Red Eye Tetra

[JJJ]

You need to increase waterchanges to get the ammonia below the .25ppm mark, as it will do serious damage in a very short length of time at levels any higher
I assume that you have not been able to find mature media to help the cycle along? The bottle of Cycle is useless, contains the wrong bacteria, so don't waste money on more.

At this point it is just a case of keeping up waterchanges and waiting for the bacteria to take over Mature media would get things moving more quickly

All the best
Rabbut

Hi Rabbut,
I couldn't find mature media, but I continued with water changes thr next week 50% every 2 day and 30% every other day and
finally some good news, here are my water reading in the last three days:

9/06/08
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=.25
Nitrate=10

10/06/08
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=5
ph=7

11/06/08
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=5
ph=7

I would say water is back to normal,
would it be safe to suggest the cycle is complete? it been 20 days since the red eye died of Dropsy.

The fish now seem more active and are eating eagerly, however 2 black widdows seem to have their rear fin shortened( fin rot? could this be remenence of ammonia poisoning?) Its seems to be growing back, they are still lathargic, they are geeting their colour back, hope they recover?

There were a few casualties along the way, 3 red eyes, 4 zebra danios, 1 CAE, boneo sucker and 2 black widdows( I found one on the floor, weird( not known to jump))

Thanks a Lot rabbut for your advise, its been a fustrating couple of weeks, I learnt a whole heap on cycling and deseases, I'II just keep an eye on water for 2 weeks before I think about adding new fish( i think i was overgrouded prevoiusly( see signiture))

BR
/JJJ

 

[waterdrop]

I believe one of the generally accepted bits of lore here is that if you've been "fish-in" cycling a filter and doing water changes and you finally get test readings of zero ammonia and zero nitrite for two days in a row without water changes, then you can breath a little easier and feel that perhaps you are cycled.

The last two days of data you report above meet that criteria and the behaviour of your fish support the data. I would think you would still want to be regular about your testing for a while yet, but hopefully the tests will just confirm that the filter is now doing its job.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rabbut]

It looks to have sorted itself out

The missing tails aren't a great consern if they are now growing back. Do regular 20-30% daily waterchanges to aid healing, but don't medicate as I don't think it's necissary ATM

All the best
Rabbut