What do you think I might be dealing with here?

[SCM_2123]

Yeah flakes take a bit to absorb and sink and by then usually schooling fish haveeaten them all. you could switch to a small sinking pellet food, I like NLS Thera+ and NLS Algaemax, both come in small sizes and are good for most freshwater fish. the topswimmers get plenty and some sink to the bottom too.

Maybe I'll do that. I had fed those before but the tetras would fight over them. As in spit them out and others would grab them. As I said I just wasn't sure the cories were getting enough to eat.

 

[skjl47]

I skip feedings on Tuesdays and Thursdays already.

Here are the current ammonia levels as of this morning. Not good but an improvement and more work will be done tonight

Hello; As the thread plays out it seems you are already doing good things. I really do not have better guesses as to the basic problem(s). At this point I and others are making suggestions which amount to treating the symptoms and not necessarily the cause. Sort of like what a doctor does most of the time. Treat the symptoms and let the body do the healing.

 

[Cal Amari]

I tend to sprinkle some food in the filter outflow so it swirls around and gets pushed to the bottom feeders, but i don't ever find uneaten food down there. Some have said their fish don't seem to prefer the nls pellets and spit them out a lot, but my opinion is if they are hungry they will get used to them, and it's about nutrition, not taste.

 

[Cal Amari]

Sorry I got a bit off topic, that ammonia is a problem. Glad it's going down, but you somehow have got your cycle messed up. Don't change all your filter media at once, usually do a water change, save some of the tank water and rinse the sponge in it. always condition your tap water, any chlorine or chloramine can kill off the good bacteria that break down the ammonia and nitrite.

 

[SCM_2123]

Sorry I got a bit off topic, that ammonia is a problem. Glad it's going down, but you somehow have got your cycle messed up. Don't change all your filter media at once, usually do a water change, save some of the tank water and rinse the sponge in it. always condition your tap water, any chlorine or chloramine can kill off the good bacteria that break down the ammonia and nitrite.

I'll do another change tonight and will rinse the media in the tank water. I always condition my tap water.