My Sisters Tank Needs Your Help (i Think)

[Neon_Momma]

HI All,

I've just been round to my sisters, who got herself a 2' Pearl tank a few months ago.

I was quite jealous to be honest ) as it looks really nice, bow fronted, and the idea of everything being encased in the hood sounded great.

However, i've just had a really good look at it, and it's a crap design! (IMO)

Theres two tiny square holes at the front of the hood, which is the only access you have unless you want to remove the whole hood & filter & Thermostat, which obviously involves switching it all off etc...wayy too time consuming.

Anyway, I took my test reading kit with me, because my mum was worried about the condition of the tank, my sister had cleared it all out about 3 weeks ago, put in new sand, pretend plants (as her real ones were making a mess) and it all looked really nice and tidy, and the fish seemed ok.

At present the tank looks terrible, the water is yellowy and the sand is mucky, rotten food on the top etc, they have been trying to hoover it up though, and they are doing water changes every couple of days.

The filter seems a bit crap, theres no real flow or air getting into the water, my mum had been washing the filter sponges out under the tap as she didnt know any better, but i've told her otherwise now.

TBH it's a case of my sister not being there very much and my mum is trying her best to look after her fish when she doesnt really know much about them (even less than me!)

These are the readings I have got tonight:

Ph 7.6
Ammonia 4.0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0

The fish are all around the surface of the water, trying to get some oxygen I guess, I've told her to get an airstone in there and do frequent small water changes.

I also feel the tank is over stocked for it's size, she has two parrot fish, a few other smaller fish I cant identify atm, and a small plec.

Is there anything I can do to try and help?

 

[mark7616]

Might sound weird but what colour are the parrot fish.

 

[Neon_Momma]

one is orange and one is pinky purple

 

[mark7616]

These are as the americans call them jellybean or bubblygum parrot fish they are kind of a hybrid of a hybrid yes i know hybrids dont breed but its a weird mix know one is 100% sure but they are born very pale or albino and dyed. This will most probably course an argument but the type of parrot fish your sister has will not grow more than 4" maximum we have had our blue one for 3 years and is still only 3" and has never lost its blue colour people say they will but mine hasnt. i have tried to research the breed as much as i can but people only have there own opinions know one really knows 100% so if im right i do not belive her tank is over populated.

 

[Neon_Momma]

HI,

It may not be, i'm far from knowing enough about it all to say, but I am worried about the condition of the tank all the same.

 

[mark7616]

the juwel system is a very good system the filters i find are very good. The sand is most probably muck and the constant water changes are just disturbing the mess and sending it round the tank maybe leaving it to settle for a couple of days may rectify the way the water looks. As for the readings thats about right as the tank sounds like it hasnt been cycled and witht he water changes it just starting to so it really has to cycle so its a bit of a catch 22 do the water changes and have mucky water and save the fish or leave it to cycle and risk the fish.

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. The reason the fish are all at the surface of the water is because they are slowly being killed by the ammonia. A reading of 4 is very high and if left uncorrected the fish won't be alive much longer. The tank needs to have all the uneaten food and fish waste vacuumed up asap. Then water changes of 10%-20% need to be done once or twice per DAY until the ammonia levels come down. Once you have taken steps to get the ammonia down, try to get the filter outlet positioned so that it disturbs the surface of the water. I hope that there aren't any fish losses, but it sounds as though the damage is already done. Good luck.

 

[mark7616]

The juwel system is built in and cant be moved unless you have an additional filter. You can get the ammonia down if you purchase some AmQuel+ its a good solution for high ammonia but she should remove the parrot fish as these dont have a high immune system could you hold on to them for a week or so.

 

[Neon_Momma]

HI,

Sorry it was my mistake, the tank is a Pearl.

I could hold the fish, but my stats aren't great either as I am just starting out, I have
0.5 ammonia
0 nitrite
0nitrate
ph 7.6

My tank hasn't began to cycle yet I dont think, I am doing small water changes every day though.

Would the parrots attack my tetras and guppy?

 

[mark7616]

i only have one its in with tetras and molies and mine is fine 2 could be terrotorial yeah sounds like you may have problems if you held them maybe the pet shop could hold them for her. she is in a bit of a tight situation.

 

[Neon_Momma]

I think she is, but she's not even aware to be honest, shes not been home for days.

I think I might take my spare pump and an air wall over and give them a water change and see if that helps as well.

 

[mark7616]

do you add any cycle products to the water because she will still have a tank that hasnt cycled so the problem will arrise again.

 

[Neon_Momma]

well i'm back home.

I've changed about 10% of the water and given the sand a good hoover, I fitted up one of my old pumps with an air stone so theres a bit more movement in the water.

They look happier already, well, they've at least come out from hiding and down from the surface!

I took more notice of what fish she actually has in the tank, although I dont know all their names, there are the two parrot fish, a Cichlid, two dwarf gourami, a catfish of some description and a couple of other ones I couldnt name.

I used water safe for the change and she has some cycle products which she can see to when she comes home.

 

[dwarfgourami]

the juwel system is a very good system the filters i find are very good. The sand is most probably muck and the constant water changes are just disturbing the mess and sending it round the tank maybe leaving it to settle for a couple of days may rectify the way the water looks. As for the readings thats about right as the tank sounds like it hasnt been cycled and witht he water changes it just starting to so it really has to cycle so its a bit of a catch 22 do the water changes and have mucky water and save the fish or leave it to cycle and risk the fish.

Mark, I know the water looks messier after a water change (always depressing), but it's not the mucky look that affects the fish. With water changes you are taking out lethal toxins, so they are good things. And there is little evidence that they slow down the cycle. Even if they did, where is the point of speeding up the cycle if all your fish die?