HI again
A while ago, whilst having two 60L tanks, I had a couple of Golden Algae Eaters in one of the tanks and by golly they lived up to their name ! Algae beware !! They were also really quite a good pair of entertainers !
But , as you will have all experienced, or at least read, the larger one started to get a bit aggressive, and I blamed him/her for a fair amount of fin nipping that had begun. When I caught him/her with one of my Tuxedos' in its choppers then it was time for him/her to move out.
I had a spare small tank which I set up correctly and moved both Goldies into there. For a long time (since Feb 08), all fab, both quite happy and water tests all spot on. In a reasonably bright spot by a window so genrated enough algae to keep them satisfied.
I found the larger one dead this morning - no warning. Did a water test and found the highest NO2 I've ever encountered. Every other time it had been 0 in all my tanks and now this read at least 5, on its way to 10. All other readings OK - NO3 about 25, GH>10, KH about 6 and pH a bit higher than usual at about 8. Puzzled by high NO2 and low-ish NO3.
Two recent differences to normality:
1. I added a piece of raw cucumber yesterday
2. A week or two ago I thought it a bit dull (no proper lighting) so rigged up a lighting unit using a low voltage '12V/20 Watt' halogen type spotlight though a diffuser.
Have I done something really dumb here or is it something else?
Regards to all
SjH
Hi Steve
Sorry you are having problems and have lost a fish
Have you changed any filter media in the tank recently? ie all new but not kept any of the old ones in? If so the tank may be cycling again but you missed the ammonia.
If you haven't changed them, and you don't mention that you have done anything recently other than the lighting and cucumber, I am not sure what is happening, other than is the tank cycling for some other reason??
Dead fish can produce ammonia and nitrIte fairly quickly. But NO2 5 -10 is very high so that in itself could have killed the fish.
Do some water changes to help dilute NO2 and keep a check on the level. I'd also reduce feeding the remaining fish.
Have you used any treatments at all that might havr affected the filter?
1xTrigon 1903 Clown Loaches,14 Cardinal Tetras,8 Rummynose Tetras,6 Cory Trileneatus,6 Hatchetfish,4 otocinclus,1 SAE,1 Bristlenose,, 10 amano Shrimp
Anubius Barteri,Crinum thianum,Limnophilia sessiflora, Echinodorus Blehri, nymphaea lotus, Ammania Senegelis, Crinum calimustratum, java moss, 1xRekord 60Empty at Present
12 litre tank - 4 japonica shrimp, 4 Red crystal shrimp, 5 High Spot Rasbora
Anubias Barteri, Glossostigma Elatanoides, Ammania Senegalisis, Limnophilia Sessiflora, Bacopa amplexicaulis
HI guys
Sorry for slow reply - been away for weekend.
I have made no other changes bar the ones mentioned, but have to say that the filter 'pad' was very very dirty even though I had done a water change and filter clean (in used water) only 5 days previously. I am wondering if maybe the cucumber (which I had blanched) had been 'overcooked', gone soggy and broken up and then got sucked into the filter clogging it up. As you say the reading is exceptionally high compared with zero only a week or so before. Clutching at straws as you can gather !
I have now actually re-housed the remaining Goldie in a separate tank and have scrapped/rested the suspect spare small tank they were both in.