Looks like my biological filter might be sloooowwwlly catching up. Whereas every other morning I would find 1ppm of ammonia then do a huge water change, this morning it only increased to .5ppm. So I must be getting somewhere.
Yesterday's deep gravel clean also must have unearthed yet another, single snail, because after the water change it was crawling around on the glass. This one was a pond snail though, and I haven't seen any of them since like 3 weeks ago (and that also was only one snail).
For the record... it's just ammonia I'm having a problem with right now. I've yet to see any increase in the nitrites. In fact, today I almost expected to see some increase in nitrites, because the ammonia increase wasn't as bad... I assumed if more ammonia was getting process that I would notice the nitrite. But that hasn't happened. My test result for nitrite couldn't have possibly been any more obviously at 0, as it was the nice turquoise color; and I had forgotten to check it after 5 minutes, so it was more like 15 minutes and it was still completely devoid of any purple coloring at all.
I find all this very strange. It pretty much the same thing I experienced when I started this whole thing with the Safe Start; then, all I had was the little nitrite spike the first day, and then never saw another reading for it after that. It's almost like this is all going backwards for me, and the the second set of nitrifiers is better established??
Anyway, I'm stumped. But at least it does look like it is getting a little better.
I am still sitting on ammonia, but it is going down very slowly. In the last 24 hours it is now reading between .25 and .5; probably right in the middle of those two results, if my eyes are working right. I am STILL not reading any nitrites. I guess the end is in sight. Should I still do a water change, if the result is little over .25ppm? My thoughts were that all I would end up doing is prolonging this period of time they will experience ammonia spikes if I do so. But of course I don't want them to go through this at all, so I'm wondering what the best course of action is.
Thanks. I am a bit afraid to even breathe wrong on my 10 gallon, for fear of messing it up again!
As far as poseidon... I am a little worried about him. While I initially thought he was just being shy, today his fins are clamped and he looks very lethargic. I'm hoping this will "go away" soon, and maybe he is just having a hard time adjusting. My thoughts were maybe it was just too much moving too soon...as he was one of a new shipment. I'm just so inexperienced with betta problems, as Devo was pretty much healthy as a horse since day one. He built a bubble nest in his tank the same evening. But poseidon just seems so fragile right now.
Poseidon seems to be "slightly" better today, so far at least. He still has clamped fins, and still doesn't seem interested in eating, but he was a bit more curious this morning. When I swished his food around the surface, his nosy side came peeking out and he spent a bit of time "hanging out" with me while I was over there. He seemed interested in what I was doing, but not the food... yet.
On to the corys:
It is clear how much happier they are now, that this mini cycle is over! While they never showed any other signs, as far as physical symptoms, or heaving breathing, or anything of the sort; it is obvious how much their activity level was affected, by even small amounts of ammonia. They spent pretty much all day wall dancing, or picking at my ornaments. I suspect they nibble on the diatoms at least a little, unless they are finding other stuff there (which is possible). I moved the position of my air stone so they don't seem to ride the bubbles so much, but the cute quirkiness has returned in full force. Since they are happy, I am happy.
Regarding Poseidon - did he come from one of those blue-water dixie cups? bc I've been told that the anti-parasitic stuff in there (the blue) 'restricts' the evidence of parasitism/disease. I've found then that as soon as I get a fish home and into good clean water without the blue stuff they begin to suffer the effects of any disease organisms they may have been exposed to in the store that were restricted by the additive. Most of mine have gotten better within a very short time though. Just 2c... hope he does well
No, actually all the ones I saw at petco were in larger than average containers, with clean, clear water.
He is doing a bit better. Still shy as heck, and still not eating my food, but definitely more inquisitive.
So I posted my first video on youtube, because I had nothing better to do... sorry for my crappy camera, and my shaking hand, but.. do you think they look happier?
*edit* O for crying out loud... it was working earlier, why does it sometimes say "we're sorry, this video is no longer available?"
great vid!!!! your so lucky yours come up to the top to check things out..mine are total bottom guys....they look good to me tho...glad things are going better!!!!!!
Aw they are so cute! they look pretty happy to me too. Mine do pretty much the same things - they come up to the glass, and look at me, and wiggle around a little, then go back to the bottom, then chew on the driftwood for a while, then go flying up to the top for a little gulp of air...cories really are super great aren't they?
Aw they are so cute! they look pretty happy to me too. Mine do pretty much the same things - they come up to the glass, and look at me, and wiggle around a little, then go back to the bottom, then chew on the driftwood for a while, then go flying up to the top for a little gulp of air...cories really are super great aren't they?
Indeed they are, I think I love them as much as bettas!
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That's a biggie, glad you don't have to worry about that anymore.
