Okay, as before stated I have a 55 gallon, I cycled it until it was good on all my various tests. I then moved all of my fish one at a time, and slowly acclimated them one everty 8 hours (mostly because a friend of mine said it was safer to add one fish at a time and I've never done a mass exodus from one tank to another before).
So anyway, righ tbefore I began the move, I tested the recieving tank and the tank I was moving them from and everything was fine. I didn't stop caring for the tank they were being moved from, I even changed the filter cartridge on time for the month. But once they were all moved, and I doing my normal testing rotuine today, I forgot I didnt need to test that tank and did. It tested extremely high for nirates and nitrites. There have been no fish in it for nearly 2 days, filter has been running the entire time?
2007-02-03 09:05:56 · 6 answers · asked by Cryz 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
The simple answer is all the changes in the tank have caused the bacteria that control the ammonia and nitrites to grow and die, grow and die...over and over again causing wide swings in the ammonia count and the tanks ability to control the ammonia and nitrites. This also leads to a big increase in nitrates. Do a big water change and stick at least one fish in the take to help keep the cycle level so it will be ready for more fish whenever you are.
That's the short answer, the details could take pages :)
Enjoy your new tank!
2007-02-03 09:22:04 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with magiman 1, as I had this happen once many years ago and there needs to be stability in the water in order for it to maintain good chemistry levels.
The fish can be moved at one time within minutes instead of all of a sudden or one at a time over several hours. Trying to be too careful is almost just as bad as not being too careful. Remember this is not a hospital, but it is supposed to be safe for your fish.
I tell most of my people to read, read, read. They need to learn all the basics before taking on such challenges.
We need to learn to crawl before we walk and walk before we run, etc.
So make sure in the future to do only one water change and then move the fish over within a few minutes. Have a change of water ready for the next time that you need to do a change.
You only need to do about 25 % water change to make the change and then if you do this, you won't need to change the whole tank out. Do this weekly and not more than this. Enjoy the tank and the beauty of it and be your own master. But do make sure that you change the water once a week and do not over feed.
Please read a good aquarium book. It will save you much heartache. !!
2007-02-03 18:49:18 · answer #2 · answered by having fun 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You may have had something like a snail die that you didn't notice but more likely, you stirred up some stuff from the rocks and sand that is now in the water column.
2007-02-03 17:11:48 · answer #3 · answered by Trollkepr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had fish for years, never had this problem. Could be your water quality, uneaten food or waste in tank.
Could try a bio-booster.
What sort of fish? you didn't say
2007-02-03 17:15:35 · answer #4 · answered by keeren a 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you probably stirred stuff up in the gravel(or w/e u have). Like all teh poop and stuff that settles in there taht u couldnt get out was stirrred up and it affected teh water chemistry......i guess...
2007-02-03 17:17:30 · answer #5 · answered by ziddyziddy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when fish get stressed, as they probably did being moved, they produce more waste.
2007-02-03 17:34:06 · answer #6 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