Urgent Help Please. New To This!

[fergiesek]

This is my first time logging in. I'd be really grateful for some urgent help

We have recently set up our tank, had the water tested after cycling and shop said it was fine so we got our first fish on sunday - 6 serpa tetras, 2 black mollys and 2 dalmation mollies to start.

Had snails sun morning but removed them and the shop gave me 'snail away' and said to float some polystyrene on the top of the water after putting the snail away in the tank - it was harmless to fish. They said if no more visible snails just to leave.

We had two teeny ones last night but none tonight so I haven't used snail away/polystyrene yet.

I also added a new rock last night after rinsing it thoroughly since sun.

Came home tonight and one serpa tetra was dead behind some wood.

Another serpa terta is now hanging about near the bottom of the tank and appears to have trouble swimming? No obvious physical signs on it of anything.

Is there anything anyone can recommend? A water change and add the conditioner ( is that the same as dechlorinator you all mention in topics?) PLEASE HELP I feel so bad in case the wee thing is suffering. MANY THANKS

 

[Larissa]

Yep, conditioner is dechlorinator. A couple questions to give us more info:
1. How did you cycle your tank?
2. What size tank do you have?
3. Have you done anything to the filter lately
4. Are you able to tell us what your water stats are. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate,? - If you don't have a set of liquid test kits you should probably get some so you can test the water yourself. API is a good brand as is Nutrafin.

 

[aaronnorth]

Have a look for any signs of illness, bloated. conditioner same as dechlorinator. chemicals aren't the best thing for getting rid of snails as it can have an affect on the fish.

 

[rdd1952]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH? When you said you took water in after cycling the tank, how did you cycle it? If you just set the tank up and let the filter run for a few days, then the tank isn't cycled and the water you took to the LFS would only show the reading that came from your tap water.

A water change would definitely be the first thing to do. If you do have high ammonia and/or nitrite, that will lower the levels. If you don't have your own test kits, get a good liquid master test kit that can test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. Stay away from strips as they are terribly inaccurate and more expensive in the long run.

What type rock did you add? Did you test it first to make sure it was safe? Some rocks can cause a rise in pH, GH and KH which can cause problems with your fish. You may want to remove it and do a fizz test. Put a couple drops of vinegar on it. If it fizzes, it may not be a good idea to put it back as it will definitely raise your pH.

Also, I would stop using the snail killer. The sudden death of a lot of snails and their subsequent decomposition can lead to high ammonia levels and if your tank isn't cycled, that will only make matters worse. It is always best to find the problem and solve it rather than to use chemicals to treat it. Most of us use only dechlorinator and possible fertilizers for plants and stay clear of all other chemicals.

 

[fergiesek]

Yep, conditioner is dechlorinator. A couple questions to give us more info:
1. How did you cycle your tank?
2. What size tank do you have?
3. Have you done anything to the filter lately
4. Are you able to tell us what your water stats are. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate,? - If you don't have a set of liquid test kits you should probably get some so you can test the water yourself. API is a good brand as is Nutrafin.

Thank you so much. I'll do my best to answer:

1. cleaned all gravel thoroughly, added water, bacteria and conditioner, waited 7 days and added more. Had water tested at aquarium shop on sunday. They said ph slightly high but to put a piece of wood I had previously taken out as it was discolouring the water, back in and that would take ph down.
2. Tank is an Aqua One Regency 80. 180 litres.
3. Not touched filter since set up 2 weeks ago.
Just bought API test kit on sunday but as shop have just tested on sun haven't used yet.

My husband has been checking our Aquariums for dummies book - new tank syndrome?

Thank you agin for your reply.

 

[Larissa]

I would start by testing the water to see if there is any ammonia and nirtite. I suspect the bacteria you added to 'cycle' the tank was probably not very effective - as most arn't - and did not really cycle your tank. Do you know the brand of the bacteria? You are probably now going to have to do a fish-in cycle to keep ammonia and nitrite under 0.25ppm until your tank is fully cycled.

 

[rdd1952]

Unfortunately, what you did isn't cycling although that's what most books and LFS say to do. Cycling is the process of building a bacteria colony to process waste. Unless you add a food source, ammonia, to the tank, no bacteria will form. The bacteria in a bottle products are mostly useless and even if they did work, simply adding them to the tank without adding ammonia for food wouldn't do anything. Basically what the LFS tested for you was your tap water.

I strongly suspect that your ammonia is over 2ppm and you may have nitrite too. Start by doing a 50% water change and then do them as needed, as close as 2 or 3 hours apart, until you can get the ammonia and nitrite below .25 ppm and then as needed over the next few weeks to keep the levels there.

 

[Cooper2085]

1. cleaned all gravel thoroughly, added water, bacteria and conditioner, waited 7 days and added more. Had water tested at aquarium shop on sunday. They said ph slightly high but to put a piece of wood I had previously taken out as it was discolouring the water, back in and that would take ph down.

Theres your problem mate, the tank is not cycled. Test your water and carry on doing 50% water changes. Im on week 6 of my tank now, its still not finished cycling and i used filter media from a mature tank of my friends.

 

[fergiesek]

Unfortunately, what you did isn't cycling although that's what most books and LFS say to do. Cycling is the process of building a bacteria colony to process waste. Unless you add a food source, ammonia, to the tank, no bacteria will form. The bacteria in a bottle products are mostly useless and even if they did work, simply adding them to the tank without adding ammonia for food wouldn't do anything. Basically what the LFS tested for you was your tap water.

I strongly suspect that your ammonia is over 2ppm and you may have nitrite too. Start by doing a 50% water change and then do them as needed, as close as 2 or 3 hours apart, until you can get the ammonia and nitrite below .25 ppm and then as needed over the next few weeks to keep the levels there.

Thanks to everyone who's answered. My hubbie is taking out 20% of the tank water as I type. This may seem a daft question but do you add cold tap water to top it up and then the conditioner?

I've tested the water:

PH 7.6, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5
From the note the shop gave me all the results seem fine except PH so I took out the rock. Does that seem fine?
Thanks again for your help

 

[rabbut]

Assuming that test was from a sample taken from after the fish were added, your tank would appear to be cycled. My guess if this s the case, is that that snail killer isn't fish friendly. Any chemical that is deadly to fish, either knockes out the filter, or is also deadly to fish in the required dosage

I would do an on the spot 50% waterchage (standord procedure when you suspect poisoning of any kind) and re-fill as quickly as possible, using warmed tap water, that is conditioned before adding to the tank. Failing to condition the water prior to adding to the tank would make the replacement water itself poisonous

All the best
Rabbut

 

[fergiesek]

Assuming that test was from a sample taken from after the fish were added, your tank would appear to be cycled. My guess if this s the case, is that that snail killer isn't fish friendly. Any chemical that is deadly to fish, either knockes out the filter, or is also deadly to fish in the required dosage

I would do an on the spot 50% waterchage (standord procedure when you suspect poisoning of any kind) and re-fill as quickly as possible, using warmed tap water, that is conditioned before adding to the tank. Failing to condition the water prior to adding to the tank would make the replacement water itself poisonous

All the best
Rabbut
[/quote

Thank you. That the water changed with conditioner added first. Lets hope that works after everyones been so kind in helping me. What a wonderful forum I am sure I'll be back with lots more questions.

MANY THANKS

 

[rdd1952]

Based on those results the tank would appear to be cycled. In that case, I would agree that the snail killer may have been the problem. The water changes will help dilute and remove it. Best way to get rid of snails is to remove them by hand. When I start seeing a few too many, I usually drop a few shrimp pellets in the tank. The snails are usually on them in a few minutes and I can simply pick them out. Some people also have success with putting a lettuce leaf in the tank and then lifting it out when he snails are on it. Overfeeding can cause a huge snail population explosion.

One last method that you can use during water changes is to remove the vacuum tube off the hose so that you only have the hose in the tank. You get an unbelievably strong suction and you can easily suck the snails right out. Just don't get it too near your fish or you will get them too.