Tetras at the surface after a water change?

N

Nikki Clarke

Registered Member
Jan 1, 2017
3
1
3
UK
Real Name
Nikki
Hi everyone, I'm new to this and so would appreciate any advice? I have a 50l Dennerle tropical water tank, it contains real plants, cardinal tetras, ember tetras, X-ray tetras and various shrimp, ottos, loaches and assassin snails. I have just moved my tank back to its original spot in the corner of the room after taking the xmas tree down, I took a third of the water out to move the tank and refilled it, a couple of hours after this my fish all came to the surface of the water, they have never done this before, have I done something wrong?

Many Thanks, Nikki
 
Nikki, welcome!

It sounds like a lot of fish for that size tank. Do you do weekly water changes?
 
FreshyFresh said:
Nikki, welcome!

It sounds like a lot of fish for that size tank. Do you do weekly water changes?
Click to expand...
I do water change every week, I only have a few of each fish, there are 4 Cardinals, 5 X-ray, 5 Embers, 2 loaches, 2 ottos, and about 8 shrimp. I do a water change every week, plant fertilize, I have an air stone which is on for about 4 hours per day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FreshyFresh
Do you have readings in PPM for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Just trying to help you troubleshoot this. Fish all at the surface could indicate a water quality problem, or could simply be them picking off little bits of food after the water change.
 
Hi again, I don't have a testing kit, I'll go out and get one, I turned on the air stone yesterday and left it on while I was out last night and the fish have all gone back to their usual habits, I wonder if there wasn't enough oxygen in the water after the water change. I read somewhere that when you replace the water and if the temperature is slightly higher than that of the tank this can reduce the oxygen in the water? Not sure but after having the air stone on over night it seems to have settled back down again. I will go out and get a water testing kit though, I'm going to the aquatics place at the weekend to buy a new plant so I'll pick one up then. Thank you very much for your help, I really appreciate it, being a novice is quite a minefield of questions :)
 
An airstone won't hurt, but your filtration should be oxygenating the water enough on it's own for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom