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July 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| QT tanks
Set up 2 10gal quarantine/observation tanks at the same time as "the tank".
Both have identical readings after the same amount of time. pH 6.8 ammonia +1.0 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 GH 75
KH 80
Tmp 74
Top tank small Whisper internal hang on filter and small bubble wand.
Bottom tank one old school corner type filter I've had for years. Packed with filter floss.
The importance is in the fact that one was used to rear ghost shrimp so no left over minerals, the other was only used as a test for a growout tank for seahorses. Also never had any type of algae, mineral growth.
So, the ph/kh are staying stable, same range as the water coming from the RO system.
7/14
Top
PH +7.6
Ammonia .5
Nitrite 0
Bottom
PH +7.6
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite .25
Big jump in PH there. Hmm. No point in testing Nitrate.
Oh, almost forgot. PH test of RO is 6.0. | 
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July 15th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Good morning. A higher pH is much better for cycling. pH levels below 7.0 can really delay the cycle. Here is some information concerning pH levels that you may find helpful: http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/articles/107 | |
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July 15th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Heya Aquarist48, thanks, but I understand all that. But what I don't understand is why it went from 6.0 to over 7.6. Nothing really of import in the tanks. Plain white aquarium gravel and a couple small plastic plants.
I suppose the gravel could be the cause... doubtfull...but could be.
Other thing could maybe be the aeration removing the Co2...but thats quite the swing.
I think i'll remove the gravel and after a water change see how it goes. From the top tank.
Last edited by FishMagnet; July 15th, 2009 at 07:50 PM.
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August 31st, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Going to change these to a 29.
I'm going to have to treat all the fish at once I believe. Noticed flashing from a few of the fish, and no better time to get started on a treatment than now. Can't do it tonight but will get to it maybe tomorrow. | |
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September 3rd, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Took down the two 10 gallons and set up the 29.
This will make it much easier to treat all the fish at once as I fully intend to do. Soon. | |
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September 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Emptied out all water and filled with water from the 49g.
Moved all fish into it and started treatment with Maracyn and Maracyn2.
Temp at 76 so as not to kill the Danios. | |
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September 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Water was so cloudy I couldn't see more than an inch into the tank.
PH read 6.0 but I believe that was because of the extreme yellowish color of the water.
Basically freaked out and did a quick 60% water change, then realized that the medications cloud the water. Oh well. Today is day 4 of the treatment. Maybe I'll keep them in for 6 instead of 5 to make up for the loss of medication in the water.
Fish seem well enough for now. Wish I had more time to just sit and observe. | |
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September 19th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Moved fish out of hospital today.
So far so good.
Tank is mostly empty. Will finish tearing it down tomorrow.
I think I will be setting up just a 10gal for Hospita/ QT as it just takes too much medication in a 30. | |
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October 3rd, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| This is still an issue for me. I can't decide on what to do for the hospital and quarantine tanks. I really don't want to overrun the basement, for both aesthetic and practical reasons. I don't have the outlets being the practical. If I can get some new outlets put in on the unfinished side, on a dedicated circuit well, that would be different.
ANyway, I can't make a final decision on what I want to keep up and running. Went from a couple 10s to a 29, tore it down, put it back up, now have a 15 tall sitting there. Maybe I'll just stick to the 29. I don't know...but I don't want a single tank to use as both quarantine and hospital. And, I need a special tank for the guppys and fry. No matter how I approach this I'm just going to have to add more tanks. | |
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October 3rd, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Oct 2nd PM-
Ok. Decided on the 29. I'm sure that will change.
Filled it with water directly from the 49.
Put on a small penguin biowheel. Added filter floss from the 49, and added a small corner filter.
Oct 3rd AM-
One died this am in the 49. Male. Looked normal and healthy unlike one of the others. One is missing. No idea where it could be. Must be up inside the driftwood.
Put in all the guppies excepting the fry. One little one got accidently transferred...he'll just have to fend for himself.
Not sure what I'll treat them for yet. I need some time to sit and study them before deciding.
Last edited by FishMagnet; October 9th, 2009 at 05:54 PM.
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October 4th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| So I haven't decided on a diagnosis.
One missing which I still haven't found. Would be too late to tell anything from it now anyway.
The male that died had no visible signs of disease. He was resting at the top of the water when I turned on the light and was dead on the bottom within a half hour.
The one obviously sick guppy is male. Frayed and rotting tail fin. Missing patch of scales on its right side just before the tail fin. Appears to be rotting away. No redness involved. The tail droops.
Lethargic. Has chased a few pieces of flake although hasn't eaten.
The deceiving thing here may be the colorations of these fish. I assumed the light blue and whites, in a kind of splotchy way were natural when in fact the fading and splotchyness(is that even a word?) may have been a sign of infection.
It all happened within a matter of days. They appeared perfectly healthy when I got them home.
Treating with MaracynI and II although I'm unsure of the diagnosis.
Last edited by FishMagnet; October 4th, 2009 at 05:40 PM.
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October 5th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Guppy now known as #3 died sometime today or last night. Guppy #4, #3's female counterpart in color is showing the same symptoms, though only lightly on the tail. Discoloration and slight fraying. | |
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October 7th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| I'm surprised no one has commented on this. Not the most exciting of threads no doubt.
