whats going on in my tank?

FooF

FooF

Daveedka & Harlock are my heroes!
Feb 13, 2005
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Michigan
www.illusioncamp.com
okay, i had a clown loach die a couple days ago, and the other of the same size has been acting very strange (clamped fins, hanging out in the top corner). so i moved him to a 1G hex that i use for quarentine and hes acting fine now.
ive never tested water, ever. i always have such i diversity of fish that i always left well enough alone because i never had a problem. so today i got some test strips.
theyre telling me the following:

nitrate = 20ppm
nitrite = 0ppm
total hardness = 150ppm
total alkalinity = 300ppm
pH = 8.4

does any of that have anything to do with my problem?
 
Probably not, although 8.4 is at the higher end of the spectrum, it shouldn't urt your fish. Any chance of secondary infection or other parasites after your ich battle? (Just guessing)
Dave
 
I'd start with some basic testing of tap vs tank parramiters and make sure there isn't a huge difference in anything since you haven't done much testing in the past. Likewise test the hex tank for comparison purposes. The strips aften aren't accurate or dependable, so you may want to take a sample of each tank to the LFS and get your numbers verified.

Are you adding anything to the water, and do you have chloramines or chlorine or do you know?

Still guessing at ideas, but eventually when all ideas have been checked, then the answer will remain.
Dave
 
I'd back off on the stress coat, I don't know that it is harmful, but I saw some similar behavior and deaths with pictus way back when I thought it was good to use stress coat at double dosage for the soothing effects of aloe.
The easy balance I'm not familiar with, so I'm not sure what it does, but abviously neither it or stress coat should have a rapid adverse effect on anything in the tank ( the manufacturers wouldn't sell them if they killed fish in a hurry) Hopefully someone will jump in with some other ideas, I'm kind of at a loss without an y extensive loach experience.
dave
 
the only time ive used the stress coat was when i first set the tank up a few weeks ago.
and i just added the EB yesterday, after the strange goings-on. it seems to have had no effect on anything. i only 1/2 - 3/4 dosed both any time i have used them.

all readings are pretty much the same thismorning.
 
Foof, the same time you were moving to your 130 I was moving to my 125. I moved all of my gravel, decor, filters, etc. over to my new tank - as you did. I am rather lightly stocked compared to you, but I still expected to see some amonia. Even though you move everything to preserve your bio-filter, some bacteria still die. Sure enough, at about day 3 (I've been testing every morning for almost two weeks) I saw a little amonia (maybe .1-.2). For 3 days straight I did between 10-30% water changes and cleaned the filter (in tank water). At about day 10 the amonia was gone and my params. are as follows: Ph 7.5, GH 120, KH 120, Am 0, Nite 0, Nate 0+. My Nate is 0 because most of the tank water new and it was around 30 in my 55. Anyway, I think I remember you putting even more fish in your 130 shortly after you set it up (am I correct in this?). I was thinking to myself, I hope that my bio-filter didn't get screwed up and can support my current fish for the next few weeks and stabalize before I start adding fish...and this guy is just adding fish....hope it goes well. So, long story, maybe this is your problem. You may have had an amonia spike because of the move and it killed your loach (sensitive fish).
 
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