When Should I Start To Worry?

Had a mostly established tank (4 days in a row with absolutely perfect test kit readings), I added 7 Rummynose to my 55 community.

Within minutes their bright red faces we're back, and their tightly schooled group swam leisurely around the entire tank.

They did that for 2 days and it was great.

Today I came home from work.. one casualty at the bottom.

The remaining 6 are all red faced..... But now they're kinda swimming in between around foliage in one part of the tank and when they do venture out, it's not always in a school.

Chems all look good... Last waterchange was yesterday morning...

Thoughts? Ideas? Thanks.

 

Did you test after you added them?

 

Did you test after you added them?

Yeah just tested again...

Looks like:

- >.25 ammonia (I assume the extra bio load with their addition?)
-0 nitrite
-5.0 Nitrate


Another water change? Just did one yesterday morning...

 

I would do a water change to get rid of some of that ammonia, even .25 can be dangerous. I'm sorry, but I don't have an answer to your original question

 

I would do a water change to get rid of some of that ammonia, even .25 can be dangerous. I'm sorry, but I don't have an answer to your original question

Thanks. Aside from the one death, is that normal behavior of getting used to a new tank?
I've never kept rummynose before...

 

Not sure, either have i

 

I don't see your nitrate level as high enough (that's not a 5 reading based on the color in your photo). What did you think were perfect test kit readings for 4 days?

And can you show us a picture of the fish? A sample of 2 would be fine.

 

0, 0, 5... Is that not close to perfect?

Last weekend Nitrites had been a neon purple off the chart as the tank cycled.. and Nitrites were at 40...

 

Okay. Based on what you are saying I think the problem isn't the water.

Can you take us some photos of the fish? I'd like to see what their bellies look like.

 

Okay. Based on what you are saying I think the problem isn't the water.

Thanks.. okay.. maybe the single death was just a casualty of the move.

Is their normal activity to just be nonstop swimming in a tight group as they had been for the last 2 days?
They seem to be venturing around.. looking for food, leisurely swimming and poking around at different areas.. high, low, in and around plants.. but occasionally split into groups of 4&2 or 1 and 5.. lots of pecking as substrate, poking around bushes, but not the constant swimming.

Noses are all red.

I'll try and grab some video?

Video?

 

From what I can see it looks completely normal not overfed or anything I was looking for.

If you do and I don't think you will get another fatality then we have to look at things much more carefully.

Your ammonia looks okay but not perfect at 0.125 or so, nitrites 0 and nitrates about 1 or 2.

 

From what I can see it looks completely normal not overfed or anything I was looking for.

Ok.. thank you... then until anything else happens I'll chalk it up to "death by new tank" for one, and settling in for the rest of them.

Is it normal for one or 3 of them to go off on their own or together or are they always supposed to school, in whole groups?

 

With that large a tank and knowing who's around or not around them it's no unusual for some stragglers to go off on an expedition. Compare it to geese flying in different groups some small some larger. Heavy schooling is generally when there's danger around the 'I don't want it to be me I'll hide with these guys strategy'

 

With that large a tank and knowing who's around or not around them it's no unusual for some stragglers to go off on an expedition. Compare it to geese flying in different groups some small some larger.

Ok. Thanks. Appreciate the information

 

With that large a tank and knowing who's around or not around them it's no unusual for some stragglers to go off on an expedition. Compare it to geese flying in different groups some small some larger. Heavy schooling is generally when there's danger around the 'I don't want it to be me I'll hide with these guys strategy'

Just saw your comment update.. yeah it's pretty chill in there.. 7 Harlequin Rasporas (they occasionally school together with the RNT, or follow each other), 5 SterbaI Cories and a very non-aggressive Crowntail Betta..

It would make sense that initially they schooled and swam tightly on addition to the tank and settled once they got more secure...

 

So, another one bites the dust.
One of the remaining 6 started hanging solo in the foliage in a dark corner.. hovering, looking down at a 10 degree angle.. slight loss of coloring.
He was floating stuck to the surface skimmer when I got home from work.

Did another water change..

Am I seeing things or is that another one kinda off on his own back there now?

I have a feeling I'll be down to two just in time for the weekend.

Rasporas, Sterbs, Betta all look unaffected still...