Gourami is not doing so good & bushynose pleco died! help wanted!

Rhys19

Fish Crazy
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Ok so I know I've had my fair share of issues before however since I took the advice of some really great people on here everything has gone great until yesterday...

well actually let me start from a few days ago

so basically a few days ago I started noticing some suspicious activity around my tank the 30gal one so let's start with that I will list them below so it's easier to read
* Kuhli loaches are going bonkers like a kid when he gets his first computer like I'm not even kidding they're like making laps up and down the tank walls and they have food they eat but not sure what's gotten into them
* My gourami first started at the top of the tank like it was gasping for air but I had both a medium sized round airstone operating at full plus I got the small sponge filter I use for my Hospital tank then like today my gourami is at the bottom of the tank in vertical mode like head into the gravel tail in the air

As for my steps
* I put my activated carbon back in (Took it out because I had live plants)
* Changed 50% water daily leading up to this
* it is pure well water
* Changed my filter media
* Cleaned the sponge filter in the tank
* cleaned the entire HOB filter (like the inside, pump, etc) obviously not the bio wheel

I have also tested my fish tank with my API master test kit (liquid)
Results:
PH: 7.6 (I think it's 8 something it's a dark blue but my kit only goes up to 7.6)
Ammonia: 0PPM (I know suprising! for my tank atleast lol I've always had probs with ammonia)
Nitrites: 0PPM
Nitrates: around 20PPM (again it's my well water default)

I have had like no problems idk what could've happend it's like all of the sudden my tank just went to sh*t (excuse my language)

I'm honestly out of things to try and any help is appreciated I know my tank is wayyyy understocked as I only have my common plec (Yes I am getting him changed out for a bushynose I had a baby but he died will get to that shortly) and I have 2 kuhli loaches, and then the gourami

as for the bushynose I had

I had it in my small 3g hospital tank to grow because it was literally less than an inch it was like it was just hatched then sent to petsmart now Idk what happened he was all good in my 3g with the sponge filter, heater, etc tank params were good however it seems like a week later he died and I didn't notice it until I looked for him and found his half decomposed body at the bottom of my 3g tank. so idk if it was temp fluctuation because this tank was next to my window and it has been like 8-32*F like all week but i'm honestly stumped so like I said any help is appreciated


now I have one question nitra-zorb can it and will it absorb the extra 20ppm nitrates I have in my fish tank that is from my well water? and do I just stick it at the bottom of my filter?

anyways I hope I provided enough information to get assistance! I look forward to seeing some responses!

and happy 2022 sadly it's not a great start for me :(
 
be careful of the khuli loaches jumping out the tank
 
be careful of the khuli loaches jumping out the tank
I have a lid on my fish tank, their are led's on it but 4/6 burned out I'm going to probably buy one of those glass sliding lids and one of those full spectrum lights

I'm still looking for any answers to my issues :(
 
sorry, I know nothing about gourami behavior. it might be an infection your water seems fine.
 
you should get the API PH test kit and the API GH and KH test kit. The PH kit comes with a high ph kit to test for ph all the way up to 9 I think. (I know it goes past 8.4). The GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness) will test for the different minerals. if your GH is over apx 120ppm I would be worried because those fish listed are soft water fish that live in neutral-acidic waters. The PH imho isnt as bad as the GH, but its still important you are at least near their requirements. Like if a fish likes a PH of 7.6 I wouldn't go over 8. Well water, most of the time is hard water. And hard water can be deadly for soft water fish
 
you should get the API PH test kit and the API GH and KH test kit. The PH kit comes with a high ph kit to test for ph all the way up to 9 I think. (I know it goes past 8.4). The GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness) will test for the different minerals. if your GH is over apx 120ppm I would be worried because those fish listed are soft water fish that live in neutral-acidic waters. The PH imho isnt as bad as the GH, but its still important you are at least near their requirements. Like if a fish likes a PH of 7.6 I wouldn't go over 8. Well water, most of the time is hard water. And hard water can be deadly for soft water fish
actually the master kit has ph and ph high range
yeah my water is softened but sadly not the way I get it since I use regular salt which is actually apparently toxic for fish
 
I will have to get a GH test but I just don't understand I've had the Gourami for about a few months now no issues whatsoever until today
 
pictures and video of the fish?

possibly poisoning from something that has contaminated the well water. Maybe find a company that does a comprehensive test of the water and tells you exactly what is in it.
 
I will have to get a GH test but I just don't understand I've had the Gourami for about a few months now no issues whatsoever until today
It takes longer for hard water to affect soft water fish than it does for hard water fish to be affected by soft water
 
Hate to say this but, are you sure he is alive?
 
I am uploading another video I was going to nudge him with my net to show you but I lifted the lid and he freaked out and he's belly flopping around
 

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