Baby redtail not noticably eating

[KDX_rider]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

31-40%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every two weeks

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I have had titus for a little while now and when i first got him he ate same day and ate vigorously. I noticed a few days ago that he was not eating like he use too. I would drop the pellets on top of him and he wouldnt eat. I have had to get food out of the tank a couple times. I switched out the filter cartridges to two brand new ones and a white bacteria bloom happened which isnt suppose to be dangerous but could it be stressing him out to where he wont eat? I tried jungle water clear to take out the white bacteria but it only worked a tiny bit after 3 treatments. This tank has been well established but it has no substrate and i replaced the filter cartridges. What can i do to quickly get rid of the bacteria bloom? I have a uv sterilizer but found out the bulb is blown so i will get a replacement bulb as soon as i can but this has me stressed, titus is my favorite fish. I dont have any test strips to test the water but i do not smell ammonia, it stinks but it isnt a menthol like ammonia smell. Maybe nitrates or nitrites, any way besides test strips to tell which it is?

 

[esoxlucius]

The majority of your beneficial bacteria are in your filter. If you've just discarded the old cartridges and put brand new ones in then you have caused a huge imbalance in BB levels. BB also are abundant in substrate, but you have none, so your tank, for a while, is running with virtually no BB!

Ammonia will quickly build up, odourless by the way, and stress poor Titus to the point where, as you are witnessing, will become lethargic and not eat. You really need to get a liquid test kit ASAP to confirm one way or the other.

For now, do not feed Titus. And just to be sure that any ammonia levels don't get too high, i'd do a small water change everyday, don't forget to use conditioner. If you use PRIME as a conditioner this has the added bonus that it also temporarily detoxifies ammonia.

But get that liquud test kit ASAP, it's critical.

 

[KDX_rider]

I didnt want to take any chances not being able to test the water at the moment so i went ahead and done a 65% water change just in case there was a spike in nitrates. I remembered we were without water for about a week because a crack in the main line a few miles from my house and i done a water change right after the water came back on because i was due a water change so i done about a 35 or so % change and that may have introduced something into the water from the leak but im not sure if thats what happened or not. Tank is clear now and should be stable but time will tell.

 

[KDX_rider]

The majority of your beneficial bacteria are in your filter. If you've just discarded the old cartridges and put brand new ones in then you have caused a huge imbalance in BB levels. BB also are abundant in substrate, but you have none, so your tank, for a while, is running with virtually no BB!

Ammonia will quickly build up, odourless by the way, and stress poor Titus to the point where, as you are witnessing, will become lethargic and not eat. You really need to get a liquid test kit ASAP to confirm one way or the other.

For now, do not feed Titus. And just to be sure that any ammonia levels don't get too high, i'd do a small water change everyday, don't forget to use conditioner. If you use PRIME as a conditioner this has the added bonus that it also temporarily detoxifies ammonia.

But get that liquud test kit ASAP, it's critical.

I added aquarium salts to help fight any ammonia in the water. His dorsal fin was drooped and it is already perking back up after about 20 minutes. He even ate a pellet or two that i offered him before the water change. Idk if youre a praying person but i had jesus on speed dial over this lol every time i have went to check at my pet stores they havent had the right test kits, idk if people are just buying them out for fear of another stupid covid shutdown or what but hopefully they will have some when i go in next

 

[KDX_rider]

For now, do not feed Titus. And just to be sure that any ammonia levels don't get too high, i'd do a small water change everyday, don't forget to use conditioner. If you use PRIME as a conditioner this has the added bonus that it also temporarily detoxifies ammonia.

But get that liquud test kit ASAP, it's critical.

I use api tap water conditioner and sometimes stress coat plus. I keep the floor bare because its recommended for large fish like cats and arowana that gulp large amounts of water when eating. I guess i also need to get a bottle of beneficial bacteria to keep for filter cartridge changes so this doesnt happen. Hes moving around much more now and flares his dorsal up and he wouldnt earlier so i think we are on the right track

 

[esoxlucius]

OK. Water companies messing with things at their end can, on occasion, cause adverse reactions in our tanks, hopefully that side of it has settled down now.

I think all you can do for now is closely observe Titus. Be very mindful when messing with your filter that the BB within it are crucial to the wellbeing of your tank. Any sudden imbalances can cause all sorts of problems. Do not touch the bio side of your filter. If you do have to clean the bio side just give the contents a quick swish around in TANK water, NOT tap water. Your mechanical side, if filter floss, can be tossed and replaced with new. If sponges, then i'd give them a good squeeze out, again, in TANK water, and put them back in.

You can very easily get an API liquid test kit online and delivered to your door.

Good luck.

 

[KDX_rider]

OK. Water companies messing with things at their end can, on occasion, cause adverse reactions in our tanks, hopefully that side of it has settled down now.

I think all you can do for now is closely observe Titus. Be very mindful when messing with your filter that the BB within it are crucial to the wellbeing of your tank. Any sudden imbalances can cause all sorts of problems. Do not touch the bio side of your filter. If you do have to clean the bio side just give the contents a quick swish around in TANK water, NOT tap water. Your mechanical side, if filter floss, can be tossed and replaced with new. If sponges, then i'd give them a good squeeze out, again, in TANK water, and put them back in.

You can very easily get an API liquid test kit online and delivered to your door.

Good luck.

Im trying to find right now a couple sponge filters for my aquariums but again finding the right size is hard right now. I have a 75 gallon and a 125 gallon. Having messy fish i wanted to go with sponge filters rated for bigger than my tank for a better filtration and bio load with bare bottom tanks. For the 75 i seen some 150 gallon rated sponge filters but they were out of stock and for the 125 gallon i seen some 180 and some 250 gallon rated filters. This would not be the only filtration for the tanks but i really think they would help out a ton but all of the larger size filters are not in stock. If you can find a link to any of the size sponge filters i mentioned above please send it to me lol i have made sponge filters in the past but store bought look better and are still super cheap.