I can't believe I have been this silly !! I should know better but then I am more used to Koi. I have 6 Endlers and 4 Galaxy Rasoras in my Fluval Edge (23l but realistically probably 20l with 1" sand, rocks and wood) Because they have been hoovering up the food before it hits the bottom I was concerned that my 5 Crystal Red and 2 Amano shimps might get hungry so have been adding shrimp pellets and algae wafers. I assumed they were eating it all as I never seemed to see any mess in the sand.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. I don't know what made me think something wasn't quite right maybe it was because the shrimps didn't seem to be about. I had a feeling to run some tests and picked the Nitrite. Shock, horror it came up with a reading of 0.25ppm according to my API test kit. Ran the Nitrate and that came up with 5ppm reading, the Amonia showed 0 but that may have already spiked and gone back down. The food I had been putting in for the shrimp had been carried off and was hidden under the log and I guess going rotten.
I have been so proud of myself for keeping 0 on Amonia, Nitrite and Nitrate ever since the tank cycled back in August. I changed just under 50% (about 7 or 8 litres) and cut up 2 1" strips of polyfilter and put that in the top of the filter. Also added some Nutrifin Cycle. Retested again a couple of hours later and all was back where it should be at 0. Have retested again nearly 24 hours later and again all three are sitting on 0. Polyfilter still in as a precaution. I think I have managed to syphon up most of the muck.
The fish seem OK no gasping at the top or flicking on the stones or logs. I know they are not massively high readings and if it had been in the koi pond wouldn't have been too perturbed.
It's the shrimps I am worried about. I don't know too much about them but know they are sensitive to even small spikes. I don't know whether I caught this in time or whether I am going to loose them. Can someone advise me what I need to look for. I have seen 3 of my Crystals and both the Amano's. Can's see any bodies so guess the other 2 crystals are still OK just can't see them. Will my mistake have instant reprocussions or will it take a week or two before they pop off from this poisoning.
I know some people have more fish in their Edges than I do but I thought even though I have picked very small fish (even when they are full grown) they finished size would be to capacity of this little tank. Do you think I could add a couple of small scavengers for the bottom - dwarf cory's or something. Or would I be better adding more shrimps. I can't find anywhere that says how much of a bio load they are on a system.
Obviously I wont be adding anything until I am sure I have got this system stable again.
Sorry if I have put this in the wrong area but any advise on how to save my shimp greatfully received. I have learnt from this. They are not Koi and don't eat handfuls of food and I don't have a skimmer or a bottom drain that sucks everything out.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. I don't know what made me think something wasn't quite right maybe it was because the shrimps didn't seem to be about. I had a feeling to run some tests and picked the Nitrite. Shock, horror it came up with a reading of 0.25ppm according to my API test kit. Ran the Nitrate and that came up with 5ppm reading, the Amonia showed 0 but that may have already spiked and gone back down. The food I had been putting in for the shrimp had been carried off and was hidden under the log and I guess going rotten.
I have been so proud of myself for keeping 0 on Amonia, Nitrite and Nitrate ever since the tank cycled back in August. I changed just under 50% (about 7 or 8 litres) and cut up 2 1" strips of polyfilter and put that in the top of the filter. Also added some Nutrifin Cycle. Retested again a couple of hours later and all was back where it should be at 0. Have retested again nearly 24 hours later and again all three are sitting on 0. Polyfilter still in as a precaution. I think I have managed to syphon up most of the muck.
The fish seem OK no gasping at the top or flicking on the stones or logs. I know they are not massively high readings and if it had been in the koi pond wouldn't have been too perturbed.
It's the shrimps I am worried about. I don't know too much about them but know they are sensitive to even small spikes. I don't know whether I caught this in time or whether I am going to loose them. Can someone advise me what I need to look for. I have seen 3 of my Crystals and both the Amano's. Can's see any bodies so guess the other 2 crystals are still OK just can't see them. Will my mistake have instant reprocussions or will it take a week or two before they pop off from this poisoning.
I know some people have more fish in their Edges than I do but I thought even though I have picked very small fish (even when they are full grown) they finished size would be to capacity of this little tank. Do you think I could add a couple of small scavengers for the bottom - dwarf cory's or something. Or would I be better adding more shrimps. I can't find anywhere that says how much of a bio load they are on a system.
Obviously I wont be adding anything until I am sure I have got this system stable again.
Sorry if I have put this in the wrong area but any advise on how to save my shimp greatfully received. I have learnt from this. They are not Koi and don't eat handfuls of food and I don't have a skimmer or a bottom drain that sucks everything out.