Grey
New member
I have a 20 gallon tank with two teenage axies. I was doing in-tank cycling (not my first choice, but circumstances demanded), and it finally cycled, but I've been seeing a variety of warning symptoms since. I could use some extra eyes on what I've seen and what I'm doing to see if I'm missing anything. Here's what's been going on:
Two weeks ago: The tank is in the process of cycling. While I'm traveling, my pet sitter is checking ammonia and doing daily water changes. Leucitic starts going off food for a couple days at a time.
Last week: I return from travel and notice that the leucitic has tiny pink spots all over his body, slightly raised like tiny pimples. I also notice some gunk on the wild's gills that seems like it might be fungus, but it brushes off easily. I also notice two protrusions on the wild's tail. They look like small spikes of skin sticking out. I test parameters and find that the tank has cycled! Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates easily managed with water changes. I figure there was a Nitrite spike that the sitter didn't notice and that's what caused the issues. Appetites seem to improve.
This week: Appetites are intermittent. They'll eat one day and then not eat the next few. Leucitic in particular is not eating much at all. I test pH and find it super low (less than or equal to 6). I do water changes to bring it up, but the water coming out of the tap is only 6.6, so I can pH has stead around 6.4-6.6.
Yesterday: Added crushed lava rock to the filter in an attempt to bring up the pH.
Today: PH still 6.4-6.6. Leucitic still has pink spots, though they may be fainter? The maybe-fungus has not returned on the wild, but the tail spikes are still there. Through this whole affair I've seen curled tail tips and sometimes forward-curling gills.
Have I taken the right steps? Am I missing something? Further suggestions?
Two weeks ago: The tank is in the process of cycling. While I'm traveling, my pet sitter is checking ammonia and doing daily water changes. Leucitic starts going off food for a couple days at a time.
Last week: I return from travel and notice that the leucitic has tiny pink spots all over his body, slightly raised like tiny pimples. I also notice some gunk on the wild's gills that seems like it might be fungus, but it brushes off easily. I also notice two protrusions on the wild's tail. They look like small spikes of skin sticking out. I test parameters and find that the tank has cycled! Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates easily managed with water changes. I figure there was a Nitrite spike that the sitter didn't notice and that's what caused the issues. Appetites seem to improve.
This week: Appetites are intermittent. They'll eat one day and then not eat the next few. Leucitic in particular is not eating much at all. I test pH and find it super low (less than or equal to 6). I do water changes to bring it up, but the water coming out of the tap is only 6.6, so I can pH has stead around 6.4-6.6.
Yesterday: Added crushed lava rock to the filter in an attempt to bring up the pH.
Today: PH still 6.4-6.6. Leucitic still has pink spots, though they may be fainter? The maybe-fungus has not returned on the wild, but the tail spikes are still there. Through this whole affair I've seen curled tail tips and sometimes forward-curling gills.
Have I taken the right steps? Am I missing something? Further suggestions?
