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Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics

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Everything posted by Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics

  1. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Cories gulping air isn’t always a sign of stress. I’ve read they have been known to do it even when the water is highly oxygenated. Some say they do it after a good meal. It could be due to stress. Corydora are schooling fish. It would be happier with a couple of friends, and happiest with five more. The same could be said for the tetra. It may be fine, but if you see any signs of stress that is probably why. I have two air stones and sometimes I see (or hear) my cories hit the surface. But I do think an air stone is beneficial for all aquariums. So I am not trying to discourage the use of one. If you want to replace your HOB with the sponge filter I would leave them both running for a few weeks until the new sponge is seeded with bacteria. You can help it out by squeezing your old filter media next to the new sponge. It will make the tank cloudy for a few hours, but it helps. If you aren’t worried about energy consumption you can run them both.
  2. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I’ll have to look at the data more closely (maybe even do some testing over the next few days. I tend to test at lunch or evening. I don’t see a correlation atm, but I’ll chart that out and see after work. But it sounds like my .6-.8 swing wouldn’t be the stressor.
  3. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Historically 7.6, but I should probably check it. October and November was when the pH dropped from 8 -7.4. It looks like it happened once the day after a water change... What is strange is that it looks like it was at the later part of the months... I was testing it frequently when I saw it dip down. It’s always been 8 in my tank without any attempts to change it.
  4. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I tested the water today before feeding. Nitrates are a solid 5. I would normally do a water change today, but I did one mid week because of some meds. I will watch the parameters to decide if I should do one on Tuesday or not, which got me thinking. Where should my nitrates goal be for starving out black beard algae and feeding anubias and Java Fern. I’m more concerned with my anubias. I have plans to take it out and treat it with hydrogen peroxide... sometime this week. I guess I need to do that and watch how it does. I have one Barteri and a few nano petites. All have algae in them, and all currently have new growth.
  5. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Yesterday was day five on the meds. I just changed 25% of the water. I have one Molly swimming irregularly. Maybe swim bladder. She is staying on the bottom. Hopefully it is something she comes back from. Everything was pristine before the water change. Ammonia & nitrites were 0, nitrates were less than 5, pH was 7.4... I keep experiencing pH fluctuations recently. It goes from & - 7.4. Not sure if it could be stressing the cories... but I’ve been losing cories longer than I’ve had the pH issue. I’m not sure why my pH has been fluctuating that past few months... I hadn’t considered that it might be why I’ve lost two so recently.
  6. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I haven’t treated the anubias yet because I’ve been treating the tank for a Corydora infection. But my nitrates are down to below 5 ppm and it appears that most of the algae is dying. I am watching the plants to make sure I don’t starve them. So far everything is still growing with no major discolorations. I did recently add a lot of root tabs, and ai have a fresh pack ready to go once the meds are done.
  7. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Thanks @Cyndi I don’t have a python and still use buckets, but I did just order a water pump to help me more quickly change the water. I like using my tank water to fertilize our landscaping. I am curious how you gravel vac your planted tank. I have a pretty dense planted tank and I don’t know that I could gravel vac most of the gravel because of the plants. Plus there are root tabs in the substrate that I don’t want to disturb. In addition to that I have red cherry shrimp and other inhabitants to worry about. I do think a higher ammonia level near the bottom of the tank could be possible. I’ll have to think through how I can take care of that.
  8. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    The room is dark at night, but it is in a high traffic area. The tank is thick with plants and they have lots of places to hang out. I rarely see them dart away. They come up to the front usually around feeding time. And of course if I turn on the blue light to watch at night they are much more active. Sadly, the little guy didn't make it. I saw him swimming mid-tank a couple of times today, and it gave me hope that he might pull through. When I went to check the tank for tonight's meds he was on his side with no movement. I checked the water and everything was good. I was a little worried we might have had an ammonia spike or something, but the API test was yellow. I really hope treating the 75 might help out. I'm tired of losing fish like this. I won't be replacing anyone until I stop losing them. What's crazy is I have a Sterbaii that is one of my three original Corydora. I'm surprised she has outlasted all of my others. In all I think I have lost four fish to this since May including two of my original Corydora.
  9. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Yes, a photo please.
