That was strange!

[rlhaag]

I just came out to check on the betta and cory cat and see if he was killed during the night. When I looked in the tank, I saw him upside down on the leaf of a plant. My heart stopped as I knew the betta had done something to him. Wrong! I grabbed the net to scoop him out and he flipped over and swam away!!:eek: Right now he is just sitting on the bottom of the tank, but breathing kinda fast. He looks just fine, no marks or anything and the betta just swims past him when he is near. Is it common for cory cats to rest upside down? Does he seem okay? I had no idea fish could do that and still breathe somehow.

[Rbishop]

They will hang most any place. What size tank? Breathing fast? What are your water parameters? Cory also like to be kept in groups.

[rlhaag]

The tank is a 10 gallon. The water parameters are Ph 7.6, Ammonia 0, Nitrites and Nitrates 0, (the tank has been running 1 month). Temperature is 78. The LFS has not gotten in any new cories since I got him three weeks ago, he was the last one. They told me yesterday they should get some next week so I am getting a couple more. I have even looked at Petco but every time they don't have any either. He is breathing a little slower but uninterested in the shrimp pellet I put in front of him. Is this a bad sign? Usually he is eager to eat in the morning.

[Ulan]

With nitrates zero, you are probably having a planted tank? Do you have any plants obstructing the open water surface? If a cory cannot easily reach the surface to swallow air, it sometimes passes out or just lies there in the weirdest positions.

[rlhaag]

The tank is not planted, fake plants only. But lots of open water surface. The nitrates are 0 because it is being so slow in cycling. I really wish it would cycle!

[jm1212]

if it is being "slow in the cycle" then there is no way your ammoina and nitrite are 0

[rlhaag]

That was my readings last night when I tested with a liquid test kit. I have used amquel plus two weeks ago when ammonia was at .25. So does this mean my tank has cycled, because that would be great. I know you don't need to test for ammonia when you use amquel, but I didn't know how long you don't have to test. It's just every time I test the nitrites and nitrates show nothing.

[ChicoRaton]

using amquel "locks" the ammonia so bacteria cannot process it. This will not allow your tank to cycle. The rapid breathing and stress sure sound like ammonia poisoning, When was the last time you tested ammonia? Just keep doing a lot of water changes to get all the amquel out of the tank and then your cycle should start. Don't add any more fish until it is finished.

[Kyohti]

Do you have anyone in your neighborhood with a tank who could offer you some mature gravel, an old filter, or maybe even babysit your fish while you get your tank fully cycled?

[Mgamer20o0]

do some water changes and stop adding things into the water. just treat the water. with all zero's your tank isnt cycled.

[DaisyTattoo]

Well, there are fish in the tank, so the water has to be dechlorinated. Try to find a product that doesn't say it binds ammonia.