Hi Could I Please Have Some Help (female Guppy!)
- Thread starter Animal ry
- Start date
Hmmm clean it in tap water?
Personally, i think that in having the water that low, you are going to be a bit over stocked because there isnt that much water for that many fish if water is so low. I would definately advise getting a new filter, something like the fluval mini if not the U1, they arent the most sightly when you are used to undergravel filters but i think when it comes down to it, even if it isnt the cause of your problems now (which i think it will be...) i would reckon that your water quality is quite poor and whilst these fish are tolerant enough to survive it, it will have severly lowered their immune system to a point where they all pick up different problems easily.
I would think of it as very urgent and see if your nearest fish shop, maidenhead aquatics and pets at home all do water tests, get them to test your water, get them to write down both the name of the test kit (eg i use Interpet EasyTest) and your results for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Then you can share with us your test results and we might be able to help you further!
I would get this done asap this weekend!
Personally, i think that in having the water that low, you are going to be a bit over stocked because there isnt that much water for that many fish if water is so low. I would definately advise getting a new filter, something like the fluval mini if not the U1, they arent the most sightly when you are used to undergravel filters but i think when it comes down to it, even if it isnt the cause of your problems now (which i think it will be...) i would reckon that your water quality is quite poor and whilst these fish are tolerant enough to survive it, it will have severly lowered their immune system to a point where they all pick up different problems easily.
I would think of it as very urgent and see if your nearest fish shop, maidenhead aquatics and pets at home all do water tests, get them to test your water, get them to write down both the name of the test kit (eg i use Interpet EasyTest) and your results for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Then you can share with us your test results and we might be able to help you further!
I would get this done asap this weekend!
I will defintly try!!! and i do clean it with tap water but then put the tape safe in?
Although i respect peoples opinion some of my fish have manged to live for way over a year without any problems and i dont belive i do to badly with them.
Would it help if i fill up the tank thurther???
A year isnt very long in the life of many fish, except somethings like killifish..
I've known a neon that wouldnt die! It was nearly 6 years old when it passed away... I've certainly seen swordtails and mollies live 4-5 years...
Its the same as someone saying their goldfish lived a good long life when it died at 7 or 8 years old. They always looked shocked when my reply is "in all fairness, thats the same as saying your child lived a good long life if they died at 10".
Is there a sponge under the undergravel filter? if thats whats getting cleaned in tap water.... stop! Chlorine and chloramine in the tap water kill the bacteria that breaks down the amonia and nitrite, this would mean you have an amonia spike every time you cleaned your filter...
I would add more water but still get your water tested asap or you risk losing the whole lot.
I've known a neon that wouldnt die! It was nearly 6 years old when it passed away... I've certainly seen swordtails and mollies live 4-5 years...
Its the same as someone saying their goldfish lived a good long life when it died at 7 or 8 years old. They always looked shocked when my reply is "in all fairness, thats the same as saying your child lived a good long life if they died at 10".
Is there a sponge under the undergravel filter? if thats whats getting cleaned in tap water.... stop! Chlorine and chloramine in the tap water kill the bacteria that breaks down the amonia and nitrite, this would mean you have an amonia spike every time you cleaned your filter...
I would add more water but still get your water tested asap or you risk losing the whole lot.
Hi Animal ry,
I think you have actually gotten some good advice here. As mentioned, most diseases are a result of poor water quality and a lot can be treated with nothing more than water changes. For now, I think I would step up the water changes and do about 2 a week (maybe 15 to 25 percent) for a couple weeks. I think that alone will help with the issues you are having. Filling the tank would help as it's more water and any toxins would be diluted more. Larger volumes of water are more stable than smaller bodies too.
You asked about the cooked pea. That helps cure constipation. The symptoms of constipation are almost identical to those of swim bladder. The big difference is that constipation can be cured while swim bladder can't. I have simply bought a small can of green peas and used those, Just take the hull/skin off them (they can't digest the skin) and mush up the inside and put it in. THe fish love them so you can just fed the whole tank and it won't be a problem.
As far as the film on the platy, I have been very fortunate to never been stricken with diseases so I know very little about them. Can't offer much help there.
I agree about the test kits. I would get rid of the strips and get a good master test kit. In the long run, they are much less expensive than strips and way more accurate. And anytime you are having problems, the first thing you should test is the ammonia and nitrite level as both are toxic and any reading at all signals that something is wrong in the tank.
Also, the temperature for the tank should be in the 76-80 degree range. That is typical for tropicals. Goldfish and such are fine at 66 but tropicals will struggle at that temp.
And last but not least, I wouldn't clean the filter except when you have too. Do a good gravel vac everytime you do a water change to get all the waste and trash out of the gravel. Your beneficial bacteria are in the gravel and on the filter. WHen you wash the filter, you are washing away some of you bacteria possibly causing an ammonia spike.
I think you have actually gotten some good advice here. As mentioned, most diseases are a result of poor water quality and a lot can be treated with nothing more than water changes. For now, I think I would step up the water changes and do about 2 a week (maybe 15 to 25 percent) for a couple weeks. I think that alone will help with the issues you are having. Filling the tank would help as it's more water and any toxins would be diluted more. Larger volumes of water are more stable than smaller bodies too.
You asked about the cooked pea. That helps cure constipation. The symptoms of constipation are almost identical to those of swim bladder. The big difference is that constipation can be cured while swim bladder can't. I have simply bought a small can of green peas and used those, Just take the hull/skin off them (they can't digest the skin) and mush up the inside and put it in. THe fish love them so you can just fed the whole tank and it won't be a problem.
As far as the film on the platy, I have been very fortunate to never been stricken with diseases so I know very little about them. Can't offer much help there.
I agree about the test kits. I would get rid of the strips and get a good master test kit. In the long run, they are much less expensive than strips and way more accurate. And anytime you are having problems, the first thing you should test is the ammonia and nitrite level as both are toxic and any reading at all signals that something is wrong in the tank.
Also, the temperature for the tank should be in the 76-80 degree range. That is typical for tropicals. Goldfish and such are fine at 66 but tropicals will struggle at that temp.
And last but not least, I wouldn't clean the filter except when you have too. Do a good gravel vac everytime you do a water change to get all the waste and trash out of the gravel. Your beneficial bacteria are in the gravel and on the filter. WHen you wash the filter, you are washing away some of you bacteria possibly causing an ammonia spike.
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