There all dying
- Thread starter twiant
- Start date
I would agree. Let us know if you've cycled the tank and what your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are. Based on your sig, you have a lot of fish in a 10 gallon, and if it wasn't cycled, it could easily be ammonia poisoning or too much nitrites. If in doubt, do a water change with dechlorinated water that's the same temp as the water in the tank.
i noticed the overtocking too, but i didnt wanna say
anything rude,
but yeah. you should only have about one inch of
adult sized fish per gallon.
the only problem is the Danios, those grow alot bigger
than the tetras i think, so that might be a problem wiht
the amonia deposits. so liek they said, you might need
to cycle your tank properly or make frequent water
changes or even get rid of some fish so the tank
doesent become a gas chamber for your fish.
anything rude,
but yeah. you should only have about one inch of
adult sized fish per gallon.
the only problem is the Danios, those grow alot bigger
than the tetras i think, so that might be a problem wiht
the amonia deposits. so liek they said, you might need
to cycle your tank properly or make frequent water
changes or even get rid of some fish so the tank
doesent become a gas chamber for your fish.
Actually the only way to determine how often to do water changes is to test your water frequently for a month or two until you figure out how often your nitrates get over 20 or so.
30% every two weeks would only work for a lightly stocked, lightly fed tank, which you do not have. No one is able to tell you how much and how often your tank needs. And all of us know to take advice from lfs employees with a grain of salt. Forget what you were 'told' to do and educate yourself as to what you really need to do. Have you done any reading on cycling a tank?
You do have a test kit? It does sound like an ammonia issue. If you don't have any water tests you should immediately begin doing water changes of at least 30% or so, 50% would be better considering all the fish losses, daily or every other day until you get a test kit. However, if you can get to the lfs today, take a water sample and write down the results (in actual numbers) for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
If you don't want to test your water and you don't want to start doing emergency water changes, I really don't know what any of us can do to help.
30% every two weeks would only work for a lightly stocked, lightly fed tank, which you do not have. No one is able to tell you how much and how often your tank needs. And all of us know to take advice from lfs employees with a grain of salt. Forget what you were 'told' to do and educate yourself as to what you really need to do. Have you done any reading on cycling a tank?
You do have a test kit? It does sound like an ammonia issue. If you don't have any water tests you should immediately begin doing water changes of at least 30% or so, 50% would be better considering all the fish losses, daily or every other day until you get a test kit. However, if you can get to the lfs today, take a water sample and write down the results (in actual numbers) for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
If you don't want to test your water and you don't want to start doing emergency water changes, I really don't know what any of us can do to help.
It just seems a little odd to me that even though your tank is 8 months old and you're doing 30% w/c biweekly, your tank is having ammonia issues.
I suppose, if your tank is overstocked it would require more frequent water changes, and maybe that is the source of the problem. (I'm still learning, though!) Do you have test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? If not, you can usually take a sample of your tank water to the lfs and get it tested (free, usually.) That will at least help you narrow down the possibilities.
And you haven't noticed any visible signs of disease? Strange spots, bumps, bloating, nothing like that?
Well, at least you're already seeing improvement with more frequent water changes. Hope your fish get well soon!!
I suppose, if your tank is overstocked it would require more frequent water changes, and maybe that is the source of the problem. (I'm still learning, though!) Do you have test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? If not, you can usually take a sample of your tank water to the lfs and get it tested (free, usually.) That will at least help you narrow down the possibilities.
And you haven't noticed any visible signs of disease? Strange spots, bumps, bloating, nothing like that?
Well, at least you're already seeing improvement with more frequent water changes. Hope your fish get well soon!!
So twaint, are you using a water conditioner (dechlorinator) when you add fresh water to the tank?
Miss Fishy, if he is doing 50% water changes daily without a dechlorinator, is there danger of the chlorine levels building up and becoming toxic to the fish? Or would the chlorine be evaporating fast enough?
Miss Fishy, if he is doing 50% water changes daily without a dechlorinator, is there danger of the chlorine levels building up and becoming toxic to the fish? Or would the chlorine be evaporating fast enough?
Cleaning filter pads ,cartridges,etc with tapwater containing chlorine will also kill off beneficial bacteria. Will wait on test of whether tapwater contains abnormal levels of ammonia before commenting further. Sometimes water companies adjust their formulas for treating tapwater. Also have seen ammonia levels rise due to too many people feeding the fishes (ie) you feed them in the morning,daughter feeds them before school,son feeds them before school,etc .
when i started i was changing water but not using dechlorinator and as was stated i was killing off beneficial bacteria. and also how often you do water changes depends on YOUR TANK. i cant go much more than 6 days (in my 20gal )before i have to do water a change because i have such a large stock of fish and my nitrates get up to 40 ppm ( which can also kill your fish ). i do between 25% - 50% usually 50% waterchange.
and if you keep killing your good bacteria youll never finish cycling your tank.
and if you keep killing your good bacteria youll never finish cycling your tank.
Well IMO, you could fix the overstocking / ammonia problem in 1 easy way.
Get a bigger tank. Danios are not fit for 10Gs, they are just way too active. Maybe 1-2 Danios would be okay, but they do much better in schools.
If you're using dechlorinator now, I would say in about 1.5 weeks go back to a weekly water change (50%). You should really only have to do btw 25-35% but since your overstocked the extra 15% will do you good.
Get a bigger tank. Danios are not fit for 10Gs, they are just way too active. Maybe 1-2 Danios would be okay, but they do much better in schools.
If you're using dechlorinator now, I would say in about 1.5 weeks go back to a weekly water change (50%). You should really only have to do btw 25-35% but since your overstocked the extra 15% will do you good.
The chlorine will eventually evaporate, but before it does that it will kill off your tank bacteria. We put it in our tap water so humans don't drink bacteria, but the fish need the bacteria in their tanks to eat up their waste. If you add the water to your tank BEFORE treating it and removing the chlorine, the chlorine will kill off your tank bacteria before you add the conditioner.
Technically, if you didn't want to buy the water conditioner you can leave the water out in a bucket for a few days to let it de-chlorinate itself, but then you run into the problem of adding hot or cold water to the tank and shocking your fish, or even contaminating your tank water with some of the basic things we use daily, like perfume, cleaners, etc.
Technically, if you didn't want to buy the water conditioner you can leave the water out in a bucket for a few days to let it de-chlorinate itself, but then you run into the problem of adding hot or cold water to the tank and shocking your fish, or even contaminating your tank water with some of the basic things we use daily, like perfume, cleaners, etc.
Oh I see. So chlorine is bad because it kills the bacteria that eliminate ammonia. The fish suffer indirectly from the presence of chlorine by ammonia toxicity.
I always thought that the dechlorinator was for the fish, but more appropriately, it is for the bacteria, which the fish depend on for survival.
I always thought that the dechlorinator was for the fish, but more appropriately, it is for the bacteria, which the fish depend on for survival.