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11 Posts
When I tell you this story, some will say "can't be" others will be angry, still more will feel sorry. I tell you that I this is true and I am trying like hell.
I have a wife an two kids. Both kids have asthma (just diagnosed) so we gave up two cats and a dog. Everyone was depressed. We decided to get an aquarium and keep fish. Dad says its a piece of cake. So off we go to the LFS. They talked us into a 55 gal., stealth heater, Emperor 400 bio wheel filter, some fake plants, a wrecked ship, and some fish (6 at first to cycle all platys and the molly). I have amquel for the water aging and aquarium salt (1/2 tbl per 5 gallon bucket) so said the LFS.
This tank is now 12 weeks old. I didn't know anything about fish and have had the hardest time in the past three months. Wife was out one day about a month ago and bought some tetras and a platy. Everyone is in the tank and living though not without extraordinary effort (or maybe not) on my part. Now here's the story.
The first month went by fine then fish started getting sick (only 6 in the tank). I bought an API test kit for ammonia (little strips) and according to the test Ammonia was 6.0. I change 50% water everyday for a week. Got ammonia down to 1.0 and then added one dose of Amquel. One week later...ick. Went to LFS and they gave me Rid-ick+ and directions to treat (remove carbon, full dose daily until three days after spots gone, slowly raise temp to 90, continue salt at 1/2 tbl, and 25% water changes daily, put back carbon). The ick went away. Temp slowly returned to 78 over several days.
Two weeks later I come home to more fish in the tank (good grief now what). One week after that fin rot in my guppy and black skirt tetra. Back to LFS. Gave me Melafix with instructions to use (Remove carbon, full dase daily for seven days, 25% water changes daily, put back carbon). Fin rot is gone now. But fish fins are not yet fully restored but getting better daily.
2 month point now. During this time, ammonia keeps spiking to 6.0 and I'm changing water like crazy when it does. Went to LFS. They gave me Safe Start and told me dump in the whole bottle. Two weeks have gone by (still fighting the heck out of Ammonia) and ICK is back. So, I guess it is back to treatment again.
How can Ick come back if I killed it a month ago?
I am only feeding fish enough food that its gone in like 20 seconds and they seem like pirannahs looking for more. I used the Safe Start and change water like mad (25% a day) but can't control ammonia. In three months, there is no nitrite AT ALL showing up on my little test strips by Jungle Labs. Am I using the right strips? Can I do anything different to help cycle the tank? I am assuming that the med treatments are hindering the cycling process.
The fish seem to be very vigorous despite the water change battle over ammonia. I did not know anything about fishless cycling or this would not have been a conversation at all. I want to think I am doing the right things to keep the little fellas alive but I would have thought the tank would be more stable at this point. Any ideas. My LFS seems to just keep selling me stuff.
BTW, wife is banned from buying fish for now.
Your wisdom, beat downs, bad mouthing, and especially help is appreciated. Let er rip. I am exhausted.
Charles
I have a wife an two kids. Both kids have asthma (just diagnosed) so we gave up two cats and a dog. Everyone was depressed. We decided to get an aquarium and keep fish. Dad says its a piece of cake. So off we go to the LFS. They talked us into a 55 gal., stealth heater, Emperor 400 bio wheel filter, some fake plants, a wrecked ship, and some fish (6 at first to cycle all platys and the molly). I have amquel for the water aging and aquarium salt (1/2 tbl per 5 gallon bucket) so said the LFS.
This tank is now 12 weeks old. I didn't know anything about fish and have had the hardest time in the past three months. Wife was out one day about a month ago and bought some tetras and a platy. Everyone is in the tank and living though not without extraordinary effort (or maybe not) on my part. Now here's the story.
The first month went by fine then fish started getting sick (only 6 in the tank). I bought an API test kit for ammonia (little strips) and according to the test Ammonia was 6.0. I change 50% water everyday for a week. Got ammonia down to 1.0 and then added one dose of Amquel. One week later...ick. Went to LFS and they gave me Rid-ick+ and directions to treat (remove carbon, full dose daily until three days after spots gone, slowly raise temp to 90, continue salt at 1/2 tbl, and 25% water changes daily, put back carbon). The ick went away. Temp slowly returned to 78 over several days.
Two weeks later I come home to more fish in the tank (good grief now what). One week after that fin rot in my guppy and black skirt tetra. Back to LFS. Gave me Melafix with instructions to use (Remove carbon, full dase daily for seven days, 25% water changes daily, put back carbon). Fin rot is gone now. But fish fins are not yet fully restored but getting better daily.
2 month point now. During this time, ammonia keeps spiking to 6.0 and I'm changing water like crazy when it does. Went to LFS. They gave me Safe Start and told me dump in the whole bottle. Two weeks have gone by (still fighting the heck out of Ammonia) and ICK is back. So, I guess it is back to treatment again.
How can Ick come back if I killed it a month ago?
I am only feeding fish enough food that its gone in like 20 seconds and they seem like pirannahs looking for more. I used the Safe Start and change water like mad (25% a day) but can't control ammonia. In three months, there is no nitrite AT ALL showing up on my little test strips by Jungle Labs. Am I using the right strips? Can I do anything different to help cycle the tank? I am assuming that the med treatments are hindering the cycling process.
The fish seem to be very vigorous despite the water change battle over ammonia. I did not know anything about fishless cycling or this would not have been a conversation at all. I want to think I am doing the right things to keep the little fellas alive but I would have thought the tank would be more stable at this point. Any ideas. My LFS seems to just keep selling me stuff.
BTW, wife is banned from buying fish for now.
Your wisdom, beat downs, bad mouthing, and especially help is appreciated. Let er rip. I am exhausted.
Charles