Greggy
Tue Oct 30, 2007, 02:01 PM
Hey people,
Potential Discus tank-mate issue here...
I keep a Betta in my 80L QT because I find them rather good indicators in case a case of Ich presents itself etc. This QT has been running for about 7 months and I have used it for several Discus and various other fish purchases for QT duties, and it's been a good little setup.
A few weeks back my QT was starting to get a little 'green' on the glass so on the weekend I purchased a smallish 4cm long BN to clean it up and at the same time I bought 10 Cardinals as I thought I would 'beef' up the stocks of Cardinals in my main tank. After all I already have 12 Cardinals and two BN's (one is about 4cm and the other is 5cm) in my 6x2x2 and they have they are never any problem.
However each day since getting the new fish I've woken up to problems! After the 1st night I woke up to find my Betta 'shredded' of his slime coat, he died later that day :( I thought "you naughty BN I'll have to keep a very close eye on you". On day two I awoke to find 2 dead Cardinals and 1 very sick one, all looking as though they had been 'sucked dry' as their bodys where completely stripped & white. The sick one died by 10AM as it was too injured to have pulled through. I noted that all the other Cardinals were 'business as usual' and looked really healthy, even eating well. I thought surely its not the BN doing this?
This morning I got up to find 3 more dead Cardinals and a very sick looking one, which died during the day. Again they all had significant fin & body damage. I noted that the remaining 3 Cardinals where not 'pecking' at the dead/dying bodies so I thought it must be the BN!!!!
So I took him out and placed him in a large bowl by himself and I will see how my remaining 3 Cardinals go during the night without the 'potential predator' in the tank, as I'm sure it's the BN thats attacking them nocturnally.
I've tested the QT water and both NH3 and NO2 are zero, with under 5ppm NO3. Water looks clean and smells like a cycled tank (earthy).
If I wake up in the morning and still have three healthy looking Cardinals like I did when I turned their light out tonghit I will assume the BN is indeed the culprit, problem is what do I do with him? Take him back to the LFS I suppose!
Has anyone else had problems with extremely agressive BNs? The two BNs in my tank seem totally oblivious to other fish in the tank, I certainly hope they don't turn 'rabid' or they will havbe to go!
Regards,
Greggy
Potential Discus tank-mate issue here...
I keep a Betta in my 80L QT because I find them rather good indicators in case a case of Ich presents itself etc. This QT has been running for about 7 months and I have used it for several Discus and various other fish purchases for QT duties, and it's been a good little setup.
A few weeks back my QT was starting to get a little 'green' on the glass so on the weekend I purchased a smallish 4cm long BN to clean it up and at the same time I bought 10 Cardinals as I thought I would 'beef' up the stocks of Cardinals in my main tank. After all I already have 12 Cardinals and two BN's (one is about 4cm and the other is 5cm) in my 6x2x2 and they have they are never any problem.
However each day since getting the new fish I've woken up to problems! After the 1st night I woke up to find my Betta 'shredded' of his slime coat, he died later that day :( I thought "you naughty BN I'll have to keep a very close eye on you". On day two I awoke to find 2 dead Cardinals and 1 very sick one, all looking as though they had been 'sucked dry' as their bodys where completely stripped & white. The sick one died by 10AM as it was too injured to have pulled through. I noted that all the other Cardinals were 'business as usual' and looked really healthy, even eating well. I thought surely its not the BN doing this?
This morning I got up to find 3 more dead Cardinals and a very sick looking one, which died during the day. Again they all had significant fin & body damage. I noted that the remaining 3 Cardinals where not 'pecking' at the dead/dying bodies so I thought it must be the BN!!!!
So I took him out and placed him in a large bowl by himself and I will see how my remaining 3 Cardinals go during the night without the 'potential predator' in the tank, as I'm sure it's the BN thats attacking them nocturnally.
I've tested the QT water and both NH3 and NO2 are zero, with under 5ppm NO3. Water looks clean and smells like a cycled tank (earthy).
If I wake up in the morning and still have three healthy looking Cardinals like I did when I turned their light out tonghit I will assume the BN is indeed the culprit, problem is what do I do with him? Take him back to the LFS I suppose!
Has anyone else had problems with extremely agressive BNs? The two BNs in my tank seem totally oblivious to other fish in the tank, I certainly hope they don't turn 'rabid' or they will havbe to go!
Regards,
Greggy