ok, whats going on?

[bblove124]

I've had my pleco for about maybe 6 months. I haven't had any problems at all until recently. I had also had a betta in the tank(5 1/2 gallons) together and they were fine together. Then I noticed she was startin to get sick so I took her out and tried treating her because I believe she had ick. Then one night I come home and found her dead, though she was alive just a few hours before hand. Then I had gotten 3 more female bettas(all seperated) and also two serpae tetras. Sao I had the tetras, pleco and one betta together. Yesterday I came home and the tetras were dead. So I rinsed out the tank and wiped it down and cleaned everything. Then today I came home and one of the bettas died. Now I'm also noticing possibly fin rot on the pleco. Its only on his right side and I have a heater in the tank and he likes to go right next to it and the heater is touching that side. He also has was looks like a burn mark just behind his right eye. Along his sides and back he's got what looks like fuzz balls too. I don't know why this is happening. Help??

 

[Brengun]

Fish keeping is not just a matter of getting a little bowl, adding water and fish.There is a bit more to it than that. Have you read about testing your tank water or cycling a tank?
In winter small tanks are notoriously unstable and a larger tank for them might be a help.

 

[scatz]

firstly, welcome to plecoplanet.

Brenda is spot on, tiny tanks like a 6g are extremely hard to keep stable, one small problem with the water can wipe out a tank in no time at all.
Also, when you say you cleaned the tank, did you completely empty it? what did you wipe it down with? it may be that you killed off any good bacteria in the tank and effectively started off with a brand new tank again, which is no good for any fish.
Lastly, no matter what the people in the fish shop tell you, a common plec cannot go in a tank as small as yours, these are fast growing, big fish. They should be in a 4 foot tank at a minimum, they can grow up to 1" every month for the first 6-8 months

 

[macvsog23]

Hi

A heater guard is the first thing along with a bigger tank

Next only buy a fish after you have read about its needs and size.

10% water change every week feed every 2 or 3 days and don’t over stock the 3 laws of fish keeping
Remember KISS don’t buy a fish with out a full understanding of that fish
Try not to mix fish that will not meet in nature and never change all the water in one go.

 

[Breamlegend]

:*:

 

[bblove124]

Well the water needed to be washed out because 2 serpea tetras died in the tank and I didn't want any diseases to spread to my betta or pleco. And I do a complete water change about once every few weeks. Usually that includes rinsing the rocks out, rinsing and wiping the bubble wall and everything else in the tank. Including the heater and filter. I haven't had a problem til now. And I will try and get a bigger tank, I was already thinking about it. I have talked to my mom and she said it could be the water because its got to much iron in it. But I don't know.

 

[macvsog23]

Your main problem is the total washing
You have to understand one of the most deadly things for fish is water that is treated for humans.

I would not buy any more fish for a few weeks and just let the tank settle down add a few fish and check them out before buying ie size diet and habbitat.

Once the tank has setled down just 10% water change per week.

The real way to enjoy fish keeping is to read as many books as you can.

But I cant stress that tap water is not the best thing to keep fish in.

 

[scatz]

you should never change all the water, clean the decor and clean out the filter all at once, you will have killed off all of the good bacteria that has built up in the filter, leaving the water unsuitable for fish, as bob says, do partial water changes each week, there is no need to remove and clean the decor, and when you do the filter clean, make sure you only wash out 1/3rd of the media, and make sure its is washed out in the old tank water.
this way you will still have a good bacterial culture in the filter

 

[Mooo]

Hi & Welcome,
I suggest you read up on basic water chemistry for aquariums...
Cycling ..ie the nitrogen cycle...Best of luck...

 

[bblove124]

How can I make the water safe? And keep in mind that I'm only 17... I've had 4 fish die now and I don't want my three left to die...

 

[scatz]

follow the above advice and you'll be fine, just remember that everything you clean is removing some of the bacteria, you want to keep as much bacteria as possible.
i would only clean some of the filter media if the flow is becoming restricted, and i would never clean the rocks etc. then just small water changes and gravel vacs each week adding some dechlorinator to the tap water.

 

[bblove124]

So what I need to do is change 10% each week, get bigger tank, and dechloriner for the water?

 

[macvsog23]

Yes and then get a few books and read a bit but dont strip the tank and clean every thing.

But no more fish before your tank has seteled down 2 weeks or more.

 

[bblove124]

Yeah I don't think I wanna get anymore fish after this.....

 

[macvsog23]

Once your tank is stable and your becoming aware of the needs of a tank new fish will become more interesting.

 

[bblove124]

I'm gonna wait til I can afford it. The picture I have up is of my pleco and u can see the fin rot. How do I cure that?

 

[macvsog23]

use a small amount of melafix and prima fix daily water changes of under 5%

 

[bblove124]

Will that harm my betta that I have in there with him?

 

[bblove124]

And also on that same fin the outer part on the tip is red like a burn.

 

[Big-B]

:hi: and :welcome: to the site. His fin does look pretty tore-up. Could be the redness is caused by the heater or maybe rubbing it on the side of the tank.:dk: