We Have A Tetra Down, We Have A Tetra Down

[BigbruiserAl]

Ok one of my congo tetra's is on it's way out he lays on the sand for a while then gets a burst of enery swims to the top and floats back down like he cant be asked. The tank is a rio 300 the fish have been in for 6 days the external filter was cycled in another tank water stats show 0,0,5pp with a API liquid test.

Tank has 12 congo tetra and 12 rasboras
When i got congo's they were like dull silver in 6 days they have turned brillent shades of blue and greens which assumed was good? No other fish acting this way so far. he does have a few niped fins but not sure if he arrived this way have ot seen any aggrestion apart from the odd 2 or second madness maybe twice

any advice or is he just a Collateral loss in community tank?

 

[L_Plates]

I had the same with one of my Copper Harlequins, could just be collateral like you say.

Oh and i had a Glowlight tetra do this as well in my smaller tank. All other fish was fine.

LP

 

[luke4868]

I presume he's the only one acting in such a way? Was he active beforehand, or always been like that?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

He the only one doing it,just checked on him he still on the sand....hmmm has made me think not to add my 4 bolivian rams now

 

[eaglesaquarium]

He the only one doing it,just checked on him he still on the sand....hmmm has made me think not to add my 4 bolivian rams now

Probably a smart move... no reason to rush it. Wait to see what happens with this fish, or if it spreads to others before adding additional fish to the mix. The additional fish could just be enough to over stress that little guy and finish him off as well.

 

[waterdrop]

Transport and acclimation is a life and death situation for all fish even under the best of circumstances. It is not uncommon to lose an individual fish but it can take time before you know that that is all it is.

So many things are possible for the period before you obtained the fish. It could have somehow been harassed by other fish prior to or somehow in the LFS or it could have been accidently crushed or bruised during some part of transport. Things like that can be impossible to see. And that's not to mention congenital problems or internal infection or other strange things.

Anyway, usually the best you can do is make some good notes in your notebook and then be patient, observant and keep up your testing.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Thanks, well hes still alive but i assume hes suffering looks he has lost his balance is that possible. Resting on sand making a sudden move but verticaly. Do i let him be or shall i net him and end it for him(ill be humane)

 

[seizethecupcake]

In your situation, if I saw the condition of the fish worsening, I would net it and end its suffering

 

[BigbruiserAl]

ok i feed the fish and put 5ml of florish in left it for ann hour or so did a water test and shows 0.50ppm ammonia rest of the stats are 0....would this be due to the food? should i get the buckets out for a water change or give 4-5 hours see of the filter break it down?

 

[Tizer]

No it wont be caused by feeding, your filter doesnt sound like its correctly cycled. You have been using dechlorinator with new water i presume? I would do a 50% water change then test it every 24 hours for a couple of days.

With fish swimming in 0.50 of ammonia you risk some damage to them and of course stress, with it at 0.25 and under you reduce that stress hugely.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Its back down now to 0/0.25( i hate these fricking api kits) not sure what happened this morning the external filter was cycled with mature media for 30 days doing 4ppm in no time. The jewl internal filter i choose to leave in was also seeded with mature media. would it make sence to think 7 days later the jewl internal is starting a mini cycle, maybe i tested the water before it got around to the external processed it....350l is a large volume i guess

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Little fella didt make it bumer, thought of another question when leaving the api kits to work i used a stopwatch so pretty much 5min on the dot. I forgot today went back an hour+ later and its the 1st time in 6 months i have ever seen a yellow showing on the kit. Why when left longer does it yellow

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

[KISSfn]

Little fella didt make it bumer, thought of another question when leaving the api kits to work i used a stopwatch so pretty much 5min on the dot. I forgot today went back an hour+ later and its the 1st time in 6 months i have ever seen a yellow showing on the kit. Why when left longer does it yellow

Sorry to hear that. I now believe the API kits are mass produced "junk" with inaccurate results at best. As pointed out to me by admin Tolak, here's a test kit that only tests for ammonia for $71.30 http/www.grainger.com/Grainger/LAMOTTE-Water-Quality-Testing-Kit-4EVX6?Pid=search. So, I beleive you get what you pay for. I will be buying a Salifert ammonia test kit (based on Waterdrop's recommendation) later today. I have a SeaChem ammonia alert in my tank now that I also rely on because I tested it and it actually works. That's more than I can say for API which failed my tests.

 

[KISSfn]

Transport and acclimation is a life and death situation for all fish even under the best of circumstances. It is not uncommon to lose an individual fish but it can take time before you know that that is all it is.

So many things are possible for the period before you obtained the fish. It could have somehow been harassed by other fish prior to or somehow in the LFS or it could have been accidently crushed or bruised during some part of transport. Things like that can be impossible to see. And that's not to mention congenital problems or internal infection or other strange things.

Anyway, usually the best you can do is make some good notes in your notebook and then be patient, observant and keep up your testing.

~~waterdrop~~

You are right again Waterdrop! I recently added 1 Tiger Barb and 1 Green Barb to increase their "gang" to 8 (which turns out to be their sweet spot). The "kid" at the LFS was having a heck of a time netting the Barbs as they are lightning fast swimmers and he was a terrible netter. They seemed fine in the bag, ride home, acclimation, so I added them. Long story short I thought I was going to lose them both (but luckily I didn't) and I now think their troubles were in large part to the stress of that dumb kid at the LFS!