Tetra issues

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SimFish

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Dec 28, 2012
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Honestly our tank has been non-stop issues for a long time now. I can't seem to keep the algae gone or get the water quality under control. I'd say right now the numbers are close enough that I don't think it's my current problem with this fish but still. It's a 10 gallon tank and we are leaving for Florida in a week so I've decided to purchase all new stuff except the tank, heater, and gravel. All new toys, filter pump, etc. The decorations are a year old and getting crusty so I don't trust that they are helping to mess up our tank.

One of my two Tetras has not been acting himself for a week or two. He's staying on the left side of the tank infront of the filter and non-stop opening and closing his mouth. His gills and mouth area are starting to look a little tender and perhaps swollen from all the breathing but otherwise I can't visually see anything wrong. He just looks like he can't breath or his mouth is bothering him. He just won't stop doing it and he's not off playing with the other Tetra like usual.

I have a black molly that looks too small, thin, and maybe a bit bulgy of eyes.

My white cloud minnows looked like death but once I figured out one of the main water issues N3 and PH too low then they started getting a bit better looking as the water balanced. Still way, way to skinny but I think they are recovering.

It's a mess and I've been trying so hard to get this nightmare tank balanced and fish all healthy. Seriously, I don't neglect these guys. I spend a ton of time into them and enjoy them so I want them healthy. But at this point, any ideas what could be wrong with that Tetra? Gill disease? I'm wondering if maybe i should take out all the old stuff, put in all my new stuff, clean the tank really well, and then drop a dose of broad spectrum antibiotic in there and hope it helps all the fish recover. Is that a bad idea? Any recommendations of what i can do to get these fish off on the right foot in a week before I leave for TWO WEEKS and have a friend keep an eye on them?

Thanks for any help and advise...
 

Star_Rider

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Dec 21, 2005
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N3?? NO3??

I've been reading you 've been having issues.

what are the current tank parameters..
you mentioned pH issues.. this is usually an issue when pH fluctuates...

rapid breating is a Sx of various issues.. are the fins clamped as well?
 

jpappy789

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Real numbers are much, much, MUCH more helpful than saying they are "close enough"...I would strongly advise NOT completely replacing filtration, at least not the media itself as that would likely cause a mini-cycle and compound the current problems...

In addition, can we get an update on the full stock and your normal maintenance routine?
 

huapala

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Jul 25, 2013
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^this
and IMO doing anything too drastic before leaving will only enhance your confusion. Changes should always be monitered to ensure understading of the new enviroment and well being of the fish.
Black skirt tetra are schooling fish and become stressed when not in large groups, i may have misread but it seems like you only have 2 having more is better with schooling fish.
pH is only a serious issue if the tank's pH is not stable. If you are using buffers be careful (i would not advise them, a stable ph is better than you trying achieve a particular pH especially since your fish all prefer different pH).
All the "dirty" decor is potentially a site for bb and removing it would not be bennificial for the tanks parameters.

Sent from my VS920 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

SimFish

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Dec 28, 2012
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N3?? NO3??

I've been reading you 've been having issues.

what are the current tank parameters..
you mentioned pH issues.. this is usually an issue when pH fluctuates...

rapid breating is a Sx of various issues.. are the fins clamped as well?
Sorry for the typo. NO3 yes. The Nitrate...

The parameters at the time I posted the above post were:

pH: 7.0
Ammonia: 0.25 (I realize it should be zero)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

A week or so prior I had found the tank was close to 80 Nitrate and 6.6 ph. So I purchased the api nitrate bag thing and squeezed it behind my filter cartridge in the Aqueon 10 pump. I also purchased the PH Up and added 10 drops every two nights until I got it up to 7.0.

And I'm not 100% sure what clamped fins means but I'll include a picture in a post below that looks pretty normal to me?
 

SimFish

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Dec 28, 2012
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Real numbers are much, much, MUCH more helpful than saying they are "close enough"...I would strongly advise NOT completely replacing filtration, at least not the media itself as that would likely cause a mini-cycle and compound the current problems...

In addition, can we get an update on the full stock and your normal maintenance routine?
Too many fish... But I don't know what to do with them. I'm not gonna drive an hour to give some away and our local pet shops won't take them. I don't want to kill them so I'm kinda stuck.

We have 2 black skirt tetras, 2 mollies with yellow heads and crazy tails (I hate them. I bought a 2nd one hoping it would stop my first from bullying which worked until they both became bullies), 2 black mollies, 2 white cloud minnows, a zebra, and a bottom algae eater that is afraid of it's own shadow (forgot the type).

Media itself are you referncing the parts inside the pump that holds the good fish bacteria or the filter itself?

For maintenance I usually do about a 20% water change every week because I'm always trying to get the Ammonia levels down. Every few weeks lately I've had to do algae drops to kill off the non-stop algae bloom issue. That makes it so I have to change the filter immediately. Without algae I still seem to be changing to a new filter every 3 weeks.
 

Rbishop

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Dec 30, 2005
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What is the pH of your tap water on a sample that has set out overnight in a shallow dish?
 

SimFish

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Dec 28, 2012
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^this
and IMO doing anything too drastic before leaving will only enhance your confusion. Changes should always be monitered to ensure understading of the new enviroment and well being of the fish.
Black skirt tetra are schooling fish and become stressed when not in large groups, i may have misread but it seems like you only have 2 having more is better with schooling fish.
pH is only a serious issue if the tank's pH is not stable. If you are using buffers be careful (i would not advise them, a stable ph is better than you trying achieve a particular pH especially since your fish all prefer different pH).
All the "dirty" decor is potentially a site for bb and removing it would not be bennificial for the tanks parameters.

Sent from my VS920 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
My tetras always seemed happy and playful with each-other. Harmless fish even though they are the biggest in the tank. But since the Mollies are bullying everybody and the one is sick they have stayed on seperate sides of the tank. If the healthy fish goes near the sick fish then the sick fish semi-attacks it and chases it off. They are both stressed since having the mollies take away their freedom in the tank. I got to get rid of those stupid things somehow... but still I'm not sure that's the sick ones problem with moving it's mouth etc?

I'm not sure what a buffer is? That may be the drops I used? I think the API thing recommended a 7.2-7.4 or something for a community tank so that's what I was hoping to get it back too. The PH was never off in the past so it threw me for a loop to find it like that. I use the softeners etc so not sure what happened..

The dirty decor is more then dirty. It looks about rotted. I'll include a pict below so you can see how bad it is...
 

SimFish

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Dec 28, 2012
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What is the pH of your tap water on a sample that has set out overnight in a shallow dish?
I've never done that but I'll do it tonight. Our PH strait from the tap was pretty even if I remember right. But that's now sitting out overnight...
 
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