Woke Up To A Dead Guppy.

[IanL]

I'm not a big fan of additives,but if it will save the fish.... Why didn't she let you buy it?

 

[Ny82]

I'm not a big fan of additives,but if it will save the fish.... Why didn't she let you buy it?

She just told me that she doesn't like adding chemicals if the solution can be with regular water changes-I explained I did them monday, wed and a full tank strip on sunday. She then said that was too much and i'm causing the ammonia to be so high she just said 25-50% every 2 days then bring another sample back to the shop for testing then if it's still too high to buy the drops-my fish might be dead by then

 

[IanL]

I don't like additives either,but......
Annoyingly I have a whole bottle sat in front of me here.....


edit,.....unless there's ammonia in your tap water,how can YOU be adding to the problem???

 

[Ny82]

I don't like additives either,but......
Annoyingly I have a whole bottle sat in front of me here.....


edit,.....unless there's ammonia in your tap water,how can YOU be adding to the problem???

Do I just test the water from the tap the same way?
She said that with me stripping down the whole tank-fish, plants, gravel, I am basically starting from scratch everytime I fill it up again.

 

[IanL]

well,she's right about starting from scratch I suppose...did you change all the water? And was it sunday just gone? The ammonia should have gone down by now..

 

[This Old Spouse]

The beneficial bacteria is mostly in the filter media, not in the gravel or the decorations. So unless you replaced the filter media your filter should still be working to clear your water of ammonia.

What did you do with the filter media when you cleaned everything out on Sunday? Have you cycled your filter? How long has your tank been set up?

Forget about getting any chemicals EXCEPT StressCoat+ or Seachem Prime!

But you do need to do big water changes until your ammonia level drops to 0. You also need to be concerned about your nitrite and nitrate levels. Also, your pH levels need to be a concern but address that once your ammonia and nitrite levels are at 0.

 

[Ny82]

Yeah sunday just there. Here's what I done the last few days.
Sunday, I took the plants out, took the gravel out, took the fish out, scrubbed the filter-just the outside as there was bits of plant stuck in it, scrubbed the green stuff off the glass. Then filled up the tank again and put the fish back in.
Tuesday - I did a 25% water change, scrubbed the glass, trimmed the plants. Did the gravel.
Wed - the man came to get the barbs. I had to take the plants out again to let him catch them. I also did the vac on the gravel and changed the water while I was at it.
Yesterday morning he gave me a heater - brand new in the box within an hour the tank was nice and warm sitting at 24. That's when I got the guppies from pets at home. They were very active when they got home I let the bag float etc to get them used to the temp and let them out.
This morning the tiniest one was dead.
Here is a vid of my "lifeless" platy
http/s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa466/TiggsGTI/Fish%20tank%20progress/?action=view&current=VIDEO0063.mp4

 

[This Old Spouse]

Did you just set up this tank? I think you're probably in a fish-in cycle, and if that's the case you need to be doing at least 50% water changes every day. The guppies hanging out at the top of the tank are looking for oxygen. They don't seem to bad at the moment as they're not gasping, and I think that's probably due to the fact you have a large enough tank to disperse the ammonia a bit.

Daily water changes with temp-matched, dechlorinated water.

Check out the link below my signature photo and click on it to get great info about a fish-in cycle.

 

[Ny82]

Did you just set up this tank? I think you're probably in a fish-in cycle, and if that's the case you need to be doing at least 50% water changes every day. The guppies hanging out at the top of the tank are looking for oxygen. They don't seem to bad at the moment as they're not gasping, and I think that's probably due to the fact you have a large enough tank to disperse the ammonia a bit.

Daily water changes with temp-matched, dechlorinated water.

Check out the link below my signature photo and click on it to get great info about a fish-in cycle.

Thanks for your reply. I got the tank on 11th november. Had it set up for a week and got the platy on the 20th I think. I didn't know anything about filter media or anything like that. The reason I joined was due to someone asking about pets at home selling platy as coldwater fish - that's what my tank was up until yesterday. So the day after I got the tank I got the stress zyme and put the tiniest drop into the funnel of the filter to give it a boost.
I have enclosed a pic of my "stash"

 

[This Old Spouse]

Never heard of Safe Guard before, but it looks like it does what a good dechlorinator should. And it's good you have the API ammonia tester. Now you just need to get accompanying tests for nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do you have any friends who have aquariums set up?

Next time you decide to get some more fish (not for a good long time, I hope) you should acclimate them using the drip method. Float the bag in your tank, and every 10 minutes or so put a little bit of tank water into the bag. It might take at least an hour to get the new fish acclimated to the tank water they're about to call home, but the longer you take to do this, the better your chances of keeping the new fish alive. Once you're ready to let them into their new home, use your net to put them in. Do NOT just empty the bag into your tank, as the water from the LFS might have something harmful in it and you don't want to introduce that to your tank.

The absolute best way to bring new fish home is to set up a quarantine tank, follow the drip method above and keep them in the Q tank for a week or two to make sure they haven't brought anything deadly with them.

Just some random info for you ....

 

[Ny82]

You have provided me with some very useful info and that's why i'm here-to learn. I am hoping that with 50% water changes the ammonia comes down and is just due to the dead fish.

 

[IanL]

Hang on in there,you'll get there in the end.....good wishes from me ..

 

[Ny82]

Thankyou, is it honestly as easy as just changing the water? I tested the tap water and it was perfect. I then tested the tank water again and was getting excited since it was yellow - then it changed

 

[This Old Spouse]

Just about! Just keep changing the water whenever you see ammonia or nitrite readings above 0 and you're well on your way. If you have a friend with an established tank you might want to ask them for some of their filter media.

 

[Ny82]

My friends tanks just starting out too, he wants my platy since they are breeding. My boyfriend doesn't understand why the ammonia is at 0 from the tap but rockets to 2-4 when in the tank. He keeps telling me to get a new clean filter.
I will do 50% water changes everyday then and hope for the best.