# It never seems to get better.



## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Apologies for my absence really haven't cared to even get my laptop out until yesterday as I'm feeling much better after 5 weeks of a broken foot and 2 dislocated toes that I didn't even know about until a week ago, when I relocated them. Sucks.

But fishy related stuff. Well, foot broken for 5 weeks, didn't do a water change for 2 weeks before that so up to 7 weeks no water change on my 125g. Looks like one of my denison barb's really isn't happy. Ate at the last feeding of 2 days ago, didn't eat today. Just sits at the bottom in a hiding spot not doing a whole lot of swimming. When it does swims fine, but I noticed a small injury behind it's dorsal. Looks like a singular scale missing probably from an argument seeming as though the tail is ripped in 1 spot. No tail missing, just torn. Girlfriend say's she'll do a water change with my guidance from the couch, never actually gets to it. Sigh. 2 more weeks of the cast on, and getting worried about the rest of my stock.

But that's basically my rant about my life and tank. 

Oooh! It is great having the SAE's and pleco in there. Even after all this time and no algae scrubbing the tank looks near immaculate. It's flipping AWESOME not having to worry about algae all that much at all.


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

Have you done a water change recently? 

From what it sounds like, to me the Denison Barb isn't liking the current conditions it's living in (Considering a water change hasn't been preformed in a while). It's possible that either the ammonia, nitrite or nitrate has built up a little and is making him act the way he is (Possibly, but possibly not since you didn't mention that any other fish is acting up).

I would check your parameters and preform a water change if needed.


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## Aquarion (Nov 16, 2011)

Maybe take the water in and out of your tank in a pitcher? That's actually how I do water changes, typically. I scoop water out from the tank into a large 7-gallon bucket. Then I take bucket outside, dump and fill with fresh water. Add prime, wait a bit and mix it a little. Then I scoop into the 7-gallon bucket and put it into the tank. When the bucket is near empty, I dump it slowly into the tank. I have a 125-gallon tank and I don't quite fill the bucket up all the way: So I consider each bucket out roughly 5%.

You might have trouble taking the full 7-gallon outside and dumping it and might want to just fill it to where you can move it and do it incrementally like that. You could fill it back up the same way.

Would this be a pain and take a long time? Probably, but you could do small 5-15% water changes daily and get that water quality back up where it needs to be. Honestly, with old "stale" water like that, I wouldn't do drastic changes anyway.

I don't know your setup, but I know if I left my tank like that after a few weeks my nitrates would be through the roof.


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## mpfsr (Jun 22, 2011)

they sell hoses at any hardware store, that and a waterbed fill drain kit all less than $20. You can even splurge and get an adapter to fit your gravel vac on it and a shut off valve..And you got your own DIY fill/drain kit that hooks to your sink and no carrying any water at all. Even with a broken foot you can change the water in all my tanks (21). 

Do hope your foot gets better..thou you shouldn't make your pets suffer too


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Yeah I guided my g/f through doing a water change. Did 30% or so. I own a python and it reaches my sink and this is the only way I do water changes. I have a softener on my house so it's already dechlorinated. 

I honestly can't because of my tank/stand height I'd have to be on my feet and blood is still going to my foot fast as hell. It's purple within 4 minutes. And though I love my fish, I value my foot 100 times over my fish any and every time you were to ask me. I can always make money and get more fish, better equipment and take care of them properly other than a situation like this. Otherwise I was doing 20% water changes bi-weekly, and gravel vac'ing once a month.

That's another upside of a 125g tank with proper gravel and proper filtration. I've let my tank go for 2 months without a water change and my nitrates only rose up to 35ppm. I've waited 3 weeks without a water change and my nitrates are inbetween 0-2ppm. None the less I don't have a heavy bioload at all for a 125g tank.


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## mpfsr (Jun 22, 2011)

Sorry I didn't mean to offend if I did..I guess I'm so used to seeing tanks overstocked that I just assumed..shame on me...I would like to say to you thats great you keep them in good water. I too only allow one tank to go over 10ppm nitrates because 80+ 1/2" plecos make allot of waste  they get 50% daily just to stay under 20ppm..Just as long as you also keep in mind its not just to rid the tank of nitrates we change water but I'm sure you know that...

Hope the foot gets better soon


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

No worries, it came off to me like that from not just you. I wanted a stern post to end any future argument, as it seemed that some judgement was being passed. And I do know about stocking and all and the amount that's produced. But my tank has backups for situations like this and that's why it takes 2 months of no water changes to get to 35ppm nitrates. Which is getting up there but no where near deadly. I have nitrite and ammonia remover in the filter that's replaced twice a year. 

