Hi everyone
I am new to this forum...
And I have a big problem! I have recently moved apartments and have lost a large number of fish and I fear most of my nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacterias...Here is the story, I will try to keep it short (ish)...I have a 100 gallon brackish tank that I kept 2 almost full grown archers, and 3 Mono Sebaes in. I have had this tank for 8 months now and it had been amazing until the move...On the day of the move, I bagged the archer fish (seperatly), filter media, substrate and the monos went into three large buckets (water change buckets) with about half the water from the tank. I moved fairly quickly (3-4 hours). The archer fish were kept in a styrafoam box and covered to keep them dark and hopefully less stressed. I set up the tank at the new place and thought everything was going well, until I found one Mono was dead and the other two were very black, clamped fins and not swimming well. The Archers seemed stressed but fine. I tested the water in the tank before I reintroduced the fish...it was fine. Again I thought everything was ok but the next day I woke up to find one more mono dead...I tested the water again and no problems. A week passed and one archer would not eat, the mono hid under some brances and leaves and the other archer barely showed himself...It was sad to see what had happened to my beautiful set up...Last week (week three, after the move) one of the archers died overnight! I tested and found the Ammonia was off the charts! I did an emergency water change but within two days it was off the charts again!!! Where is my bacteria??? I have resorted to using some amquel to keep these last two fish alive...I dont know what to do! I cant keep using this stuff but mothing has worked. Sorry for the length but I really need help...
Here are my concerns:
1. How can I figure out this ammonia thing??? Could my Nitrosomonas have ALL died during the move? What could cause so much Ammonia? I have not overfed them and they are definetly not overcrowded...
2. How long can my now solitary Mono survive without his small school? And even if I could introduce new Monos (which I cant right now), he hates new fish.
3. Are Archer fish ok as single fish or do they prefer a mate? I dont know how soon I could get him a friend.
If you have any ideas at all please let me know! I am desperate for help.
Thank you so much for your time!
I am new to this forum...
And I have a big problem! I have recently moved apartments and have lost a large number of fish and I fear most of my nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacterias...Here is the story, I will try to keep it short (ish)...I have a 100 gallon brackish tank that I kept 2 almost full grown archers, and 3 Mono Sebaes in. I have had this tank for 8 months now and it had been amazing until the move...On the day of the move, I bagged the archer fish (seperatly), filter media, substrate and the monos went into three large buckets (water change buckets) with about half the water from the tank. I moved fairly quickly (3-4 hours). The archer fish were kept in a styrafoam box and covered to keep them dark and hopefully less stressed. I set up the tank at the new place and thought everything was going well, until I found one Mono was dead and the other two were very black, clamped fins and not swimming well. The Archers seemed stressed but fine. I tested the water in the tank before I reintroduced the fish...it was fine. Again I thought everything was ok but the next day I woke up to find one more mono dead...I tested the water again and no problems. A week passed and one archer would not eat, the mono hid under some brances and leaves and the other archer barely showed himself...It was sad to see what had happened to my beautiful set up...Last week (week three, after the move) one of the archers died overnight! I tested and found the Ammonia was off the charts! I did an emergency water change but within two days it was off the charts again!!! Where is my bacteria??? I have resorted to using some amquel to keep these last two fish alive...I dont know what to do! I cant keep using this stuff but mothing has worked. Sorry for the length but I really need help...
Here are my concerns:
1. How can I figure out this ammonia thing??? Could my Nitrosomonas have ALL died during the move? What could cause so much Ammonia? I have not overfed them and they are definetly not overcrowded...
2. How long can my now solitary Mono survive without his small school? And even if I could introduce new Monos (which I cant right now), he hates new fish.
3. Are Archer fish ok as single fish or do they prefer a mate? I dont know how soon I could get him a friend.
If you have any ideas at all please let me know! I am desperate for help.
Thank you so much for your time!
