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View Full Version : Metal poisoning revelation.



lime_smash
11-20-2009, 10:31 AM
I've I have two 2.5 gallon betta tanks that I have been using for a little over a year. They are the same tank only difference is one has a metal lid the other an acrylic one. Last night I was shocked to find my betta in one of the tanks was suddenly showing symptoms of body fungus and was acting lethargic. Weird. I did a partial water change and started a treatment of Maracyn. I was puzzled because the bettas in this tank seemed to be constantly ill, yet I could find nothing wrong with the water or decorations. The other betta in the other tank had been thriving since he was put in there when the tank was new.

This morning I was even more stunned when I found the poor thing dead. On the bottom of the tank. I was puzzled as to why I had again lost a betta in this tank when I thought I had been doing everything right. That's when my roommate mentioned the metal lid.

Lightbulb. Sure enough the lid had some rust marks on it. I had never considered the water from the tank getting on the lid and dripping back down into the water virtually every time I did a water change.
Could this be why I kept loosing bettas mysteriously in this particular tank?

DoctaQ
11-20-2009, 10:34 AM
depends on what the lid is made of i suppose, if it rusts its probably iron which i doubt will cause your issue

Bubbles2112
11-20-2009, 10:50 AM
I think it could have. Hardly any metal products are made in the U.S. anymore. That metal could have goodness-only-knows on it or in it. It may have even been recycled from......?

DoctaQ
11-20-2009, 11:00 AM
if it really perplexes you switch up to a glass top n see if things get better

coach_z
11-20-2009, 11:19 AM
That is an interesting theory.
the concentration of metal should have stayed relatively small as long as you have been keeping up with significant weekly water changes.

lime_smash
11-20-2009, 11:46 AM
I do weekly water changes on all the tanks. I'm uploading some pictures of the metal lid, the tank itself and my filter which is an azoo palm filter. Also my water stats in that tank as of last night. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas please let me know. I will probably just overhaul the tank any try again later.

Temp 78 degrees f
nitrate < 0.3 mg/l
ammonia 0 ppm
pH 7.5

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/73/l_4d92aa135bc24886bacce7ee3600381d.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/58/l_4a28aa1a66944312b037f2152b94e481.jpg
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/66/l_ca1fc9c65ff04927973bde2bd1e006ac.jpg