View Full Version : Bottom Feeders Keep Dying...Help!!
platyprincess
03-01-2008, 7:45 PM
I have a 25g tall freshwater aquarium, which is right now only housing 3 healthy platies and a plant, kept at 24 degrees celsius. Whisper 30 power filter, Whisper 4 air pump with a bubble wall along the back. Right now I do a 25% water change every second week using a gravel vacuum - when I had more fish I did it weekly. I use Stresscoat and Stresszyme to treat the water.
Whenever I try to introduce any kind of cory, pleco, or oto they die within a day. I just don't understand it! The last pleco I tried died within hours. I'm afraid to try anymore until I figure out what's so terribly wrong!
Can anyone help? :help:
grannylvsfish
03-01-2008, 7:54 PM
Have you been testing the water for ammonia and nitrates? even with only a few fish in a weekly change is always best. I would be interested in knowing your results of the tests so we can determine whats up.
bellazeus
03-01-2008, 7:57 PM
I've always had the same problem.. can keep any other fish for years... add a bottom dweller and they never last.
I lost my Bna couple of days ago.. yet have no problem with all my other fish and my tank has been set up for years.
jpappy789
03-01-2008, 9:50 PM
How are you acclimating?
Your water params 0,0, <40?
Mgamer20o0
03-01-2008, 9:52 PM
could be a acclimating issue or just a bad source.
platyprincess
03-01-2008, 11:15 PM
I float the bag for 20 mins or so to acclimate new additions.
I just tested my water
GH: 120ppm
KH: 0ppm
pH: 6
NO2: 0ppm
NO3: 20ppm
The low pH must be shocking them to death. :(
DarrylR
03-01-2008, 11:29 PM
I don't think its the PH, cause my 29 gallon tank houses cories and is around 6.2.
Might be where your buying them from?
Are you buying them in shoals?
Are they getting food?
Before purchasing check to see for any illnesses. Extreme skinniness, redden gills.
platyprincess
03-01-2008, 11:56 PM
I've been buying from PetSmart, and only one or two at a time. My only other option is WalMart.
As far as food, I fed a few sinking shrimp pellets every day with the normal flakes. There is more than enough algae accumulated for even a pleco to live on for a week!
leighasnana
03-02-2008, 12:42 AM
The only cories I've had a problem with after purchase were panda cories. I have some albino cories which I've had for ages. Recently I switched them to another tank in which the water was warmer. They didn't do well there but since switching them back to cooler water they're happy again. What I was told with the pandas and other sensitive species is to build them up for about a month. Feed protein foods often. Haven't tried it yet on pandas but I've been doing it with other types of fish which I've added and it does make a difference. All I can suggest is to take a good look at the fish before buying. Are the barbels healthy? Is it active? Pick what you think are the largest and healthiest ones. Research what temp the species you get need. Acclimate slowly. What I do is pour the contents of the bag into a milk jug which I use only for fish. I take out a little water and add a little tank water. I do this slowly before netting out the fish and adding to the tank. Make sure there are hiding spots to offer security. I use pepso food on all of my new additions to clean them out. I'll do this for 2-3 days as one of their feeds. Cories like to be in groups of at least 5. Extra feeds of high protein foods. Keep up the water changes especially with the extra feeding.
About otos. They arrive at the store starved. They're algae eaters so if you don't have algae in your tanks make sure to supply them with algae wafers, spirulina etc.... Research what the pleco you get needs. Some need vegetables in their diet and some driftwood. Not all plecos - cories - catfish have the same requirements. It depends on the species you get. Start with the hardier species and go from there.
grannylvsfish
03-02-2008, 12:48 AM
I had 2 one died and the other lasted about 5 months. I found he was so lonely and he passed away to. when I got my last crew I bought 5 together. they sleep and eat together and its the cutes thing I have seen in a long time. there acually a family. 1 is a different cory as he only had 4 and there for I had to purchase another. some times he hangs with the 4 and some times he is off on his own . there all doing wonderful. When getting them,try to get more then 3. so they can play together.
leighasnana
03-02-2008, 1:01 AM
What kind of cories do you have Granny? I have albino paleatus (4 adults and 3 young ones) and a paleatus peppered and then I have 5 sterbais. The albinos and peppered are not shy at all - always busy but the sterbais are more nervous. The sterbais are still juvies so I'm hoping as they grow they'll get braver. I'll have to do more research on them to be sure their behaviour is normal.
jones57742
03-02-2008, 1:22 AM
I float the bag for 20 mins or so to acclimate new additions.
I just tested my water
GH: 120ppm
KH: 0ppm
pH: 6
NO2: 0ppm
NO3: 20ppm
The low pH must be shocking them to death. :(
pp:
Something may be wrong here as a GH of 120, which is hard, should be accompanied by some KH.
Does your tap water have a GH of 120?
I am assuming that you have checked PlanetCatfish for the habitat information of your plecos.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.php
IMHO, the problem is not the low Ph but the instantaneous changes in the Ph due to the low Kh and hence inducing some type of calcareous material into youe tank or filtration process would be appropriate.
Calcareous materials include crushed coral, crushed shells and limestone rock.
The induction of the these calcareous materials will "buffer" your water and decrease the instantaneous changes in the Ph of your tank water.
