Child’s first fish(es)
Discussion
Bugger.
Seems we have a poorly fish
All three perked up following the 25% water change (another due tomorrow).
Have also been introducing Seachem Stability and everything was looking peachy.
Now, in the last 24hrs, the largest of the trio has taken to hanging out right at the surface. It’s still swimming, but just doesn’t seem to want to dive. Isn’t gulping for air, and when the other two give it a prod it will swim down to the depths and it seems otherwise ok, no visual changes.
The other two are fine and loving life.
Seems we have a poorly fish
All three perked up following the 25% water change (another due tomorrow).
Have also been introducing Seachem Stability and everything was looking peachy.
Now, in the last 24hrs, the largest of the trio has taken to hanging out right at the surface. It’s still swimming, but just doesn’t seem to want to dive. Isn’t gulping for air, and when the other two give it a prod it will swim down to the depths and it seems otherwise ok, no visual changes.
The other two are fine and loving life.
Crossflow Kid said:
Bugger.
Seems we have a poorly fish
All three perked up following the 25% water change (another due tomorrow).
Have also been introducing Seachem Stability and everything was looking peachy.
Now, in the last 24hrs, the largest of the trio has taken to hanging out right at the surface. It’s still swimming, but just doesn’t seem to want to dive. Isn’t gulping for air, and when the other two give it a prod it will swim down to the depths and it seems otherwise ok, no visual changes.
The other two are fine and loving life.
Do that water change early... And if you can up it to 50%. If I could I'd do 90% weekly changes, but it's just impractical! Seems we have a poorly fish
All three perked up following the 25% water change (another due tomorrow).
Have also been introducing Seachem Stability and everything was looking peachy.
Now, in the last 24hrs, the largest of the trio has taken to hanging out right at the surface. It’s still swimming, but just doesn’t seem to want to dive. Isn’t gulping for air, and when the other two give it a prod it will swim down to the depths and it seems otherwise ok, no visual changes.
The other two are fine and loving life.
Crossflow Kid said:
So I’ve got some water that’s been standing, de-chlorinating, since this morning.
Reckon that’ll be ok to go in tonight?
I get the water at the right temp from the mixer tap. Put in a full tank dose of dechlorinator. Reckon that’ll be ok to go in tonight?
Walk the container to the tank, put it in.
It's quick stuff.
I know plenty of people that remove the water with a syphon, then use a 'python' tap adaptor to refill a large tank straight from the tap - having treated the tank first, and switching the filter off for ten minutes.
Crossflow Kid said:
So I’ve got some water that’s been standing, de-chlorinating, since this morning.
Reckon that’ll be ok to go in tonight?
Just checking, do you mean dechlorinating with dechlorinator liquid e.g. Prime or just standing?Reckon that’ll be ok to go in tonight?
Because just standing does absolutely nothing to remove chloramine, which a lot of water companies use now instead of chlorine...
Also, are you now in possession of a basic Freshwater test kit ?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/API-Freshwater-Aquarium-W...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/API-Freshwater-Aquarium-W...
Crossflow Kid said:
I meant standing. Another lesson learned.
Too late though, it’s changed now. Things have improved a bit, probably due to the fresher, cooler water although it did stir up a load of sh!t (literally) from the bottom of the tank.
These things happen. Too late though, it’s changed now. Things have improved a bit, probably due to the fresher, cooler water although it did stir up a load of sh!t (literally) from the bottom of the tank.
You're at least trying, which is more than many parent fish owners...
ASAP, get some of this and dose at the higher rate on the bottle.
Once you've dosed, wait an hour - then dose with Stability as though you're starting from day 1. You won't overdose with either - and if your tap water has chloramine, then you are starting from day 1 every time you do an untreated water change.
I'd also recommend a simple syphon gravel vac - it's a great way of removing water for water changes, whilst sifting/stirring the substrate and removing the detritus that builds up.
It might all seem a faff, but it soon gets into a simple routine. For me, my small (fluval flex 37l) takes less than ten minutes now a week, and my larger 160l goldfish cube will actually not be much longer thanks to the ridiculous filter I've installed that will do the change for me.
This is why fish are s
te pets for little kids. They lose interest in few weeks then your left with a complicated chemistry set to mess about with.
Which is great I'd your into it obviously.
I've tried keeping fish a few times over the years but ultimately they are just to much work for me. Dogs fetch better and love you back.
te pets for little kids. They lose interest in few weeks then your left with a complicated chemistry set to mess about with.Which is great I'd your into it obviously.
I've tried keeping fish a few times over the years but ultimately they are just to much work for me. Dogs fetch better and love you back.
Its mainly about stability and routine.
Larger volumes are way more stable chemically than the fridge top tanks....
My last tank was a 600 litre Malawi setup. I had a water butt under the stairs that I prepared fro weekly water changes....mainly because my tap Nitrates are over 40ppm, so I used a £200 nitrate filter to clean that up and then heat and aerate overnight.
Sunday, Id dump 225 litrs from the tank and pump the waterbutt across to repace it.
It tool about 30 minutes, required very little obs and the temp only varied by around 2 degrees.......
The biggest issue with Noobs coming into the hobby is being fed utter garbage by Saturday boys in Maidenhead type shops.
Larger volumes are way more stable chemically than the fridge top tanks....
My last tank was a 600 litre Malawi setup. I had a water butt under the stairs that I prepared fro weekly water changes....mainly because my tap Nitrates are over 40ppm, so I used a £200 nitrate filter to clean that up and then heat and aerate overnight.
Sunday, Id dump 225 litrs from the tank and pump the waterbutt across to repace it.
It tool about 30 minutes, required very little obs and the temp only varied by around 2 degrees.......
The biggest issue with Noobs coming into the hobby is being fed utter garbage by Saturday boys in Maidenhead type shops.
I wish my doggo was as little effort as my fish!As said, it really doesn't have to be complicated anymore, with it being entirely possible to run a very successful tank (assuming no silly stocking decisions) merely by using two products and some food. If an understanding of 'why' is important, it is straightforward enough especially in the Internet era.
When I think back to some of the things I inflicted on many poor fish (who are by no means as stupid or unaware as commonly held) I shudder - yet I had the absolute best intentions, and even researched to the best of my ability (a few local library books!).
Thats a good thing CFK, the heat certainly wont have helped, things will eventually calm down, but you need to understand what the tanks doing and also know what your tap water is like.
Get the kit I linked, and check both tank water and tap water......
Get the kit I linked, and check both tank water and tap water......
Edited by Turn7 on Thursday 25th July 21:19
Turn7 said:
The biggest issue with Noobs coming into the hobby is being fed utter garbage by Saturday boys in Maidenhead type shops.
I think I'm really lucky with my local Maidenheads (central South Coast region) - they are pretty much all very good. Pets at Home however. There are circles of hell waiting.
Sway said:
Turn7 said:
The biggest issue with Noobs coming into the hobby is being fed utter garbage by Saturday boys in Maidenhead type shops.
I think I'm really lucky with my local Maidenheads (central South Coast region) - they are pretty much all very good. Pets at Home however. There are circles of hell waiting.
Theres good and bad,I agree - but locally, Id not touch a MA, unless it was Reefkeeper....
All my FW stuff has come from hobby breeders and forums tbh.....
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