khuli Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Hi - Can anyone assist me? I've had a school of a dozen mature Rummy Nose Tetra's for about 3 years. They are very happy, well fed Rummies - but this week - 1 has died every other day or so (3 dead so far). The dead fish look perfectly healthy - if you overlook them not being alive. Bright red noses, no issues with fins scales, no bleeding or anything apparently amiss. It's my small tank (200 ltr tank) - which has a weekly 40-50 % water change with 50% gravel cleaning each clean. Water conditions are good at 0 for Nitrites, 5-10 for Nitrates, ammonia 0, Ph 7- 7.1 temp 25.5 - 26. I suspected ammonia poisoning - but I'm reading 0 - bright yellow on the API liquid kit. Plants are mature Anubia's on drift wood - 33% tank planted. Filtration is 2x2213's with the usual marine pure/eheim noodle bio/eheim foam media plus 0.5ltr foam intake pre-filters (which are rinsed in tank water as needed - 1 per off week) plus 2x large fine sponge air filters - rinsed every 4th week or so - it take ages to get dirty enough to clean. They do trap all the fine particles very well. Water is always clear. The Eheims get cleaned when water flow starts to drop off - about every 10 months, partial media change if I think needed - but generally they are clean & just need the foam rinsed in tank water. I do the maintenance at 5 month intervals between filter 1 & 2 - so as not to mess up the bio-life. Although still running strong - 1 filter is due this month for a clean so I'll be checking it early (Saturday) The other fish appear to be doing fine - 9 remaining Rummies, a kuuli, Cory's (2xPanda's, 5xSterbai, 1xBronze & 1xAlbino) - 3xPeppermints, 2xSAE's & 4 Clown loaches (3.5" each). The tank is heavily stocked but with the filtration & water changes - all the fish have been healthy & thriving. Last water change was Saturday - I've done another 50% water change today - water checked now at 0 for all parameters - very little rubbish in the gravel & pre-filters were pretty clean. I'm not sure what's going on here - the tank's been stable for years & I've not added any fish for well over a year. No changes to chemicals, or new fish, plants, wood, gravel etc. Any advice would be appreciated - I'd hate to loose any more Rummies. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khuli Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Sorry - The Ehiems are 2217's not 2213's - there on another tank for water polishing a heavy planted tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie7744 Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 How olds the api test kit ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebelle Posted October 15, 2015 Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 Have you considered that the rummy noses might come to the end of their time? Three years is not a bad lifespan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khuli Posted October 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 No other fish have died to day - which is a very good thing. Old age? Never really considered it. Possible I guess - with a life span of 3-5 years but with 3 dead in days of each other - it seems a little hinky to me. The API kit would be about 2 years old - I have year old kit too - I'll test with the newer kit. Maybe I have a wonky reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbeer Posted October 15, 2015 Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 I am leaning towards age. Possible something came in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam07 Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Did you come up with any ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khuli Posted October 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 Hi thanks for the advice. One filter cleaned - Ceramic Noodles/course pad captured a lot of muck, large bio noodles a little less, medium bio noodles less again. Fine filter (layers) sponges were grubby but flowing well, marine pure aged but very clean - top fine floss/fine filter just a little grubby. After a good washing of media, 1st 20 liter bucket dark brown & 2nd light brown (can see the bottom of the bucket) Pretty much normal clean for me. Interesting I have found my town water to have gone from 7 to 7.4 Ph. This was not an original problem - but when the tank PH increased after water changes - I tested the supply...no heavy rain or low dam levels for the water board to add additional chemicals. A most strange & unwelcome turn of events - anyway - conditioned the water & we a back to about 7. No more Rummies have died but now their red colour is faded - not sure if from stress of the frequent water changes, PH imbalance or just whatever the underlying problem is finally effecting the rest of the group. All other fish are doing well & the Pandas are doing great - being a sensitive species I'm a watching them like a hawk. If they show any distress - I'm ready to pull them & put them in a hospital tank. I've got the 2nd filter scheduled for cleaning this evening "hopefully" there's something amiss with the media, fix & sort. But really I'm not any wiser as to what’s up. Frustrating. But a least the deaths have stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khuli Posted November 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 Hi - Just an update - everything's back to normal now - all fish look healthy & happy. I have no idea what the problem was but I will wait a few weeks before replenishing the Rummy numbers. Thanks for your time & advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grigby Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 I had a similar problem in a 1300 ltr tank while awaiting the purchase of some discus. Purchased 50 rummys & 30 cardinals, lost 8 cardinals & probably 10 rummys, within a week of getting them: would find 1 to 3 dead each day. The tank had been set-up previously for Frontosa. Yes the water was correct for the new fish. Upon introducing 12 medium discus, I started feeding beefheart, bloodworms & freeze dried black worms, instead of dried food, the problem ceased: only lost 2 in the last 6 weeks. Can only put it down to the change in food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