  10. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Sounds like biofilm. Is it a fresh setup? Biofilm isn’t harmful. It will go away with patience. Most likely tank inhabitants will eat it.
  11. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    That’s what I’ve always thought, but when I ask about the disease my fish have suffered from people always tell me that it’s normally water quality that causes it... I believe my water quality is good, and I would be willing to do what I must To fix it.
  12. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Water pump for refilling would drastically change my water changing experience. I need to do that.
  13. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Dosed the ich-x. This will be day three of Maracyn and the second dose of Paracleanse. I am going to wait for tonight on those. I received my order for ACO last night and I was able to start the treatment on the 75. I am planning on dosing a full round. Maracyn everyday and second dose of Paracleanse on the third day. Water change on day five. Hopefully this issue will be resolved. I do a 20% water change weekly. My parameters are always in check. People say clean water... is this not clean water? Should I increase my water changes? Swap out 20 gallons instead of 15?
  14. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Half of his face is now white and there is fuzz. I can’t get a good picture because he is staying in the back and the QT is experiencing a bacterial bloom. with the white scales and fuzz would you recommend dosing ich-x?
  15. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Hello @Drummer230 I am in Knoxville. Welcome to the greatest resource for an aquarist!
  16. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Update I have moved the little guy over to a QT tank. It is salted level 2 (1 tbs to 2 gallons). I wanted to let him spend some time in there first. He looked worse today and I’ll be administering the Maracyn and Paracleanse when a I get off work. I am waiting on the meds from ACO to start the big tank. I’m going to start treating the little guy first.
  17. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Alright, I made my second order of the week from the co-op and bought enough to treat the whole tank. I have seven packets of each so I’ll watch the tracking and possibly start treatment tomorrow. I know I’ve heard/seen many say that ich-x can also help with fungal infections. Would it be a bad idea to dose the whole tank with the med trio tomorrow and then continuenthe Maracyn end Paracleanse treatments? Thanks again everyone for your input. Someone in the Facebook group recommended Herbtana. I don’t have it available in my area, but if I have issues again after this treatment I might consider ordering it to try. Have you used it? Heard of it?
  18. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Frozen Blood worms, extreme pellets, hikari sinking wafers specifically for the cories, but they also get extreme flake, frozen brine shrimp, and Fluval bug bites when they find it in the substrate. I rotate a lot of foods. So you are recommending Paracleanse and Maracyn for the whole 75 gallon?
  19. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I have both general cure and Paracleanse, not sure if I have enough for the 75g tank. I’ll have to see. I am afraid to use the salt due to snails and plants. I can remove the Corydora and treat with all three easily, but I’d like to see if I can get this out of my tank too. No active carbon. I’ve never put it in my tank.
  20. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Treat all three the one time. Many follow up two weeks later with the dewormer. If you see an issue with the fish before treating with the trio (get home see Ich, signs of parasites, etc) treat for that before dosing the remaining meds.
  21. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I think this is already back. It’s always Paleatus Corydora too. My Sterbaii doesn’t seem to be affected. This is one of my newest additions, but he has been in for several months. The hole looks kind of similar, and I can’t tell if the white is from the fish or sand... Anyone have any advice on what to do. Should I just try to keep the water clean? Or QT the fish? Also, what can I do to stop my fish from getting this? I’m at a loss. I love watching my cories, but I almost feel like my tank is a death sentence for them. Should I treat the tank with something? I just checked parameters. nitrates 20 ppm, ammonia 0, pH 8. All normal for me. Water is normal at 76.
  22. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Candy.
  23. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    Anyone who has tried to determine if their nitrates were between 10 and 30 ppm would agree with you. Haha. They do a great job of alerting that they are above 40 ppm or around 5 ppm. Other than that it’s a toss up.
  24. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I had my tiger lotus grow until it reached a patch of Java fern. Of course I couldn’t see the Java fern that well because of the size of the lotus leaves. I moved the Java fern and a section near the tiger lotus has mysteriously melted back. I had to pull multiple leaves out and throw them away. I believe it is possible. Ve had nothing but trouble since adding these plants. I think I’m going to remove them and do something else.
  25. Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics
    I’ve been told that Easy Green will increase nitrates 3 ppm with the 1 pump per 10 gallon. That is the base dose for the average aquarist. Depending on your bio load you may need to use more or less.
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