Hello everyone!
Two years ago, I started a 20 gallon tank with 4 otocinclus catfish in it. For about 1 month, or less, they lived pretty good. One day I decided to check out my pH, and it was 7.5, which is considered to be high! I realized that probably I got the wrong type of sand(sand for saltwater tanks) which makes my water hard. So me and my mom took apart the whole tank one evening while my filter sponges and 4 catfish were sitting in a bucket of water for 3 hours! After I filled the new sand in, I managed to pour in the water I had in there before, and then added fresh water and the fish. The water was very cloudy.
The next day all 4 catfish were with red bellies and bloody suckers. First I thought it was an injury, but when it didn't cure for about 4 days, I checked out some books. It said it might be poisoning of some kind. I didn't realize to check the ammonia levels at all, and when I did, they were very high because of the restarting of the tank.
My catfish did not eat at all , but they behaved normally. A week later they died.
Later I read that they suffered of tuberculosis and poisoning.
So everybody, DO NOT EVER restart a tank the way I did.
Two years ago, I started a 20 gallon tank with 4 otocinclus catfish in it. For about 1 month, or less, they lived pretty good. One day I decided to check out my pH, and it was 7.5, which is considered to be high! I realized that probably I got the wrong type of sand(sand for saltwater tanks) which makes my water hard. So me and my mom took apart the whole tank one evening while my filter sponges and 4 catfish were sitting in a bucket of water for 3 hours! After I filled the new sand in, I managed to pour in the water I had in there before, and then added fresh water and the fish. The water was very cloudy.
The next day all 4 catfish were with red bellies and bloody suckers. First I thought it was an injury, but when it didn't cure for about 4 days, I checked out some books. It said it might be poisoning of some kind. I didn't realize to check the ammonia levels at all, and when I did, they were very high because of the restarting of the tank.
My catfish did not eat at all , but they behaved normally. A week later they died.
Later I read that they suffered of tuberculosis and poisoning.So everybody, DO NOT EVER restart a tank the way I did.
