Something is wrong with my Rummy

So I've been going through Rummy nose like crazy and I have no idea why. My water is good:
Nitrates: 10ppm
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
pH: 7.6

But then today I noticed one of my Rummy looks like it might be hurt. Do you think something in the tank is attacking them?

In the tank:
Rummy nose
baby Galaxy Rasbora
Albino cory
Julli cory
female guppies
dwarf gourami
Mystery snail
Nerite snail
Amino shrimp

It's an insane number that are dying a day, like three easily.

 

If something is attacking them it would likely be the dwarf gourami. They are very territorial fish that will fight for their space. They have been known to lash out on smaller fish and even each other.

 

If something is attacking them it would likely be the dwarf gourami. They are very territorial fish that will fight for their space. They have been known to lash out on smaller fish and even each other.

Agree. The only fish that might chase your Rummy is the Gourami. How many Rummynose do you have?

You should bring down your Nitrate between 0-0.25.

How big is your tank ? They need a tank with high Oxygen level too.

Rummy Nose Tetras are particularly sensitive to changes in water conditions. Excess waste and a buildup of algae can alter the water chemistry significantly, which leads to stress and disease. It’s important to perform water changes regularly and stay on top of conditions to keep your fish healthy.

• Water Temperature: 75°F to 84°F (aim for the middle)
• pH Levels: 5.5 to 7.0
• Water Hardness: 2 to 6 KH

Filtration And Aeration
Since Rummys are very sensitive to their water quality and get stressed when exposed to toxins like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates, you’ll need a robust HOB or canister filtration system to keep your tetra tank clean. For larger aquariums (40+ gallons), you might need multiple filters and may also benefit from using an air stone to increase circulation and water oxygenation.

 

You should bring down your Nitrate between 0-0.25.

Nitrates to 0 only exist when you have alot of plants that eat them. Based on her tank from another forum she doesn't have anywhere near enough to wipe nitrates down and she's probably always going to be hovering around 5-20. 0 - 0.25 to me seems like a fairy tale otherwise with no plants to absorb them, no offense. 10 doesn't seem bad at all. Not enough to hurt the fish. I'd start worrying more at 20 to bring it back down, but even then it's not a risk. Most fish will handle up to 40. 10 is nothing and I'd hold off changing water and try to keep the weekly cycle unless nitrites/ammonia come into play.

Right now shes having a bacterial bloom. Rapidly changing the water during this time isn't going to help her. Just going to keep introducing minerals for the bloom to feast on.

 

Nitrates to 0 only exist when you have alot of plants that eat them. Based on her tank from another forum she doesn't have anywhere near enough to wipe nitrates down and she's probably always going to be hovering around 5-20. 0 - 0.25 to me seems like a fairy tale otherwise with no plants to absorb them, no offense. 10 doesn't seem bad at all. Not enough to hurt the fish. I'd start worrying more at 20 to bring it back down, but even then it's not a risk. Most fish will handle up to 40. 10 is nothing and I'd hold off changing water and try to keep the weekly cycle unless nitrites/ammonia come into play.

Right now shes having a bacterial bloom. Rapidly changing the water during this time isn't going to help her. Just going to keep introducing minerals for the bloom to feast on.

Do you think the bloom could be part of the problem? (I wasn't sure if I should post about both issues in the same post or not)

 

Agree. The only fish that might chase your Rummy is the Gourami. How many Rummynose do you have?

You should bring down your Nitrate between 0-0.25.

How big is your tank ? They need a tank with high Oxygen level too.

Rummy Nose Tetras are particularly sensitive to changes in water conditions. Excess waste and a buildup of algae can alter the water chemistry significantly, which leads to stress and disease. It’s important to perform water changes regularly and stay on top of conditions to keep your fish healthy.

• Water Temperature: 75°F to 84°F (aim for the middle)
• pH Levels: 5.5 to 7.0
• Water Hardness: 2 to 6 KH

Filtration And Aeration
Since Rummys are very sensitive to their water quality and get stressed when exposed to toxins like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates, you’ll need a robust HOB or canister filtration system to keep your tetra tank clean. For larger aquariums (40+ gallons), you might need multiple filters and may also benefit from using an air stone to increase circulation and water oxygenation.

Nitrate can get to 100ppm until it starts killing fish. Keeping it to 0.25ppm isn’t necessary; I keep mine at 20ppm in my 30 gallon.

Rummy nose tetras should be fine in water with a pH of 7.6. Lowering it might harm the snails as they require a neutral pH.

I don’t think most if any of what you suggested is a problem in the tank. It’s likely the dwarf gourami being the main issue, as well as the bacterial bloom. I’m not sure what’s causing this bloom however.

 

Agree. The only fish that might chase your Rummy is the Gourami. How many Rummynose do you have?

You should bring down your Nitrate between 0-0.25.

How big is your tank ? They need a tank with high Oxygen level too.

Rummy Nose Tetras are particularly sensitive to changes in water conditions. Excess waste and a buildup of algae can alter the water chemistry significantly, which leads to stress and disease. It’s important to perform water changes regularly and stay on top of conditions to keep your fish healthy.

• Water Temperature: 75°F to 84°F (aim for the middle)
• pH Levels: 5.5 to 7.0
• Water Hardness: 2 to 6 KH

Filtration And Aeration
Since Rummys are very sensitive to their water quality and get stressed when exposed to toxins like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates, you’ll need a robust HOB or canister filtration system to keep your tetra tank clean. For larger aquariums (40+ gallons), you might need multiple filters and may also benefit from using an air stone to increase circulation and water oxygenation.

