Stocking With Dwarf Cichlids
- Thread starter Zafirah
- Start date
.
Breeze7050
Fishaholic
That sucks! But, 1 20% water change without conditioner shouldn't kill all your fish. you should probably strip the tank down and start over before adding in your new fish. 
t1tanrush
Fishaholic
I think you had another problem somewhere along there. I do 20-30% water changes with untreated water all the time. Sometimes even 100% with untreated.. I've never used treated water until recently, and never noticed any quick die offs or anything.
thegnu
Fishaholic
i agree entirely with t1tanrush and i will just say that dwarf cichlids are imo a specialist fish, needing the best care thats why you don't see them much in the shops.they haven't got the time to look after them
t1tanrush
Fishaholic
If you weren't able to do tetras/gupies/corys successfully I don't think you are ready for dwarf cichlids, these are best left to people who have more experience.
Katchan
Fish Addict
Sheesh will everyone just lighten up, B) be cool all
A - I have heard of 10-40% unconditioned water changes killing fish, this is generally after large rains the local water companies add more clorine/cloramine etc to kill any stirred up bacteria, also depends on whats normal "treatment" for local conditions, on the otherside I know people that do 10% weekly changes without water treatment, just remember that a system used to conditionedwater will have more problems with a sudden input of unconditioned water than a tank always run with unconditioned using mor unconditioned
B - Dead/dyding plants may of killed your fish by giving of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate at higher levels than nornal more so if the tank was used to using these plants to absorbs the toxins.
C - could of been A + B
D - could of been someone spraying chemicals in the same room as the tank
Sand in the tank, while personally I have never experienced it, I have heard it is possibleto have toxic gas build up in the sand if not regular combed/disturbed, just a possibilty, but I doubt it.
I'm not sure what foot print a 105l has but...
apistos in general need 2 square feet for a trio (1m/2f) a pair of rams need 1 square foot so you should be able to get a tro of apistos and a pair of rams with maybe a modification of stocking later down the line (6-10weeks)
tank mates - panda or other small cory types go well as they dont get to big for the dwarf to keep away if they breed, add 2 bristlenose catfish and some ditherfish eg small tetras, guppies, sparkling gourami and maybe a dwarf gourami or two, wait a month or two see how the tank goes modify as needed
Basically I'd reset the whole tank, wash the sand, wash the plants (if any left), wash the filter and heater, refill let it settle, clone filter media, add fish
you might want to consider 10% water changes every other day for the first week if your paranoid
The main thing to watch for the quality of the stock you get and being careful when you add the fish/acclimitise
HTH
Andrew
A - I have heard of 10-40% unconditioned water changes killing fish, this is generally after large rains the local water companies add more clorine/cloramine etc to kill any stirred up bacteria, also depends on whats normal "treatment" for local conditions, on the otherside I know people that do 10% weekly changes without water treatment, just remember that a system used to conditionedwater will have more problems with a sudden input of unconditioned water than a tank always run with unconditioned using mor unconditioned
B - Dead/dyding plants may of killed your fish by giving of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate at higher levels than nornal more so if the tank was used to using these plants to absorbs the toxins.
C - could of been A + B
D - could of been someone spraying chemicals in the same room as the tank
breeze7050, what makes you say 20% water change?, I do 50% 7-10 days
Sand in the tank, while personally I have never experienced it, I have heard it is possibleto have toxic gas build up in the sand if not regular combed/disturbed, just a possibilty, but I doubt it.
I've had more trouble with neons and guppies than I ever did with dwarfs and I've been keeping both, and leaning towards dwarfs (including breeding) for over two years
I'm not sure what foot print a 105l has but...
apistos in general need 2 square feet for a trio (1m/2f) a pair of rams need 1 square foot so you should be able to get a tro of apistos and a pair of rams with maybe a modification of stocking later down the line (6-10weeks)
tank mates - panda or other small cory types go well as they dont get to big for the dwarf to keep away if they breed, add 2 bristlenose catfish and some ditherfish eg small tetras, guppies, sparkling gourami and maybe a dwarf gourami or two, wait a month or two see how the tank goes modify as needed
Basically I'd reset the whole tank, wash the sand, wash the plants (if any left), wash the filter and heater, refill let it settle, clone filter media, add fish
you might want to consider 10% water changes every other day for the first week if your paranoid
The main thing to watch for the quality of the stock you get and being careful when you add the fish/acclimitise
HTH
Andrew
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
293 -
183 -
172 -
166 -
139 -
132 -
114 -
101 -
91 -
83 -
80 -
70 -
F
69
-
53 -
52