Ready To Give Up

[nike12301]

Ok here we go.

I've been cycling a 36 gallon tank with three neon tetras for about a month. (I know - bad idea, but I can't go back now.) One died very early on. The other two were completely fine for the past few weeks.

Today, I get home from work and see that one of the tetras looked like it had its upper lip ripped straight off. If you looked at it straight on, it looked like his mouth was permanently open. He was also losing color and wouldn't even notice food in the tank. Unfortunately, he was dead 20 minutes later.

As shocked as I was to come home to this, I'm really confused about what to do with my tank now.

It's 36 gallons, I'm in the middle of cycling, I only have one neon tetra in there and there's the possibility that the dead guy suffered from some kind of infection in the tank.

Not exactly ideal circumstances.

So I guess here are my concerns: Will that one neon (even if he stays healthy) be enough to continue cycling the tank? Suppose there was an infection, how do I get it out of the tank without having to start from scratch? Suppose that one neon can't survive on his own in the middle of a cycle, which is probably likely, what do I do form there? Can i start a fishless cycle in the middle of a already started fish in cycle?

I guess it's also worth mentioning that I have an established 10 gallon tank with a betta in it across the room. That could always be a refuge for the lone neon for the time being - even if I had to get a divider. Then I could fishless cycle the 36 gallon tank from there, but again, would I have to start from scratch with a 100% change?

I feel like there's nothing I can do at this point to really fix the situation.


PS - Please don't respond telling me that neons aren't hardy starter fish and that fish in cycling is cruel. I know, I know. It was a mistake but I'm trying to move on and figure out what's best from this point.

 

[RedeyesUK]

It sounds like you're in a bit of a tough situation there.

What I'd suggest is to find a suitable container for the lone neon (if your house is warm enough you should be able to get away without a heater) and keep him in there, rather than putting him in with your betta. Do daily WCs (he won;t produce enough waste on his own to be much of an issue) and feed lightly.

This will then leave you free to do a 100% water change on your cycling tank, and then get going with a fishless cycle. As you're already halfway through a fish-in cycle, it shouldn't take long.

Also, keep an eye on the tetra to see if he picks up any diseases - if he doesn't, you can assume your tank is safe.

Not an ideal situation, but the best I can come up with.

Alternatively, you could try returning him to the shop and doing a fishless cycle.

 

[nike12301]

It sounds like you're in a bit of a tough situation there.

What I'd suggest is to find a suitable container for the lone neon (if your house is warm enough you should be able to get away without a heater) and keep him in there, rather than putting him in with your betta. Do daily WCs (he won;t produce enough waste on his own to be much of an issue) and feed lightly.

This will then leave you free to do a 100% water change on your cycling tank, and then get going with a fishless cycle. As you're already halfway through a fish-in cycle, it shouldn't take long.

Also, keep an eye on the tetra to see if he picks up any diseases - if he doesn't, you can assume your tank is safe.

Not an ideal situation, but the best I can come up with.

Alternatively, you could try returning him to the shop and doing a fishless cycle.

Thanks a lot for the advice. Sounds reasonable.

How would I start a fishless cycle in the middle of a cycle that's already started? Would it be any different? Just keep adding ammonia until the nitrites come?

 

[The Great Zissou]

Firstly don't beat yourself up. All these experiences teach you in the best way possible you will never forget

them.. I have been keeping fish for 16 years and have made many mistakes that I kicked myself for but now keep and

breed many types of freshwater fish.

I agree with RedEyesUK however I must ask what is your substrate, decoratons, where does your water come from and

have you tired using Prime or Stability both introduce denitrifying bactiria into your tank and can be added as needed until

the cycling is complete. Lastly I know you are sad for your fish I have had many die over the years and it always hurts

but dont give up the first time you raise a batch of fry to adult hood you will more than make up for it karma

wise and it will make the losses almost barable

 

[nike12301]

Firstly don't beat yourself up. All these experiences teach you in the best way possible you will never forget

them.. I have been keeping fish for 16 years and have made many mistakes that I kicked myself for but now keep and

breed many types of freshwater fish.

I agree with RedEyesUK however I must ask what is your substrate, decoratons, where does your water come from and

have you tired using Prime or Stability both introduce denitrifying bactiria into your tank and can be added as needed until

the cycling is complete. Lastly I know you are sad for your fish I have had many die over the years and it always hurts

but dont give up the first time you raise a batch of fry to adult hood you will more than make up for it karma

wise and it will make the losses almost barable

My substrate is just plain blue gravel and I have some plastic plants and rocks. Basic stuff you'd fine in the store.

And I have used Stress Zyme+ and Cycle. Neither have made any nitrites show up yet.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Thanks a lot for the advice. Sounds reasonable.

How would I start a fishless cycle in the middle of a cycle that's already started? Would it be any different? Just keep adding ammonia until the nitrites come?

Yup, that is exactly what you want to do. Add up to between 3- 5 ppm of ammonia and monitor your water by doing tests everyday. When you ammonia starts getting around 1 ppm, add some more ammonia. You will eventually see nitrites appear, spike, and then go down. And for the end result you will start to have nitrate when ammonia and nitrite are 0. After ammonia and nitrite go down to 0 and you are starting to get nitrate, continue on adding ammonia for a week. Your filter should process 5 ppm of ammonia to 0 ppm in about 12 hours. If everything is still good at the end of the week, do a large water change and you should be ready for fish. Don't let your nitrate get above 60 ppm, I would do a water change when your nitrate is nearing 40 ppm, should do about a 25% water change once a week.

-FHM

 

[BobbyBray]

You could also try taking part of the filter from your established 10 gallon and place it in the filter of your 36 in order to help give it a kick start. I did that with my 29 gallon, and its greatly helped to speed up my fishless cycle thus far.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, agree with fathead and bobby, should be quite easy to shift over to doing a fishless cycle. You actually have a not bad situation.

You might even be able to find some sort of hanging box situation (I'm thinking ideally of devising some sort of non-see-through plastic box like a breeder type box but with not openings just so that you could take advantage of the stable heat in the betta 10g (assuming there's heat there, or even if not I'd think the temp would be more stable.) Also, your LFS might have a heart and just take a single neon off your hands, who knows.

Just be sure you have a good liquid-base test kit, good household ammonia etc. Bring up the temp to 29C/84F and start measuring ammonia, nitrite(NO2) and pH and just report back that stuff here and talk about it more.

~~waterdrop~~