Advice and Ideas for my Tank?

[Cammie]

Hello!

My tank seems a little empty and to be honest, a little pathetic!

Can someone give me some ideas as what to add to liven it up, it's very quiet lol

My female guppy is sadly on her last legs, I've been doing everything to keep her but she is getting very thin and her tummy is starting to sink in, so I don't think it will be very long for her.

Thank you x x x x

 

[OrangeCones]

Have you looked at the symptoms of fish TB? It can cause a bloated look in fish that later starve with the sunken belly look.

I wouldn't add anything new until you can figure out what is going wrong with your molly and guppy.

Just my 2cents.

 

[lauraf]

Cammie, I have to agree with OrangeCones here - the last thing you want is the heartache of losing more fish if you don't know why the ones you have are struggling.
Maybe do some research into TB as OC mentioned, or give us a bunch more info, and let's see if we can get your tank a healthy one so you can have fun with introducing some new guys.
BTW, I must tell you again how much I like the look of your tank - the white sand and moss balls are super. It kinda made me want to redesign my tank today!

 

[Cammie]

Hi Guys,

You're right and I won't get any new additions until the situation is rectified. It's just frustrating when I keep my water conditions almost perfect and I just can't seem to make them better

I think the Molly is just fat she doesn't seem to be ballooning and then slimming down, so I have to put her on a diet

As for my guppy, Fish TB could be a possibilty which is very sad but she doesn't have a curvered spine or deformities? If it is it says you should take them out asap but where do I put her?

I've just tested my water and I have had a really strange reading for Nitrate 40ppm. It's never been this high before, usually 10/20ppm. Ammonia and Nitrite both 0ppm. Can anyone shed any light on this? Is it okay or not?

Thank you x x x x

 

[Cammie]

And thank you for the compliments Laura! The moss balls are very funky and I swear the shrimps push them over to the other side of the tank lol x x x

 

[lauraf]

I've just tested my water and I have had a really strange reading for Nitrate 40ppm. It's never been this high before, usually 10/20ppm. Ammonia and Nitrite both 0ppm. Can anyone shed any light on this? Is it okay or not?

Thank you x x x x

Nitrates above 20ppm can be a level toxic to fish. If your fish are compromised health-wise in any way, it's definitely not good. Do some water changes to get it below 20.
Why the nitrate spike? Skipping a water change, a dead fish, rotting plant material . . . .
Also test your nitrates again. Depending on what kit you use, it can be a more complicated process.

 

[Cammie]

I did a 50% water change and 25% today and Nitrates are at 15ppm

But my little lady guppy passed away

I just don't understand, I do regular water changes, my water is nearly perfect all the time and then that one Nitrate spike?!

I'll keep monitoring everyone in the tank and checking my water.

Can there be a bacteria infection in the water which can affect the fish, which obviously will not show in our testing kit and if so how do you combat this apart from keeping perfect water conditions?

Thank you for all your advice and Laura, it's so great hearing from you *twirlysmi

 

[OrangeCones]

I live downriver from farm land and after it rains, I have high nitrates in my tap water. You might want to test your tap water (let the water set out 24 hours first) and see what readings you get from that. I get between 0 and 20ppm just in the new water. If I did a 50% water change when my tank's nitrates showed 15, and the tap was 20, my nitrates would go UP not DOWN after a water change. It may not be the case for you, just depends on where you live in relation to farming activities.

 

[Cammie]

Thank you for the info OrangeCones, really useful to know x

 

[ValRasbora]

how about a couple cory cats? They are quite lively and really cute!

 

[Thyra]

How can you tell how old a fish is and how do you know your guppy didn't die of old age? People can get thin with sunken features before they die.