Joanneg87 Joanneg87
  • Just popping in
  • Just popping in
  • Joined: 5/2/2021 9:28
  • Group: Registered Users
  • Posts: 1
  • Posted on: 5/2/2021 9:47
Potentially misinformed #1
Hi everyone

I wondered if you would be able to help me please as i feel i have been misinformed by pets at home.

I have a 30ltr Biorb flow with their media. Its 3 weeks old now and when purchased the previous owner gave me 2 ltrs of his dirty water and put the new filter in his tank for an hour.

Anyway i left the tank for a week and then added the following fish as per Pets at Home advice for fish in cycling:
8 black tetras
2 peppered catfish
2 Otos
1 fan shrimp
1 snail (& now babies!)
2 small blue shrimps

(The idea is to add a betta once the levels are perfect.)

We lost a peppered catfish (started floating to the top and generally being lethargic at the top)
We now have another catfish which is lethargic and staying at the bottom)

I am feeding flake which the tetras as being really greedy with and also catfish pellets which are just getting lost in the media and not helping with my nitrate levels! (All my levels are fine apart from nitrate)

Whats going on with the peppered catfish? I checked the media and there doesn’t seem to be any sharp bits.

Also the tetras seem to be growing well (surprisingly!) and the otos not too much. But i have just read that they are not suited to a new tank as there is no algae?

Im now starting to wonder if the otos & catfish are not getting enough substance?

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance
fcmf fcmf
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  • Joined: 17/10/2014 12:20
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  • Group: Registered Users Basic Membership Advisers
  • Posts: 1048
  • Posted on: 5/2/2021 14:44
Re: Potentially misinformed #2
Will have to be brief (apologies):
* keep monitoring ammonia/nitrite/nitrates daily during fish-in cycle, using this as a guide: https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... ammonia-nitrite-spike.htm
* tank already very overstocked - they'd require tank with 60x30cm rectangular footprint minimum (for swimming room), poss more depending on species of tetra;
* if want betta, best to keep in tank on own - 30L Bi-orb ideal for it; new tank as above for the others;
* peppered catfish and otos best kept in group and in mature (9+ month) tank, so *don't* replace if lose them or get more unless can get larger tank;
* media = foam/sponge/ceramic noodles in filter; substrate = gravel/sand. :) Glad substrate not sharp, but likely struggling due to overstocking / low O2 / too-small tank;
* temp? water hardness levels (input postcode to water supplier website to find out in CaCO3, German degrees)? https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/ ... sheet.php?caresheetID=100 https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/ ... resheet.php?caresheetID=3
Hope this is understandable. :)