Gwenz

I woke up this morning to find my Panda Cory (Mo) dead. I didn't know what happened but had to go to school, so didn't have time to test the tank. I came home from school about 1/2 hour ago, and tetsed the tank and the PH is down at 6.0. It's usualy at 7.0. It is at 7.0 in my other two tanks, and out of the tap. I don't know what happened. I test the tank regularly (about 2-3 times a week), and everything has been fine. I'm guessing Mo died because of the sudden change of PH. Any ideas how the PH could have dropped so suddenly?

Thanks

Gwenz

Gunnie

How often are you doing tank maintenance? Do you vacuum all of the gravel or part of it each time? Do you vacuum under decorations in the tank? All I can think of at the moment is old tank syndrome? How long has the tank been set up?

Isabella

If it's possible for tap water to have pH altered, maybe it was because of a water change (perhaps you changed the water unaware that its pH was very different?). If not that, as Carol said, maybe it was a result of not doing enough maintenance. If you don't vacuum the gravel well, and if many debris and fish wastes accumulate there, they start to decompose after a while, actually releasing acids. These acids might have cause the pH do go down so rapidly.

Gwenz

I did water changes in the tank, twice a week, and only vacumed the gravel at the front of the tank on one day and then the rest on the other day. I usualy did the water changes on Monday and Thursday. Sometimes some of the fake plants in the tank move when I do water changes so I do vacume under them, but never under the rock that is in there.

Gunnie, the tank has been set up since May 14th, and it took 5 weeks to cycle before I put any fish in there.

Gwenz

chickadee

Mo was the only fish in that tank too wasn't he?

Rose

Gwenz

Yes he was. I was going to be moving him to the 7.5gal on the day he died. He never actualy got there.

Gwenz

Lucy_kk

O i am so sorry, that is so sad.

Lucy

Gwenz

I know. I was very shocked when I found him dead.

The tank is now empty. I'm going to be getting rid of it. Probably selling it on E-bay. (My mum has got into selling things on E-bay, and is usualy trying to find things to sell. )

Gwenz

chipster55

So sorry about your Corey...they are very neat fish...Gunnies reply mentioned old tank syndrome...What is that and how does one prevent it

Gwenz

I think it's when you don't vacume the gravel enough, and all the gunk gets stuck underneath it. I think to prevent it you vacume half the gravel one water change, then do the other half at another time, so that you don't harm the good bacteria, but you do get rid of some of the gunk that is there.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I think this is what it is. Try going on Google, you might get some more info.

Hope this helps.

Gwenz

chipster55

Thanks....I usually vacuum my whole tank when cleaning....Of course you miss some but I go through the whole tank and never seen an ammonia spike...Is this wrong?? Also I have a cannister filter which has a very large area for bacteria growth so maybe that is why...

Gwenz

I think it should be OK. Most of the bacteria is in the filter anyway, so if this is the way you have been doing it, and have never seen an Ammonia spike, I'm sure vacuming it all is fine.

Gwenz