Ali W
- #1
Hello all! Please forgive the long post but I’ll try to convey as much info as possible so someone out there can hopefully help me.
New 20 gallon high planted tank set up on 4/22. TopFin 20 filter, temp 78. As I had been out of the hobby for a while I was unaware of a fishless cycle so I chose to initially stock with 3 male guppies. I also added a bacteria starter, which I found out later was totally useless as it was not the correct brand. Lesson learned. FYI the fish were completely healthy when I added them....eating, no signs of parasites, swimming actively, no fin damage.
The next day one male guppy was rather listless, hanging out near the surface, not eating but no obvious signs of fungus/parasites. He died the next day. Then the cycle repeated the next day exactly with another fish. By this time I had decided that maybe the remaining guppy had bullied the other two so I decided to add 3 females to the tank to “distract” him. I should mention that I added TSS plus to the tank on 4/29 and was water testing during this entire period with ph 6.8 ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all remained 0
Ok, so of course the same day I added the females...later that night I noticed hairlike poop from the male and he started acting listless. After some research I determined he had an internal parasite and decided to use General Cure as it is safe for plants, doesn’t kill my B.B., and doesn’t stain the tank.
First dose given 5/1 and water parameters: ph 6.6, ammonia and nitrites 0, nitrates 5. I was hoping to save the last male but alas he followed the same path as the others. Second dose general cure given tonight, 5/3, and current water parameters: ph 6.6, ammonia 0.25, nitrites and nitrates 0.
Now my females are not eating and hiding out near the top behind the heater and filter intake. Does anyone have ideas? It seems as though the Gen Cure isn’t working...what else should I try? And worst case scenario...if I lose these 3 females....how long will the parasite (if that’s what it is) live without a host?
Thanks for any and all help! This is my first tank after having kids and they have all been so excited. I’m so bummed that it seems I’ve had one disaster after another
New 20 gallon high planted tank set up on 4/22. TopFin 20 filter, temp 78. As I had been out of the hobby for a while I was unaware of a fishless cycle so I chose to initially stock with 3 male guppies. I also added a bacteria starter, which I found out later was totally useless as it was not the correct brand. Lesson learned. FYI the fish were completely healthy when I added them....eating, no signs of parasites, swimming actively, no fin damage.
The next day one male guppy was rather listless, hanging out near the surface, not eating but no obvious signs of fungus/parasites. He died the next day. Then the cycle repeated the next day exactly with another fish. By this time I had decided that maybe the remaining guppy had bullied the other two so I decided to add 3 females to the tank to “distract” him. I should mention that I added TSS plus to the tank on 4/29 and was water testing during this entire period with ph 6.8 ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all remained 0
Ok, so of course the same day I added the females...later that night I noticed hairlike poop from the male and he started acting listless. After some research I determined he had an internal parasite and decided to use General Cure as it is safe for plants, doesn’t kill my B.B., and doesn’t stain the tank.
First dose given 5/1 and water parameters: ph 6.6, ammonia and nitrites 0, nitrates 5. I was hoping to save the last male but alas he followed the same path as the others. Second dose general cure given tonight, 5/3, and current water parameters: ph 6.6, ammonia 0.25, nitrites and nitrates 0.
Now my females are not eating and hiding out near the top behind the heater and filter intake. Does anyone have ideas? It seems as though the Gen Cure isn’t working...what else should I try? And worst case scenario...if I lose these 3 females....how long will the parasite (if that’s what it is) live without a host?
Thanks for any and all help! This is my first tank after having kids and they have all been so excited. I’m so bummed that it seems I’ve had one disaster after another