TR
grannylvsfish
03-02-2008, 1:28 AM
What kind of cories do you have Granny? I have albino paleatus (4 adults and 3 young ones) and a paleatus peppered and then I have 5 sterbais. The albinos and peppered are not shy at all - always busy but the sterbais are more nervous. The sterbais are still juvies so I'm hoping as they grow they'll get braver. I'll have to do more research on them to be sure their behaviour is normal.
I am not sure now LOL! there small, I am thinking there going to be small. one looks like it has armor on it. I will try to take some pics and you guys can tell me. I love them, there pretty fun little giys.
Carp37
03-02-2008, 5:50 AM
I float the bag for 20 mins or so to acclimate new additions.
Do you have a bucket that's not used for household cleaning? Corys and plecs allegedly don't like being floated in bags, and can get majorly stressed over it (I remember David Sands writing about it years ago and have never floated catfish since)- you'd be better off releasing them into a bucket with a couple of plastic plants or something for them to hide under, and slowly siphoning water in from the tank to the bucket over a period of about half an hour. This should acclimate them to the water conditions and get close enough on temperature- as lots of corys and plecs require cool water changes to spawn temperature is less important anyway, within reason.
platyprincess
03-02-2008, 3:04 PM
Thank you so much for all of your help. I'll definitely try acclimating in my water change bucket (I don't use it for anything else).
I've read that using larger gravel causes toxins to accumulate in pockets between them and can kill bottom feeders as they dislodge it. Would changing to a finer gravel help too?
leighasnana
03-02-2008, 4:07 PM
I've got some cories in a tank which has a very thin layer of gravel. I also have some in a planted tank with a thick layer of gravel. If your tank isn't planted I'd go with a thin layer. I don't think it's the size of the gravel that matters as much as the smoothness of it. It shouldn't be sharp gravel which can damage their barbels. With a thin layer it's easier for them to get at their food. Regular vaccuming should take care of infections since they are on the bottom.
I think (as 3 of us have mentioned) slow acclimation in another container until the water in the container is mostly tank water. Making sure the fish you bring home are the largest and healthiest and building them up with lots of good food. Hiding spots for security. If none of that works I'd say it's the supplier who's bringing in bad fish.
Carp37
03-02-2008, 4:58 PM
Thank you so much for all of your help. I'll definitely try acclimating in my water change bucket (I don't use it for anything else).
I've read that using larger gravel causes toxins to accumulate in pockets between them and can kill bottom feeders as they dislodge it. Would changing to a finer gravel help too?
I actually like larger gravel, but you probably need to make sure it's not too deep (not more than 1"), and gets a thorough stir around when you do a gravel vac. I know a few people who swear by sand, but I'd avoid it like the plague as my one "tank of death" this year was caused by switching to 3/4" of sand as the substrate.
zanytomato
03-02-2008, 10:35 PM
Just wanted to wish you luck.. I've been having my own cory blues for the past six months or so (mine tend to do well for a few months, and then die). I've not acclimated in the separate container before, but I can certainly say mine did not like acclimating in the bag. If I decide to get more, I will get a dedicated container.
grannylvsfish
03-02-2008, 10:42 PM
What kind of cories do you have Granny? I have albino paleatus (4 adults and 3 young ones) and a paleatus peppered and then I have 5 sterbais. The albinos and peppered are not shy at all - always busy but the sterbais are more nervous. The sterbais are still juvies so I'm hoping as they grow they'll get braver. I'll have to do more research on them to be sure their behaviour is normal.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/hakunamakarla/cory001.jpg
jones57742
03-03-2008, 2:34 AM
Folks:
My only cory experience is with sterbai but based on this experience I am surprised at the lack of joy, per your posts, with cories.
I received seven of these cories which were very young juvies two years ago subsequent to getting my main tank up and going.
Six of these cories have survived all of my adventures in fish keeping.
TR
I float the bag for 20 mins or so to acclimate new additions.
I just tested my water
GH: 120ppm
KH: 0ppm
pH: 6
NO2: 0ppm
NO3: 20ppm
The low pH must be shocking them to death. :(
Could you please post in detail your acclimation process? What is your ammonia? You never mentioned it. Is your pH consistent?
I've been buying from PetSmart, and only one or two at a time. My only other option is WalMart.
As far as food, I fed a few sinking shrimp pellets every day with the normal flakes. There is more than enough algae accumulated for even a pleco to live on for a week!
Test their water parameters and compare them to yours. As far as food is concerned, were they eating well before they died? Were they in healthy condition when you bought them? How long had they been staying in the petstores' tanks prior to being bought?
I've read that using larger gravel causes toxins to accumulate in pockets between them and can kill bottom feeders as they dislodge it. Would changing to a finer gravel help too?
True however if you vacuum them up, then you could prevent them from building up in which case the result would be the hydrogen sulfide forming and if the fish are exposed to it, the fish will obviously react negatively and eventually die. Do you vacuum your substrate? How often do you disturb the substrate?
For catfish, the finer the substrate, the better for them but make sure the substrate has no sharp edges which can damage the barbels and low part of the body. You still have to disturb the substrate as much as possible to make sure it won't compact too quickly thus forming anaerobic areas.
I keep panda cories myself and haven't had problems with them.:)