rolanddeschain72

Hello, hope someone can help, I have a 55 gallon tank and keep some tropical fish and 4 plecostomas, yesterday i put in some live plants did a partial water change, cleaned some of the gravel and put in a new filter machine, my tetras and paily(not sure how to spell) are now constantly swimming towards the top of the aquariam, the algae eaters seem to be doing fine though they keep popping up to the top of the aquarium to get air bubbles or something, i did put in some tetra aquasafe after I added the new water and tablets for the plants. Can someone please tell me if it is normal for the fish to constantly stay towards the top of the water in the aquariam. Thanks in advance.

haedra

Did you keep any of the old filter media? Changing the filter might have put you in a mini cycle. Have you tested for ammonia or nitrite?

agabr123

hi and welcome to fishlore

it sounds like your fish have either ammonia poisoning or oxygen deprivation. do you have a test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? i'd add an air stone or bubble wand if you have one as well. do their gills look red and inflamed?

rolanddeschain72

sorry am pretty new dont understand what you mean by mini cycle, I have not tested for ammonia or nitrate but I do use tetra's nitraban. hope that helps

rolanddeschain72

i do have a treasure chest decoration where i can hook up an air hose to it to make bubbles, would that help the oxygen level in the tank?

AlyeskaGirl

Mini cycle means that you took out the old filter as I am understanding and replaced it with a new filter. As doing that you through your tank into a mini cycle because most of the good bacteria lives in your filter and media. So now you have probly high ammonia readings in your tank and that is probly why your fish are spending time at the surface or you need more oxygen. An airstone or bubble wand if you don't have one. You should do a 50% water change using Stress Coat Plus or Prime as a water conditioner. Or just do a 50% water change with the water conditioner you have now and then get a bottle of Prime or Stress Coat Plus. They detox the toxins in the water for 24 hrs. until you can do another water change if that is your prob. I actually have both on hand. Stress Coat is my main water conditioner.

You need to get the API Freshwater Liquid Master test kit. It tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

AlyeskaGirl

yes that would help, it's the surface agitation that creates the air not the bubbles themselves.

rolanddeschain72

Thank you Aleskagirl, you have been a big help.

AlyeskaGirl

Your welcome! Any more questions just ask.

http://fish.mongabay.com/diseases.htm