Multiple problems in 10 g

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting here. I have a 10 g tank that has been up and running since February. I started with 3 silvertip tetras, and 5 danios. After it was cycled I added 2 guppies but was advised to wait on any others until the tank was running for at least 3 months. Last month I added 4 panda coreys. Everything was running smoothly, all water tests were coming up good. So early last week after talking to a few different people from the pet store they told me I should be ok to add a Betta and some cardinal tetras. I was concerned about it being overstocked but they said as long as I was good with the water changes everything should be ok. It started the first night after I added those fish... I lost a cardinal. I also noticed a grey spot on another one, so I bagged him up and took him in to see if they knew what that was. They thought it may be fungal so advised me to treat the tank with Pimafix. I started the treatment but soon lost another cardinal and also the Betta . I tested the water again and the Nitrates were off the charts! So I started doing 20% water changes every other day. I also moved the panda coreys (I made this decision after I lost one of those as well) into my new 26 g tank that has been running for 4 weeks with danios. I have done 5 water changes since the nitrate spike and it is still off the charts!! I don't understand what is going on or what to do to fix the problem. Also 2 of the silvertip tetras have developed something funky as well. It isn't Ich but one has a big white (looks like a pimple) spot near his tail and another one has one on his mouth. I have already ran the Pimafix treatment for 7 days and they are still there. I do have a picture of it if that would be helpful. Any advice would be appreciated.. feeling really defeated here.

 

Sounds like you need a bigger tank! Lol I think you are way overstocked! The general rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. So your initial stock was still a Lil much. Keep up with those water changes. I would do a very large water change. Like 80% then 50% everyday til nitrates were back to acceptable. Just make sure your new water is dechlorinated and same temp. Sry to hear about your losses

 

Welcome to fishlore!
not sure what's happening with your tank besides the fact that you overstocked it, and with the wrong kinds of fish, do you know about the nitrogen cycle? if you haven't already gotten it, I would buy an API freshwater master test kit and test your water parameters yourself.
you may have not cycled it properly, but even if you did, the stocking that you had probably set it into another minI cycle.
I'll try and call some experts... @CindiL

 

Oh my sorry about your bad start up. Just fyI for future stocking, a betta in a ten gallon is fine. A betta in a ten gallon with other fish is likely not so fine as they are aggressive.

 

Sounds like you need a bigger tank! Lol I think you are way overstocked! The general rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. So your initial stock was still a Lil much. Keep up with those water changes. I would do a very large water change. Like 80% then 50% everyday til nitrates were back to acceptable. Just make sure your new water is dechlorinated and same temp. Sry to hear about your losses

While this tank is very overstocked, the inch per gallon rule is very outdated and shouldn't be used to stock tanks.

Edit: As for the problems you are actually having - can you give us the actual parameters of the tank, what test kit are you using, and what is the stock right now?

 

I have not purchased a master test kit yet. I did buy the nitrite, nitrate and ph tests individually. When you say the wrong kinds of fish... what would be the right kind?

 

The fish that are left are 2 guppies, 3 Silvertip tetras (2 which have those white bumps, that I don't know what they are) 2 Cardinals and 4 zebra Danios. From the tests I have the nitrites are 0, ph is 7.5 and the nitrates are the darkest color on the chart . Is it safe to do a big water change like that?

 

All the tests are nutrafin

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore

If the ph of your tap is close to your tank (within .4-.5) and you match temperature then usually you can do a huge water change as suggested but in your case I would not as going from super high nitrates to super low nitrates is actually shocking enough to cause death. In your case I'd suggest a 30%, then a couple hours later a 50%, then a couple hours later a large enough one to get those nitrates down below 20. Sounds like you might have a fish rotting in there somewhere? When was the last time you rinsed your filter media in old tank water or dechlorinated tap water?

Have you tested your tap water for nitrites and nitrates and ph? Please do so and post them ok. Do you have an ammonia test? My guess is you have ammonia in your tank also but don't know without you testing it.

What is your water conditioner? You need one like Seachem prime that will not only remove chlorine and chloramines but also detoxifes ammonia (a byproduct left over by chloramines in tap water that has been conditioned).

Why not move your stock over to the 26g? As long as you move the filter(s) on the 10 gallon straight over you will retain the cycle which is in the filter media.

You were very sadly over stocked. The advice you were given was not correct. As far as stocking your 10 gallon in the future:
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/stocking-list-for-10-gallons.207629/

 

I posted the readings from the tests I do have above I have been adding the Nutrafin cycle, chlorine remover and waste control.

 

How about your tap? Will you test your tap please.

 

Just finished nitrates are 0. Ph is the same 7.5

 

Ok, so back to my original questions re: why not move the fish and 10 gallon filter to the 26g tank?

I would follow the water change schedule I gave you before moving them to near 0 nitrates.

Also, pimafix is really weak, will do very little.

 

Well I have thought about moving them but I am not sure if the other tank is ready yet (I know I need to get the master test kit asap) I already have 12 Danios in there and then the coreys. Secondly, this is my boys tank and I don't really want to take all of their fish out. I just did another water change (a bit bigger 30%) haven't lost any in a few days now so hoping I can get it under control without moving them I will continue to do the changes like you suggested. Thank you

 

Ahh ok. Well take a look at that 10 gallon stocking list for some help on what would be best in there for the future.