I posted this on the disease forum earlier, but I don't think thats the problem. After talking to a guy there, and doing a search, I went and bought a full master test kit. I tested everything and everything was good except NITRATE! It was dark red. What can I do to get this DOWN! Any helpful advice? I did a 50% change 1 week ago, and I put some chemical in to help it go down, but not sure if its enough.
Cichlids dieing left and right....
- Thread starter G35_TX
- Start date
Keep up the Waterchanges! I wouldn't use any chemicals. Nothing is better than normal, good waterchanges. Make sure you go deep into the gravel (if you have gravel) and seperate (QT) any sick looking fish. What was/is your stock now? How big of a tank? I'll look for your thread in diseases, i don't usually browse that forum...maybe there are a few more details there.
Are your fish looking like they are dying from sickness? Or do they look beat up?
Are your fish looking like they are dying from sickness? Or do they look beat up?
I now only have about 5 cichlids and 2 babies left (african) and 2-3 Algae Eaters (Pacasamous) (Can't spell it).
Had 20~ fish at one time, but over the past year been loosing them!! I am almost to the point of trashing the rocks, and start over and get rid of the underground filter with the powerheads and keep my rear emperour and magnum top filters. What do you think?
No physical abuse, and no sickness signs. Mostly when the fish are acting like they are sick, they get pale, stop eating, and hover away from the pumps at a vertical angle. But no signs of a disease that I can tell.
Had 20~ fish at one time, but over the past year been loosing them!! I am almost to the point of trashing the rocks, and start over and get rid of the underground filter with the powerheads and keep my rear emperour and magnum top filters. What do you think?
No physical abuse, and no sickness signs. Mostly when the fish are acting like they are sick, they get pale, stop eating, and hover away from the pumps at a vertical angle. But no signs of a disease that I can tell.
I forgot 1 important question that deals with nitrates.....is your tank cycled?
Pending it is already cycled....
I think ditching the UGF is a good idea. Its a good way to trap the nasties. Especially from 2-3 plecos....which are major poo machines.
If it were me, i would remove the plecos (guessing they are common plecos? They don't do much for algae in the first place IMO) and remove the UGF and go from there. And keep up the waterchanges.
Pending it is already cycled....
I think ditching the UGF is a good idea. Its a good way to trap the nasties. Especially from 2-3 plecos....which are major poo machines.
If it were me, i would remove the plecos (guessing they are common plecos? They don't do much for algae in the first place IMO) and remove the UGF and go from there. And keep up the waterchanges.
I think that previous guys were on the right track: if your tank was up for 10 years and you have such thick layer of gravel, it is possible that something, most probably, pathogen bacteria, got accumulated. They kill slowly but surely. I would start with taking this gravel out, as somebody (it is in cichlid forum and i do not rem who) advised, vacuum remains of it really well, do large WCs plus take out decor and treat it with antiseptic, even treat whole tank with antibiotic or install UV on your filter. You need re-juvinate your ecosystem - it's old, really.
Do not give up - you will see positive results for sure!
Do not give up - you will see positive results for sure!
svetlana said:
I think that previous guys were on the right track: if your tank was up for 10 years and you have such thick layer of gravel, it is possible that something, most probably, pathogen bacteria, got accumulated. They kill slowly but surely. I would start with taking this gravel out, as somebody (it is in cichlid forum and i do not rem who) advised, vacuum remains of it really well, do large WCs plus take out decor and treat it with antiseptic, even treat whole tank with antibiotic or install UV on your filter. You need re-juvinate your ecosystem - it's old, really.
Do not give up - you will see positive results for sure!
Do not give up - you will see positive results for sure!
Since I am not use to hearing the terms, what is UV?
I never used one but it is something emitting ultraviolet rays as water passes through thus killing all pathogens. I would say it should be very neat.
3 years is not that long, sure, but i am also sure that there is no mystery in your bio-puzzle - something causes those deaths. I allow myself liberty eliminating heart attacks and external parasites. Internal chronic (!) parasites are probable. Most humans have them. One is good from outside and rotten inside, feel under the weather but does not go to a doctor: day comes and the one meets organs failure and dies - only autopsy can tell the reason.
Sorry for that!
3 years is not that long, sure, but i am also sure that there is no mystery in your bio-puzzle - something causes those deaths. I allow myself liberty eliminating heart attacks and external parasites. Internal chronic (!) parasites are probable. Most humans have them. One is good from outside and rotten inside, feel under the weather but does not go to a doctor: day comes and the one meets organs failure and dies - only autopsy can tell the reason.
Sorry for that!
Just spent mostly all day on the tank since 8am this morning! What a PAIN, but its pretty much done. I went to a fish place locally, bought all new filters for the Hot Magnum and Emperior 400, more plants, a few added drift wood, and picked up somce silica sand from a pool store. Did 75lb of this in the tank. No more rocks. I like the natural sand look. Did a major rinse of it before putting it in of course, so when I filled it up, the tank was clean already. Removed the UGF, and powerheads, cleaned pumps, tank, glass, filters, and rocks with my PSI washer (made it easy!) Tank is filled and cycling right now. Fish should be returning home tomorrow. I kept the bio wheels and just put them in the other tank to float and moved them back to the filters now and running. So far so good. Tank is really clean so far, it will clear up by tomorrow even more. I will take some pics once I get whats left of my fish back in.
GREAT! I know how you are tired. I revamped my 55g once without removing fish. I spent 6-7 hr to make all the job done. I was absolutely exauseted and also anxtious like "will it work? will it work? questions were buzzing in my head. Since than I went even for thiner gravel layer and left "hills" and "dunes" only where my pitifully existig java fern grows. It helps keep tank cleaner - no dead spots, every corner is accecible and more swimming arears.
Hope your efforts will bring some fruits for you and for your fishes.
Hope your efforts will bring some fruits for you and for your fishes.