is the lowest you can easily read with your test kit. If not, you need to do a large number of small daily changes to get the ammonia and nitrites under control. The present values are not immediately damaging to the fish but would have long term effects if left uncorrected. The 50 ppm of nitrate in the tap water is a bit high but it just means you should be aiming to keep your tank nitrate below 70 ppm by using water changes. This pair of readings makes me think that although you have been doing some water changes, they have been a little too small to maintain your water chemistry properly.
If you follow any advice to get loaches for your snail issue, be aware that many loaches can get quite large so do your homework before buying any. Any snails are a pest if you have more than you want in the tank, but any snail can be a blessing keeping algae under control if you can limit their numbers. The trick is keeping them under control. The easiest to control are the mystery snails. They need both sexes to reproduce and they lay a clutch of eggs above the water line where you can easily remove them if you don't want more snails. By contrast, common pond snails lay almost transparent eggs below the water line and are hermaphrodites so one of these can quickly cover all of your glass with baby snails and they are harder to control.
If you follow any advice to get loaches for your snail issue, be aware that many loaches can get quite large so do your homework before buying any. Any snails are a pest if you have more than you want in the tank, but any snail can be a blessing keeping algae under control if you can limit their numbers. The trick is keeping them under control. The easiest to control are the mystery snails. They need both sexes to reproduce and they lay a clutch of eggs above the water line where you can easily remove them if you don't want more snails. By contrast, common pond snails lay almost transparent eggs below the water line and are hermaphrodites so one of these can quickly cover all of your glass with baby snails and they are harder to control.
Thankyou for your input, i have just done a 20% water change. Which going with the above infortamtion is about right for having a plec in there due to the demand it has on the aquarium. I will do another 20% tomorrow, during the week i will retest the tank to see if the nitrates etc have lowered.
rabbut
I don't bite, all that often...
Looks like a steap in the correct direction 
Pictures of the filter media would be good. The XP2's ship with loads of chemical media that needs regular replacement to work right, and not enough biological media. The fact your nitrates are up would surgest to me that you have non-standord media in there, that is biological. This is good, as chemical media is an expencive and unreliable way of runnig a tank. Bio-media is very cheap and very reliable
Start with the 20% daily waterchanges you have on the go ATM, and if the nitrate does not pull back to a lower reading within a week, you will need to up the ammounts.
On a weekly basis with a 10" plec, you will need 50% waterchanges at least, preferably more, or better still more often..
All the best
Rabbut
Pictures of the filter media would be good. The XP2's ship with loads of chemical media that needs regular replacement to work right, and not enough biological media. The fact your nitrates are up would surgest to me that you have non-standord media in there, that is biological. This is good, as chemical media is an expencive and unreliable way of runnig a tank. Bio-media is very cheap and very reliable
Start with the 20% daily waterchanges you have on the go ATM, and if the nitrate does not pull back to a lower reading within a week, you will need to up the ammounts.
On a weekly basis with a 10" plec, you will need 50% waterchanges at least, preferably more, or better still more often..
All the best
Rabbut
The fish is a rainbowfish but unsure as to what, possibly a Melanotaenia splendida or M. trifasciata. However it is not very happy and looks like it has mouth fungus. The mouth appears white and inflamed.
Mouth fungus (Columnaris) is a bacterial infection that tends to kill fish quite quickly. It spreads over the mouth and face within a few days and the fish die soon after you notice it.
If the rainbowfish has had the white lips for more than a week and it hasn't gotten worse, then it is probably bruising from bumping into the glass and is unlikely to be mouth fungus.
Rainbowfish need lots of plant matter in their diet. You can feed them on vege flakes and pellets, or fresh/ frozen (but defrosted) peas, beans, carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, etc.
more info on rainbowfish can be found here
http
/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Contents.htm
Mouth fungus (Columnaris) is a bacterial infection that tends to kill fish quite quickly. It spreads over the mouth and face within a few days and the fish die soon after you notice it.
If the rainbowfish has had the white lips for more than a week and it hasn't gotten worse, then it is probably bruising from bumping into the glass and is unlikely to be mouth fungus.
Rainbowfish need lots of plant matter in their diet. You can feed them on vege flakes and pellets, or fresh/ frozen (but defrosted) peas, beans, carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, etc.
more info on rainbowfish can be found here
http
/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Contents.htmplecogoldie
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HELP ME 
MY PLECOSTOMUS FISH KEEP DYING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
MY PLECOSTOMUS FISH KEEP DYING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHwe need a bit more info plecogoldie. You might also want to start a new thread asking for help in the emergency section 
In the mean time tell us what is wrong with your fish and what is happening to them, besides dieing.
Have you tested the tank water for PH, ammonia, nitrite & nitrate?
How long has the tank been set up for?
What do the fish look like when they are dieing?
Any pictures of the sick fish would help id the problem.
In the mean time tell us what is wrong with your fish and what is happening to them, besides dieing.
Have you tested the tank water for PH, ammonia, nitrite & nitrate?
How long has the tank been set up for?
What do the fish look like when they are dieing?
Any pictures of the sick fish would help id the problem.
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