T Fishie

I'm sooo upset!My tank was doing great for a while so I decided to buy some more fish. I bought them from petco. I also bought some more plants as well as 2 mystery snails and 2 ghost shrimp.one by one they are going belly up! Even one of my fish that I had already had for a good while. Now my long fin blue ram is breathing hard and I'm afraid that she is next! My peramaters are ok nitrates are at 40 but I have been doing my water changes and it is always at 40. Could it be the plants? PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Shawnie

im sorry for the loss of your fish but 40 for nitrates is toxic...do you have nitrates in your water?

T Fishie

yes I just tested the water. Should I do water change now?

Shawnie

do you have nitrates in your water?

T Fishie

yes the test that I just did said that they are at 40.

COBettaCouple

What does a nitrate test on untreated tap water give you for nitrates? What are you using for water conditioner? Plants usually help with absorbing nitrates. How often are you doing water changes and about how much water do you change each time?

Shawnie

ok wow! do you guys drink your tap water? are you using the API liquid test kit? and if so, really bang that #2 bottle on a counter or something hard to mix up the crystals....then do another reading..

are using another form of testing, what is it? strips arent reliable ..and it might be a false reading..

what size is your tank? can you get spring water and treat it with some water conditioner just to help your fishies out? like prime?

T Fishie

I have a 55 gallon.I use the ApI master test kit.The conditioner is a new one aqua safe by tetra aqua it says new with bioextract for healthy,clear water. I have not tested my tap water yet but I'm going to now.

T Fishie

the last water change was last week.

Shawnie

I thought that was a yes to your tap water ... hopefully its not

T Fishie

the yes unfortunately is for my tank water.After it has been conditioned.

T Fishie

It looks like it's 0 nitrates for my tap.Should I do a water change tonight? What about that stuff they sell that takes away nitrates?Does anyone know if that works?

Shawnie

I would do 50% water changes with a water conditioner...and suck up the gravel....then you should be good...what fish do you have ?

nitrates are from either over feeding or overstocked or not enough water changes ...

phewwwww no nitrates in your tap water

COBettaCouple

Good, at least it's not in the tap. You could consider more plants maybe, or go to daily water changes, testing before each change until you get the nitrates down to 10 or 5. Then test daily with your normal water changing schedule to see if they go back up and if they do, the chart of test results can help determine how often that tank would need water changes.

T Fishie

Thanks so much Cobettacouple and Shawnie!!! I will do 50% water change tonight and put water conditioner in.

2 Golden Gouramis
2 Flame Gouramis
1 Bala (I have to find a new home,will be to big for tank)
1 Long Fin Blue Ram
2 Mystery snails
2Ghost shrimp
2 Neon Cardinals
4 Black neons
1 Angel Fish

willowgirl

I am so sorry for your lost I hope your fish get better but are you sure that the snails and the srimp are a mix with the other fish in your tank

Shawnie

Ya I have an overstocked tank also, my 75 gallon ...and I Have to change my water 3 times a week to keep it good...goodluck!

T Fishie

just wondering, is it possible to put too much conditioner in the water? Like just a little extra?

T Fishie

I was wondering how the snails and shrimp would work out but they are leaving each other alone. I was wondering if my fish would eat them but they each just seem to do their own thing.So far so good!

T Fishie

Thanks Willowgirl. my guys seem to leave each other alone.I was curious about that but so far so good!

Alessa

as long as it is just "a little" conditioner it can only help... i would switch to prime since it alleviates nitrate toxicity...

Lucy

I'm so sorry for the loss of your fish, I know it's upsetting.
A reading of 40 on nitrates is high, but can be brought down by increasing your water changes.
I've had mine go up that high when I neglected to do my weekly water change, but never lost a fish.

Did you quarantine the new fish? Is it possible they introduced an illness to your tank?

Another thing that comes to mind, did you add too many fish at once? It's best to introduce them 1 or 2 every couple of weeks so the bacteria can catch up to the increased bio load.

I've wouldn't worry about adding a little too much conditioner.

Good luck, I hope you figure out what's going on.

T Fishie

Well I just did a 50% water change.My blue ram is still breathing hard. Maybe it will take time. I did not quarantine the fish,and yes I probably added too many at one time.Hopefully the water change will help.

THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

T Fishie

What is prime?

COBettaCouple

Prime is a water conditioner that I think is the best one out.

T Fishie

Thanks I'll be getting some prime today.By the way I lost my beautiful long fin blue ram and another neon tetra.I was ready to just sell my tank and be done with it but I am just going to take things slow and not add too many fish at one time.Hopefully I can get everything under control.

Alessa

yes, dont give up... get the prime, if you overdose prime 5 times the required amount it will alleviate nitrate toxicity for 24h, enough time until you do a water change... plants eat nitrates so i think it is unlikely that your plants are causing the problem... what percentage of water do you change weekly? do u vacuum your gravel?

COBettaCouple

I'm sorry for the fish that you lost. I hate losing fish.