I have recently upgraded to a 90l tank. It was second hand and the filter was kept in water so I could set it up straight away. I have a fluval 2+ filter, air pump, and heater 24 degree C, 2 orandas, 1 veiltail and 4 cloud mountain minnows. The problem is I started out with 7 minnows on Sunday and now down to 4 and one of the orandas seems to be very inactive and sitting on the bottom of the tank all of the time. Can anyone please tell me what I am doing wrong.

I know some of you may disagree with the mix of fish but I was recommended this mix from members here and from my lfs!

I have done two water checks this week both giving great readings:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite: 0.1
Nitrate: 10
PH: 7

Is it just a case of bad water as it seems to be a problem across the board?!!

Hi Nonie,
It might be the sick oranda you brought back from the shop might have contaminated the others (?).
I would use some broadband medication (eSHA?) to try and save them. I know very little about coldwater fish. Someone here might have more experience.
I hope these fish will survive for you, but it does not sound very good if one of them is sitting on the bottom.

Valerie

PS - Change some water as you should not have any nitrite !

nonie wrote:
the filter was kept in water so I could set it up straight away.

This could be your problem, It may well have been an established filter but if it is starved of oxygen for a few hours the bacteria will start to die off. So technically I could have a filter running for ten years, turn it off and leave it in a bucket of water for a day or two, the bacteria will be dead and I would be essentially starting from scratch again.

How long was the filter turned off for? I think the general rule of thumb is that after 4 hours the filter abcteria will start to die off.

Hope this helps,

Peter.

Edit: Also your Nitrite reading should ideally be zero so this could be the reason for the lethargic fish. I decent 30-40% water change will do the trick for now. Keep doing regular small water changes until the filter recovers. Also, are you de-chlorinating your water?

hi nonie you say that the temp in teh tank is 24C this could be part of your problem. They are cold water fish and the temp is probably uncomfortable for them. try drop the temp SLOWLY to about 22 which is room temperature and see does that make a difference

Nessa

Hi nonie,
I would agree with every thing that has been said here do i would go as low as 19 with the temp. turn the temp down about one degree per day. don't worry about overnite drops in the room temp it will be more natural unless they are excessive!!!!!!!! could i suggest you target the oranda with Epsom's salts a few grains only (2/3 max)these fancy fish can be prone to constipation..

if you need any more help feel fee to pm me
Mickey

Mickey

Hi guys/girls,

firstly thanks for you help,

@Valerie, I quarantined the fish again and gave him some meds so we will see how he gets on and the others seem ok now that he is out of the tank!! Is this usual behaviour?

@Nessa, I took your advice and took the temp down to 22 and with this and the above its looking good!!

Thanks again to all of you,

Leonie
@Peter, the filter was out of the tank for less than half an hour, the guy I bought the tank off only lives around the corner but I did do the water change and it seem to help!!