My crisis of dieing fish from unknown causes seems to have abated (yay) and I have 2 zebra danio females left. I did a REAL thorough cleaning (I hadn't seen any fry for quite a while so I decided to do it & if I needed to fish them out, I would!), and a 40%
water change. I rinsed out my filter sponge, and added my carbon biobag again to remove the meds I had given. And wouldn't you know, it, my tank has now began a mini-cycle! (I had read it could happen, but I had really hoped it just wouldn't happen to ME!) My
ammonia spiked to .5 shortly after the water change (I really must have dislodged a bunch of cr*p that was under my gravel!), and I did ANOTHER 20% water change. I've been doing 20% water changes each day ever since. (Did the BIG water change on Saturday, 3 Feb and have done daily ones ever since.) Today all my parameters were normal (
pH 7.4, nitrates 20, nitrites 0, but ammonia kept at .5). My girls are showing signs of ammonia poisoning, but the water changes are helping. I have a new 10 gal acrylic tank that someone gave me, and I am preparing it to be a quarantine tank so I can strip this one (got a big order from Petsmart.com with my filter, heater, master
test kit, etc., all coming in the next week--yay!).
But I am just getting so tired. So tired of having my fish die and not knowing why, then having them get sick and doing all I can for them (ammonia). And I've only been in the fish keeping hobby for about 6 weeks. *sigh* How do you all do it? Or is it just really rough in the beginning & it will get better? Don't worry, I will stick it through. If my 2 little girl fishies can hang in there with me, I can with them. THEN I can get the new tank up & running, detox the old tank, and get little fishy friends for my girls.
I just wanted to vent a little with folks who have been there & care. Thanks for listening.
Sharon
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