My tank is 60 gallons and running a AquaClear 70 on low.
I've got about 15 Rummy left.
Right now I have a bubble wall as well as an air stone in the corner. I also have a power head and another airstone that I could use, but I was worried it was too much for the tank.
As for bringing down my nitrates, my tap water sadly runs at about 10 ppm so this is about the best I can get.
I do have a few plants, but not enough to eat the nitrates.

Nitrate can get to 100ppm until it starts killing fish. Keeping it to 0.25ppm isn’t necessary; I keep mine at 20ppm in my 30 gallon.

Rummy nose tetras should be fine in water with a pH of 7.6. Lowering it might harm the snails as they require a neutral pH.

I don’t think most if any of what you suggested is a problem in the tank. It’s likely the dwarf gourami being the main issue, as well as the bacterial bloom. I’m not sure what’s causing this bloom however.

TBH I'm not sure what's causing it either. I cycled my tank. It actually took nine weeks! And it's been a few weeks of me adding fish slowly. (I have another tank that cycled at the same time and stocked it too fast so I learned).
It's not as cloudy as it was when I had the bacteria bloom while cycling, but it's just a little hazy so hopefully it's not a bad bloom.

 

Do you think the bloom could be part of the problem? (I wasn't sure if I should post about both issues in the same post or not)

I mean, I don't think so unless they are struggling to breath. Bloom is common in new tanks for the first few months you'll end up getting one that makes the tank cloudy. If it is the bloom however, then it would be cause the bloom is super bad and eating the oxygen. I don't think this is common unless you're dealing with a really cloudy tank. It might even get worse by rapidly changing the water cause you keep giving them more minerals so the bloom never goes away. Since you don't have ammonia/nitrite I don't think changing the water will help things?

If your Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrates are good then that's a big portion to check off the list of problems for sure. Your params seem fine. Hopefully there's someone else that can help too. I was mostly commenting on the nitrates having to be 0 cause that's a bit silly personally. Don't want you worrying about that!

If it's just those fish, maybe they have an illness from the store you bought them from. I don't know about rummies, but I've had batches of platies become very sick because they are overbred. I'd keep an eye on the dwarf though, some of them can have bad tempers but I'm not so sure he'd be killing 3 a day.

You can't really over oxygenate the tank in your case. Adding bubbles can help but it's mostly for show, it does help a little though. (Only real time to avoid bubblers would probably be when you're using CO2 at the same time.) If anything it will probably help out the fish right now 'a little' while the bloom is having it's rave party.

Did you perhaps have nitrite/ammonia before hand? Let's say a week ago you noticed a spike. Just because it's over now doesn't mean the damage isn't done either. Normally fish that have poisoning will die off, and sometimes it might take longer then a few days/etc even though theres no more problems in the tank. Kind of the 'damage is done' sort of thing.

 

Actually no. I'm still at the point of checking every day and my numbers have been good.
I've never actually noticed the dwarf going after anything else, but I will say I've never seen a new dead fish during the day. I always find them in the morning.
Do you have any tips if it is the dwarf though? I have another tank, but it's a planted 30 with two Pearls in it so I'm not sure it can really be moved.

 

Actually no. I'm still at the point of checking every day and my numbers have been good.
I've never actually noticed the dwarf going after anything else, but I will say I've never seen a new dead fish during the day. I always find them in the morning.
Do you have any tips if it is the dwarf though? I have another tank, but it's a planted 30 with two Pearls in it so I'm not sure it can really be moved.

Defo not with the gouramis. They will fight and most likely kill each other for sure or at least injure one another. Pearl Gouramis vs a Dwarf Gourami will often end up that the dwarf bullies the pearls because it will treat them like they are invading their space. Some people make it work, most don't. Don't put them there. Not sure what you can do, but I honestly don't think the dwarf is doing it yet. Not convinced he'd be killing daily, seems a bit strange.

Dwarfs are a bit rude as far as gouramis go. I don't really like them and often they have issues because of the way they are bred. They aren't nice like pearls or honey gourami 'normally' are. If he is aggressing the little fish though that is impressive and he'd probably a more aggressive one, though I would honestly think you can watch them and see it happening from time to time again when the lights are on. Often they won't go for anything not a gourami or maybe fish about the same size as him. Doesn't mean they won't though, all fish have different temperaments. Would be strange that he's only hunting them during black out.

 

Nitrate can get to 100ppm until it starts killing fish. Keeping it to 0.25ppm isn’t necessary; I keep mine at 20ppm in my 30 gallon.

Rummy nose tetras should be fine in water with a pH of 7.6. Lowering it might harm the snails as they require a neutral pH.

I don’t think most if any of what you suggested is a problem in the tank. It’s likely the dwarf gourami being the main issue, as well as the bacterial bloom. I’m not sure what’s causing this bloom however.

I didn't suggest anything. I said that I agree, that the Dwarf Gouramy it might chase the Rummynose. The other thing I said that if you can, bring down the Nitrate. Neutral PH is 7, not 7.6 that is alkaline, and most of the livebeareres, likes that. I used to have 20 of Rummynose. I was interested how big is the aquarium and the filter.
You could use RO water or boiled water in a stailess steel or ceramic pot so you don't get chemicals in.

 

I didn't suggest anything. I said that I agree, that the Dwarf Gouramy it might chase the Rummynose. The other thing I said that if you can, bring down the Nitrate. Neutral PH is 7, not 7.6 that is alkaline, and most of the livebeareres, likes that. I used to have 20 of Rummynose. I was interested how big is the aquarium and the filter.

My bad. Sorry...

I don’t see why lowering the nitrate will make a difference?

 

My bad. Sorry...

I don’t see why lowering the nitrate will make a difference?

Np, Not in her case, just in general. I don't check my water every day or week. I look at my reefs and if I see some change than I check for water. Or in my fresh water. We are here to share our experiance, so nobody is better than other, I had good experiance and I had bad experiace in the last 30 years.