major deaths in tank :( only 2 left...

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
You can change water, if the fish mean anything, it won't delay the cycle much, as any decent levels of bacteria live on objects.

IMO get the ammonia and nitrites down, fast, with water changes, and keep them low.

The fuzzy eyes you see is ammonia burn, and aslong as you can keep the water in better condition they could survive.

Your best bet would be to re-home the fish in a cycled tank and do a fishless cycle with pure ammonia. That way you can care for the sick fish and get the tank cycled ASAP, without being cruel to some cheap fish.

Here's a read on cycling and how to do it fishless.
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm


If that's not an option, keep the water decent, and wait the cycle out, hopefully they'll live.

This happens to most new fish keepers, and I hope it dosn't get her hopes down. Best of luck to your two and the fish.
 
MilitantPotato said:
...Your best bet would be to re-home the fish in a cycled tank and do a fishless cycle with pure ammonia. That way you can care for the sick fish and get the tank cycled ASAP, without being cruel to some cheap fish.

Here's a read on cycling and how to do it fishless.
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm
Click to expand...


I wish I would have known that I could have done this when I first setup my 90g. I lost about 7 of 14 Gold Fish and a handful of small feeder Guppies when I was first setting it up back from May to the end of June before my Muskie's arrived (still have about 0.25 to .0.50 levels on my Nitrites when they first arrived, but now both Ammonia and Nitrites are at zero, and even my Nitrates are at only about 60-40PPM which is rather acceptable).

Now let me ask you this - I am seting up a Feeder Quarintine/Hospital tank that is only 15g big. What I have done to start it off is simply fill it up with 15g's from my 90g, and I took out one of the old carbon filters (about 2 months old - original filter) from my Emperor 400, and swished and left it at the bottom of the 15g by the strainer of that Biowheel. The article you posted here recommends this, but am I supposed to be using the Clear/Pure Ammonia at the same time while I'm letting this bacteria soak into the Biowell of my Pengiun 150 and everything in there? Or should I stay the course of putting one of those old filters in a week for the next couple of weeks (I have 2 more old ones left that I am swapping out during the remainder of the month each week).

Hope that wasn't confusing - would like to set it up quick, but am willing to take my time to do it right.
 
Wow - lots of conflicting info there.... you know, cycling a tank AINT that difficult.
Some mature water from an existing cycled tank + some mature filter medium from a cycled filter. Put the water in the tank and the filter medium in the filter AFTER you've given it a good squeeze in the tank water to release some poop and gunk and micro organisms. Give it a couple of days, keep the tank aerated, then you can add a liitle fishy or two. Bacteria cycle will already have kickstared, little fishy won't get too stressed and will keep the cycle going without gettin dead. Platys are good for this cos they are tough and they crap a lot!! The behaviour of the fish will tell you if it's all workin as it should. If a fish looks unhappy, thats cos it is!
And NEVER wash your tank or equipment in tap water - always tank water.
Test your water daily to keep an eye on your levels and when Nitrites and Ammonia reach zero....YOU are GOOD to GO.
Just don't put the big fish in first.... and be patient.
I know this is shuttin the stable door after the horse has bolted, (well....the fish have copped it..) but maybe it'll help NEXT time.
Good luck with the ones that are left....
 
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