First off, I'd like to say hello. ^^ I'm new to this forum, and I hope to use it more often and hopefully answer some questions myself someday. Please call me Katie.
Anyways, to the problem. With my love for the uniqueness of the fish and more challenge of a brackish water tank, I had slowly converted my tiny ten gallon tank of mollies and small dragon goby (too small of a tank, I know) into a brackish tank. This went along nicely; I mixed in some salt, more and more each week until the brackish conditions were great.
With the money I saved, I decided to spend a good amount on a larger, better tank with sand and a fresh start. I bought a nice 29 gal. aquarium with the start up kit, some decor, and another thermometer because I hate the stick on ones they provide. I filled it with CaribSea aragonite fine sand, about 1 inch-1 1/2 on the bottom of the tank. I filled it up with water and my prepared saltwater, having it to a nice 1.004. Waiting for the sand to settle I use AquaSafe and once it cleared, added the filter, decor, heater, thermometer, and some Tetra SafeStart in hopes of a faster cycling.
Waiting a week, adding a tiny pinch of fish food to feed the new bacteria, I decided to add two mollies to the tank. They both were doing excellent; stirring up a bit of sand, looking healthy. After a few days I added some hides, which included PVC piping, GE Windows and Doors 100% Silicone, and some of my remaining sand and they turned out wonderful. Mollies are still doing great.
Then, checking up my water and seeing that it was still good, I added in my goby. He seemed to be happy in the new tank, especially with sand and doing what he should be doing. However, he was gulping air up at the top, and I was concerned because that should mean something was wrong. The water quality was just about the same as my old tank. Plus, the sand was sticking onto his slime coat (which I don't know is normal or not).
I went away for just one day, feeding them some frozen bloodworms and turning off the light. When I came back, everything fell apart. One molly died, the other barely there, and my goby quite still. In a panic I slowly returned my goby to the told tank, in which now seems to be doing better. My other molly, however, died quite shortly.
I tested the water again. Yet, everything was perfect; no ammonia, no nitrites, and VERY few nitrates. PH level is 7.8-8, and alkalinity was normally high due to the buffering sand, and no chlorine, no nothing. Temperature was just right at 77 F. Just about the perfect water quality; and yet, my fish are dying. What's the problem? I thought I did everything right.
Right now, my dragon goby doesn't seem to be doing too well. Gulping a little, kind of laying on it's side. Still active however, but a thick slime coat is on him.
Any help is appreciated, and sorry about the long, long post. :
Anyways, to the problem. With my love for the uniqueness of the fish and more challenge of a brackish water tank, I had slowly converted my tiny ten gallon tank of mollies and small dragon goby (too small of a tank, I know) into a brackish tank. This went along nicely; I mixed in some salt, more and more each week until the brackish conditions were great.
With the money I saved, I decided to spend a good amount on a larger, better tank with sand and a fresh start. I bought a nice 29 gal. aquarium with the start up kit, some decor, and another thermometer because I hate the stick on ones they provide. I filled it with CaribSea aragonite fine sand, about 1 inch-1 1/2 on the bottom of the tank. I filled it up with water and my prepared saltwater, having it to a nice 1.004. Waiting for the sand to settle I use AquaSafe and once it cleared, added the filter, decor, heater, thermometer, and some Tetra SafeStart in hopes of a faster cycling.
Waiting a week, adding a tiny pinch of fish food to feed the new bacteria, I decided to add two mollies to the tank. They both were doing excellent; stirring up a bit of sand, looking healthy. After a few days I added some hides, which included PVC piping, GE Windows and Doors 100% Silicone, and some of my remaining sand and they turned out wonderful. Mollies are still doing great.
Then, checking up my water and seeing that it was still good, I added in my goby. He seemed to be happy in the new tank, especially with sand and doing what he should be doing. However, he was gulping air up at the top, and I was concerned because that should mean something was wrong. The water quality was just about the same as my old tank. Plus, the sand was sticking onto his slime coat (which I don't know is normal or not).
I went away for just one day, feeding them some frozen bloodworms and turning off the light. When I came back, everything fell apart. One molly died, the other barely there, and my goby quite still. In a panic I slowly returned my goby to the told tank, in which now seems to be doing better. My other molly, however, died quite shortly.
I tested the water again. Yet, everything was perfect; no ammonia, no nitrites, and VERY few nitrates. PH level is 7.8-8, and alkalinity was normally high due to the buffering sand, and no chlorine, no nothing. Temperature was just right at 77 F. Just about the perfect water quality; and yet, my fish are dying. What's the problem? I thought I did everything right.
Right now, my dragon goby doesn't seem to be doing too well. Gulping a little, kind of laying on it's side. Still active however, but a thick slime coat is on him.
Any help is appreciated, and sorry about the long, long post. :
Last edited: