So much for reestablishing my tank....

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James0816

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Feb 14, 2007
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do parasites or something of the sort act this quickly? still doesnt account for the neons <knock on wood> still being around.

just a thought in case it could be something to this effect...is there any type of meds that can be applied in the tank that might ward off something of unknown origins?
 

smallfry

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Jul 3, 2007
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6.2 for white clouds? Well, if the store has a more normal ph (7.0) or slightly alkaline, then the introduction of these white clouds should have taken a much longer time. Hours would have been good via a drip method. White Clouds are very tough - but a sudden jump from their usual PH to your acidic PH would have been a shocker.

Next time try this:

When you bring them home, put them and the water they arrive in into a container. Every 10 to 15 minutes, add a small amount (tablespoon or so) of your tank water to their tank. Eventually, you want to double or triple the amount of water in their container. Then, net them out of the container, and place them in your tank. (Hopefully water temps are within a degree or two of eachother).

If they die after a slow transition like that, then I'd be surprised. But 6.2 is too low for what white clouds actually like long term. And a shocking ph change might have done it.
 

AnDr3w

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Apr 29, 2007
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as many of you have read....i had the great kill off....leaving me with only two neons. well..for the past few days it has been just these guys. i thought i might be safe to try and reestablish it. i went out and got me three silver tip minnows (think thats what they are called). needless to say...in less than four hours....i still have two neons. unreal!
Im sorry to hear about your loss. I had a kill off too leaving me with 2 fish also. :cry:
 

James0816

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Feb 14, 2007
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If they die after a slow transition like that, then I'd be surprised. But 6.2 is too low for what white clouds actually like long term. And a shocking ph change might have done it.
Is there a certain PH number I should be aiming for keeping in mind that this is/was and will be once again a community tank for all kinds a small fishies and plants.
 

smallfry

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To be honest, I don't think neons and white clouds like eachothers ideal parameters. They might survive, but but not thrive. Neons like acidic super soft water ... white clouds the opposite. Neons like it very warm (high 70's low 80s) ... white clouds can take it down to 40 degrees, but like it between 60 and 70 - but will tolerate warmer and survive but not thrive.

So maybe when restocking your tank - if it is easy for you to maintain a ph of 6.2 and if your water is soft, your community could be made up solely of fishes that like that - like your neons and many other tetras.
 

Star_Rider

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don't add salt
do water changes to get the water to saltfree.

I'm curious tho.pH is 6.2 (acidic) and it dropped? fluctuating pH is not good.a small drop in pH from municiple sources is fairly common.

have you tested the source water straight from source then let it stand 24 hrs (test)to see if there are fluctations?

do you have a test for kH,gH?

you use well water the LFS where you get the fish ..do you know the params of their water?

drip acclimation may work..it allows the fish to acclimate slowly to pH etc.

it is the system used for Marine fish(I use it for almost all my fish)
 

James0816

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Feb 14, 2007
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interesting....should i look to add a wee bit of crushed coral to naturally bring it (PH) up a bit? This is really sparking the curiosity in me.

Let's take the variety of fishies that I had:
neons, glow light tetra, von rios, guppies, mollies, pleco, frog

a nice round about PH level for this kind of variety would be ____?

being well water water where the hardness can change I would have to image at the drop of a hat...this could dramtically affect the PH too right?
 

smallfry

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Jul 3, 2007
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Hi James,

I'd leave your tank as it is right now and do some research.

The best recommendation I have for you is to google each of the fish that you had - and look at their specific needs.

Mollies and Neons are vastly different in their needs.

Guppies can do fine with Mollies tank conditions.

Maybe it would be wise to have all your tetras in one tank - and set up another tank for your mollies and guppies. They aren't ideal tank mates because a compromise in what either really needs serves neither fish.

Sorry. But I think you have some googling ahead of you. :) (Research is the fun part anyway)
 
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