pH 8.3
Nitrates 10-20
Hardness 150- 300
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
KH/Buffer 120-180
Water Temperature above 78
"new" 65 gallon tank. Got this 65 gallon and established canister from offerup. I dont try to change my water parameters.
Before we got the rummys and cardinals, the tank was occupied by a dozen ember tetras, 8 platys, 1 betta, and a couple guppies, and had gotten over a battle with ick where 1 platy was lost. after building a new stand, I moved the tank, and ditched all the old substrate and added most of the plants in the picture.
The tank was then set up the way you see here. Cardinals and rummy nose added, a dozen-ish of each, and a handful-ish of new guppies. Since the tank is very new, I did not quarantine the new 2 dozen cardinals and rummys. The rummy nose were voracious eaters and the cardinals were also putting on weight for a week or 2. All the while, I am needlessly turning up the temp shooting for 80 degrees, unbeknownst to me my IR temp gun is reading about 4-5 degrees lower than the actual temp of the tank. ALL of the tetras (rummy, cardinal, and embers) got ick. Only the tetras. Eventually I got a cheap sinking thermometer. The rummys were really suffering from the ick. A few of them would keel over when they stop swimming and then right themselves as they began moving again. Highest temp I read with the cheap thermometer was 84. I sent the temps back down toward 78. Treated with super ich cure in the DT for a few days and no improvements, only decline in the rummy nose.
Did I give my tetras ick by stressing them with a temperature increase over the course of a few days? Is it possible my betta is stressing the fish? I do not notice aggression towards the tetras during the day, only the guppies and platys, but I am now concerned about night time activities.
Lost nearly all rummys, embers are still trucking and begging for food, the cardinals are doing decent. All tetras and male platys and random guppies are in the 10 gal QT now. Treating with ick x and salt (1 Tbsp per 2 gal). Thanks for the tips.