[Charuru]

so yesterday i took out my old water, put my fish in it, to redo my take and substrate to eco-complete. i used 75% old, 25% new. Treated it. Did everything needed.

This AM I had 7 dead fish and now my black neons and o-cats have glowing edges or whatever around their fins and very antsy. I have no other aquarium to put my live plants in where my fish wont eat them or them die from water transition. I was SO close to flushing my left over fish and my o-cats are 90% dying.

So how do I treat this with my plants?

 

[Abrium]

I don't think fin rot acts that fast or with those symptoms. Time for parameters and photos

 

[Charuru]

ok one sec let me test it. I only have the 6-in-1 strips not the ammonia i forgot to buy a new one.

 

[Charuru]

i took a picture of the test strip because I really am not good at reading those things lol
Temp: 81

the test reading

my phone sucks - didnt look so blurry

the worst

its only my 3 tetras and slightly on my o-cats. I was going to move them to my 47 gallon in a week with the other fish mates so i can put some cardinals and 2 rams in there and some shrimp. I also have nerite snails and 1 assassin snail in there so salt wouldnt be good for them.

 

[OverStocked]

Fin rot does not cause this. NO ammonia test means we can't diagnose the most likely problem.

I am guessing you are cycling. water changes(lots of big ones) are likely the best solution. But then again, we're just stabbing in the dark.

 

[Charuru]

I can do a full test at my work, I meant to do it this morning after the death but I forgot from rushing.

I don't know if you'd call old water with new substrate cycling, its not 100% new. I tested it before I removed it and it was the same.

Could all the tetras have it because they're schooling? My variatus and bettas are fine.

 

[OverStocked]

It is cycling. Not being able to test ammonia means your test has minimal indication of cycling.

Do a large water change.

This isn't a disease that happened over night. I promise. If it was a disease it would be in the WATER. fish don't catch it swimming "by" eachother. It is a 1 foot box... It isn't as if any are far away. Fin rot is a slow, very visible process.

Using an airstone and keeping temp in the 75 range is helpful too.

Putting meds in this tank will do nothing to help.

 

[Charuru]

Do I do tap water? Or bottled? I use prime as my conditioner.

I was told to do my tank in 80-82 range bc benefits plants or something like that.

I'm going to water change tonight, and get my stuff at work tomorrow when i go in at 12.

 

[OverStocked]

tap, 50% or more. Use prime.

Really, 75-78 is much more appropriate for plants. Lower temps also mean there will be more oxygen in the tank.

 

[Charuru]

Only reason why I'm concerned, and sound really unknowledged, is because I've never had any kind of issue with my fish like ick or any thing. So I have no hands on experience with fixing this stuff - I can explain it at work... But I turn into "first time parent" mode haha.

 

[Charuru]

oh ok awesome, I'll adjust my heater and do my WC. I'll let you know how this goes.

 

[Leah]

I can do a full test at my work, I meant to do it this morning after the death but I forgot from rushing.

I don't know if you'd call old water with new substrate cycling, its not 100% new. I tested it before I removed it and it was the same.

Could all the tetras have it because they're schooling? My variatus and bettas are fine.

Very little of the "good" bacteria live in the water. They adhere primarily to the substrate and filter media. You probably lost some of the bacteria in the filter as well, how much depends on what you did with the filter while you were changing your tank and how long it wasn't running for. That's why your tank is cycling again.

Leah

 

[Charuru]

I didn't do anything to my filter but pick it up and put it in a bucket. I didn't clean it out purposely for that since my substrate was being taken out.

I added Stress Zyme bacteria to my tank once I had it going again.

 

[Charuru]

oh and should i do the normal prime dosage for 10 gallons or more?

 

[Abrium]

well what a quandry we have...

 

[Charuru]

Just did my 50% WC, added the regular amount of Prime, added 5 ml of bacteria instead of the 10 ml.

check this out:
I changed this filter yesterday evening. that is all from my old water and sand from my tank. Ew.

it was less cloudy than this when i woke up to the 7 dead, but this was right after i put water back in yesterday:

Just now:

 

[m4s4mur4]

it may be too late now. but that gross filter was your last line of defense against ammonia and nitrites. as it was stated before, this is practically another case of new tank syndrome. i hope the betta survives the cycling process. gl

 

[wendyjo]

Wait earlier you said you hadn't done anything with the filter and now you're saying you changed it? If you changed both the filter media and the substrate then you are indeed cycling your tank all over again. Why would you do that?

 

[Charuru]

I did a complete test of the water and all the parameters are perfect.

I said when I took the filter OFF the tank I did not replace the filter or clean it. I did the tank Sunday, I didn't redo my whole tank yesterday. I changed that one pad because I used that one to collect all the tiny sand particles and junk from my old water. It wasn't even in there a whole 24 hours, so you don't have to freak out on me.

And I had changed the previous filter pad almost over a month ago so I had to change it anyways to keep up with my normal cycle. And I added more beneficial bacteria to help with my 50% change.


**and on the pic of the filter I meant "this evening" not "yesterday evening"

 

[wendyjo]

It's best to rinse the filter pads rather than replace them. Each time you throw one away you are tossing out your bb.