Day 5 of treatment. Started Oct. 3rd about 6:00pm and will dose them again in a couple hours.
Guppy #4 is showing some improvement. Eating instead of just chasing food, although wouldn't take flake. Only pieces of brine. Its a start though.
The others are showing no signs of illness, and eating quite well. Even the single fry seems to be doing ok. Hard to tell with them though.
Tomorrow night they will get a water change and I will decide if they need additional treatment with another medication. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Guppy #4 died.
Guppy #5. Female, yellowish-golden is now sick. Large, white, fungal looking growth on right side behind head.
#s 6-10 seem ok, but maybe some reddish gills. This isn't getting better.
No water change tonight. Daughter has a band concert and I have to be in bed soon as we get home.
Will have to wait till tomorrow. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| Sounds to me like your tank is not cycled and they are dying of ammonia/nitrite poisoning.
The key to a healthy, thriving aquarium is keeping the water quality up. All the problems you are experiencing are a direct result of poor water quality.
I've read through your thread twice and am still confused, which isn't a surprise since you were confused and weren't sure what your plan was.
Last edited by Jaysee; October 8th, 2009 at 09:48 PM.
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October 9th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| You know, your almost completely right.
I can't believe I hadn't considered that.
Looking back up I see I screwed up on a couple posts. I'll fix them, but
to recap:
Picked up 10 guppies from Petsmart. All seemingly healthy. I put them into a well cycled and established 49gal. I was planning to put them into a smaller tank for breeding. Set up a 29 tall with approximately 75% from them 49gal and the rest new RO, a small bio wheel with filter floss also from the 49. On the following morning I was to move them
1 guppy died a half hour after turning on the lights. One went missing.
I moved them, and things basically haven't gotten better.
I stopped by the Petsmart where I picked them up and saw all the guppies they had were sick. With what seems to be the same disease affecting mine.
So, I'm assuming the fish I bought were already infected.
I put them into a cycled tank.
I then put them into a new tank with cycled water, filter media, and treated them not thinking to check the water parameters over the last few days.
Jaysee you are partially right. Thanks for pointing that out! I checked this morning and Nitrite had spiked. (PH6.8,ammonia0,Nitrite.25,Nitrate15) While not causing the original illness, the tank cycling no doubt did not help anything! I'm sure the ammonia and now nitrite is contributing to all of this.
I added Prime this morning. Am changing water in about 10 minutes.
Last edited by FishMagnet; October 9th, 2009 at 05:50 PM.
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Down to 5.
Guppy #5 I euthanized. She was in bad shape.
The remaining 5, (2male, 3female) seem OK. I have noticed one of the males flashing.
They are eating decently, though the males seem more interested in breeding than eating.
Two of the females are very pregnant and ready to give birth any time now. Maybe today.
I'm unsure of what to do with them though. The entire purpose of the guppies is to feed my angels, but I can't feed them if there is any question of them being diseased.
Temp 76 - putting in a better heater as the one in there isn't large enough
PH 6.8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 | |
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Some pics of the remaining five guppies.
Frisky males. | |
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| They definitly look like they're ready to pop. The fish look good though. | |
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Yes, they are looking good...just hoping they stay that way.
Thanks again for pointing out my water quality.  | |
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| Unfortunately, losing a few fish can be fairly normal, depending on the fish and where you get them from. Every time I buy a bunch of guppies, I end up with half of what I bought - some die and I cull the weaker fish.
Let us know how it goes!
I'm surprised no one else has got in on this. | |
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Yes, come to think of it I've never had alot of success with guppies. Probably because they were always feeders themselves and I rarely took much care of them...dumped them into the tank and let them get eaten.
This is I think, the first time I've ever tried to keep them with the intention of keeping them, and of course breeding them for feeders. Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaysee  I'm surprised no one else has got in on this. | I think I'm unloved. 
That and I'm not posting in the main forums and I think the majority of passerbys stick to those. | |
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October 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| I have a 20L that I'm breeding guppies for food in. You gotta have a lot of cover on the top and bottom and increase the frequency of your water changes. | |
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October 16th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Still no babies. Not that I know when they mated...as they appeared pregnant when I bought them, but they sure seem ready to pop!
Cleaning and water changes in the am.
The two males had been showing a lot of flashing, but that seems to have ceased. Could have been some left over gill irritation due to the elevated ammonia and nitrite. | |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| When the males start pestering the pregnant females, getting at their bellies and stuff - that's when you know it's immenent. | |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Heh, they've been doing that for over a week.
Changed about 50% water.
Added one small fry who tail kept getting pecked ...pecked off...by its 9 or so bretheren.
He has plenty of cover to hide in, and the adults don't seem to pay him any mind anyway.
Wonder if it will eat the smaller fry when the females give birth? May have to just throw him in as food for the angels. | |
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October 24th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Temp 81
PH 6.4ish
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 1.0
Nitrate 10
Removed the guppies and put them back into the 49. Don't know whats happeneing with the water here. Obviously its cycling, but I thought it had already gone through it. Poor guppies. Last time I checked, the parameters were about normal with just a hint of nitrite. Wish I had recorded it. | |
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October 27th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| With the guppies seeminly cured of their ailments, and being back in the 49...this thread is finished. For now. | |
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