Fletch Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 As said above. This in my fry tank. Am using Ketapang extract but have cut down as I thought I was going overboard. Last two days I have done big water changes with aged water and less extract. Thing is color still strong. I have had a good look at plant and you can see where leaves have been snapped off and metal exposed to water. Fish can't scratch themselves. Would this stain the water? Is it safe for fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 I guess it could be a number of things, from rust from the fake plant stems (but you'd expect alot of rust) to IAL to a bacterial or algal bloom. Have you checked water parameters? Have you overfed these guys recently? Are there any signs the fry aren't tolerating it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 I didn't test water before water changes. With the water changes, I would have thought it would have cleared a bit. Have lost two fry recently but no other losses or symptoms. Thought this could have been from underfeeding as i cant seem to keep the food up to them. Also vacum bottom of tank every second day. The tank doesn't get much light, no natural light and weak bedside lamp beside tank. Might just be extract. Only two small spots of metal exposed so not like car rusting on the bottom of the tank. Is it dangerous to the fish?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Get yourself some purigen (preferable - cheaper in the long run) or carbon and stick it in a cheap little internal filter, no need for a sponge, you just want to 'polish' the water. If it's still there, take out the plant and put it in a clear/white tub and see what happens to that water. Safeness.. I would say depends on how it's made/what with. You said they're displaying no symptoms though so I doubt it's poisoning your fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 With some sponge filters like you have there.... the plastic doesn't seal the base properly and there is often a rusty bit of metal inside the base which is what weights it down - check that and see if it leaks and maybe a bit of silicone to seal it back up will work for you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 I had a old silk plant I was using in one of my jars.. it had snapped and went rusty, staining the water (not to forget the glass it was leaning on ). It was in a while before I noticed (IAL was there too). Took it out, did a big water change and now it is all good. Didn't seem to be poisonous, but I'm not sure.. not the best thing to have anyway. Hope you can clear it up soon. Oh, like what Wayne mentioned, plant bases often get rusty if the white stuff comes off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Bottom of sponge filter all good. Water almost orange. I have taken the plant out and got it in a bucket to see what happens. All fish seem ok. Will do another third water change tonight. Ya. Hate to sit down and relax!!!!!! So p#%*@& off. Can't be anything else. Hope not algal or bacteria bloom. Never seen anything like it before and that tank has been running for months. Only new addition plant a couple of weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 I really think it's the plant. Like I said, happened to me, took it out.. and then did a waterchange.. all good, nothing else. Don't worry.. do that water change and go relax. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Didn't mean to stress you out with my comment Paul! Take Sarah's advice... Relax. I'm sure it's now beer o'clock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) All good. Just stress as I am responsible for my pets living conditions. Hate not knowing what's going on. Done w/c. Still orange. Set other tank up ready to split spawn but will wait until water issue is sorted. Thanks. Beer o clock. Checked again this morning. Still orange. Fish seem ok which is the main thing. Edited January 15, 2011 by Busman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Help.................got home, tank orange and water looks thick. Fish all seem ok? What's going on??????? Doing water change and putting in an internal filter with carbon only. Original sponge still running. Paul, now considering all options. Algal bloom............... Tank gets poor light. Could this be a factor? Why and how has this happened and what to do about it? Bacterial............. As above. This sounds more scary. I could net fry and put them into another tank and clean the one there in. This would still transfer to other tank? Normaly transfer 50% water with fry when I move. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I am at a loss. Just lucky fish not affected. Photo below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Could it BBS related? Same color Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I would either move the fry without transferring any water (make sure conditions are the same.. minus the gross water) or do a huge water change, 80-90%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Risks with both those options but I guess I have to do something. Netting will transfer sone water so if it's bacterial it will happen to new tank too. Since I put powerhead on, tank now really murky. Just see rear of tank. Have just turned sponge filter on to full last week, wonder if that could be feeding a sudden flush of whatever it is? Just wild guesses now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Dunno Paul. You could try checking nitrate/nitrite levels. If you don't have equipment to test - most good LFSs provide testing for nominal fee. Elevated levels may indicate too many fry and subsequent waste without adequate waterchanges leading to bacterial growth. Maybe shine a torch trough the water to see if the cloudy particles are actually swimming through the water. Occasionally you'll get infusoria overload/blooms. I've seen more infusoria in tank water when IAL floating in tank for couple days as it adds organic matter/nutrients for their growth. It looks really cloudy though so I wouldn't expect this much additional goodies just with extract - but who knows?!?! If the fry are fine, I woulnt freak just yet, but if you want to hedge your bets, divide the spawn in two - one with completely "fresh" (aged/treated) water and the other with the "original brew" to try prevent too sudden a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Just tested water. Have been doing at least 30% min water change each day. Ammonia just registered. Aprox 0.05 mg/l. Half way between first color rise. Nitrate. Nil Nitrate. Nil I think I can see tiny specks in the mirth. Not sure. Like pea soup. Fish seem fine. No losses. Never experienced anything like it. Ps. The bucket with fake plant soaking in it is still clear......,..,.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 You can put the fry in a container with their current tank water and introduce water from the new tank in with them, then net them out straight into the new tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Internal filter has been running for a few hrs at least. About to start w/c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Thanks Yan. Will do that this arvo when I get home if problem still there. I expect it will be :-( Left too early this morning to check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I often get that with fry this age. Basically there's a lot of them in a small space and their eating and excreting rather a lot. Ideally you would put them in a larger tank and up the filtration at this age. Alternatively, do daily 100% water changes. I sometimes change water twice a day at this age, just prior to each feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 But no ammonia ( just registered) or nitrates, nitrites. Thought these would be up there if waste related. Only six weeks as well. You have experienced the color and thickness of water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 So are the suspected plants/equipment still in the tank? If you remove those and do a water change, does it improve? My observation is that the fry poop orange and this then breaks down into finer orange particles. Have you rinsed the sponge filter? I reckon the sponge is too small to cope with the amount of waste. Do you have a grindal worm culture going? If you stop the bbs and start on grindals you might see a change in colour but it'll probably still be cloudy. I think there are just too many waste particles floating around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 No worries. Thanks mate. Will clean sponge filter and separate fry onto two tanks. Have removed plant and placed that in a bucket which is still clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Make sure you clean it in aquarium water or you will have to cycle it (with fry in the tank ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Yea thanks Sarah. Was aware of this but thankyou anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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