keeping kribs alive

[Tim]

This is an after the fact consultation as I've gone through 3 pairs of kribs only to have them all kick the bucket.

They all started off very nicely and usually within a couple of days the female was already showing that she was in the mood for love, dancing and colorful, etc. But after about a week suddenly one of the two started looking stressed, gasping at the bottom of the tank only to die a day or two later. The other one would then follow suit within a week.

The ph was normal and the nitrates were never more than barely percptible, and when they were I did water changes until they were zero.

Any ideas what's wrong? The only thing that occurs to me, especially with the last pair which I got about a month ago, was that the water temperature was killing them off - I've lost about 14 fish this summer due to heat as far as I can tell. The tank's been a little over 30º (80º F) all summer. (I live in Madrid, Spain and the low last night was 27º.)

The lfs has been great, even giving me a pair free, but I'm completely stumped on how to keep the stupid things alive more than two weeks.

 

[adder]

How much does the water chemistry differ from you LFS and your own tank? What aacclimation time do you give the Kribs before they enter your tank?

 

[impur]

i keep my tanks at 80. I haven't lost one in over a year. What were your nitrites and ammonia readings? The behavior you describe sounds like possible ammonia poisoning.

 

[Tim]

Impur, the nitrite readings were never higher than ,005 and even then I did water changes to make them imperceptible. I haven't measured the ammonia readings, but I assume that if the nitrites are so low, there shouldn't be any surprises with the ammonia. Is that a safe assumption?

Adder, I don't really know the difference in the chemistry. Theoretically there shouldn't be too much. It's in a shopping mall less than a mile away.

As far as acclimatizing, I use the standard 15 minutes temperature adjustment, introduce water, 10 minutes, introduce more water, 10 minutes and in they go. In any event, the problems start after about a week of normal activity.

 

[impur]

I would have the ammonia tested just to be safe. You can have high ammonia readings and no nitrite readings. How long has the tank been running? Have your changed anything like the filter or filter media?

 

[impur]

I would have the ammonia tested just to be safe. You can have high ammonia readings and no nitrite readings. How long has the tank been running? Have your changed anything like the filter or filter media?

 

[impur]

I would have the ammonia tested just to be safe. You can have high ammonia readings and no nitrite readings. How long has the tank been running? Have your changed anything like the filter or filter media?

 

[impur]

I would have the ammonia tested just to be safe. You can have high ammonia readings and no nitrite readings. How long has the tank been running? Have your changed anything like the filter or filter media?