But yeah I have no doubt I could go longer without a water change, you see my stocking in my sig and in a 125g tank with an FX5, aerator, and UV sterilizer my tank is more than adequate. For crying out loud I have about 160 pounds of gravel in the tank too. But, the denison's are sensitive fish being wild caught and imported from India. And I don't like to treat anything alive badly. Unless something like this happens and prioritizing is first and foremost. 

Was fun convincing and teaching my g/f how to do a water change too. Let me tell ya, I hope to never get in the situation where she needs to gravel vac or do anything serious to the tank other than a 20 minute water change.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

No one likes to slave on another person's tank. Even if you get your gf into fish, she'll neglect your tank for hers.


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## Aquarion (Nov 16, 2011)

Kind of OT, and by kind of I mean totally, but Blindkiller how do your SAE get along? I wasn't sure about getting more than one for my tank b/c I heard multiple males can be aggressive. 

Is your tank large enough that they find their own spaces? (its the same size as mine). Btw, is your tank planted?


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Check my sig for tank pictures. Is yours 72x18x23 as well I'm guessing? There's not a whole lot of per say places, but there's plenty of dividers and things to clean. Biggest thing is the driftwood in the tank. It alone is 24" long, 12" wide and 17" tall, my pleco loves it. But no live plants, just fake ones.

I have no problems with them at all with the SAE's, I think I have two same sex and one is the other. Two stick together all day long and the other is off on it's own almost all the time. Only time I've had a problem thus far is my denison's dying (3 of 8 died). And only one looked like it was messed with. And had one brilliant rasbora disappear with no trace in the tank. Probably got sucked into the filter some how.



emc7 said:


> No one likes to slave on another person's tank. Even if you get your gf into fish, she'll neglect your tank for hers.


Psh, she already knows that she doesn't want a tank. She doesn't want to take care of it ever, even a 10g.


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## Ladayen (Jun 20, 2011)

SAE's are schooling fish actually and should be in groups. Always better to have more females then males but shouldn't be an issue really.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

so how do you sex SAE's?? I have had a group of 5 in the past but couldn't see any difference between any of them. currently only have one that is very gentle. my last one was a real so and so- got rid of it as it matured.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Laydayen, I think you need to learn to rephrase that. I've seen you post that several times about them. As they are a schooling fish, but schooling pertains to their own species to most. They do just as well in communities of fish regardless of species. Having the adequate algae growth in your tank to support a school of 6 SAE's is ridiculous, and the space too. Unless you just like SAE's and want to spend a bunch of money feeding them. Personally I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having more than 3-4 SAE's even up to 180g tanks. Mass majority of everyone I've ever seen doesn't go with a single tank above 200g freshwater. Most people at that point are going to go SW reefs, but of course has been done to extremes. Such as a guy in did a 50 thousand gallon FW tank. 

Sexing SAE's, google know's all.

"Siamese algae eaters are hard to sex but females are fatter than males and look more rounded when viewed from above. No other differences are known."


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Well, I'm convinced. Either my denison's are retarded, or I have a bully. But it could only be the pleco I think. 

The prettiest denison in my tank (the most green on top and red on the dorsal) now has an injury on him that's pretty substantial (Wasn't there this morning). Missing a few scales and it's swollen on the red lateral line. Only thing that this can be caused by in my tank is either my pleco, or it running into something. 3-4 scales gone and swollen, yeah I don't think the mouth of any of my fish has the capability of that. Denisons, giant danio's, SAE's, brilliant rasbora's, and red eye tetra's, and of course the pleco.

Nothing I can do but sit back on my chair in my "walking" boot and let it bug the crap out of me. Foot still turns purple after a few minutes and cannot drive, cannot put full weight on my foot. Doing therapy for the last week, back up to 80-90% movement and about 50-60% weight bearing 7 weeks since the break. Going to plead with my g/f to do a water change tomorrow morning in some attempts to help.

I'm about ready to give up and just go all tiny tropical fish that I never have to worry about, don't cost as much, and cheap price wise.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If its the pleco, you see the injury at lights-on. Could be SAEs or the tetra but usually fish are meanest to the same species. A small nip can grow into a large wound if it gets infected.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Dunno, all the albino BN's I've ever had have always been out in my tank feeding during the day. Of course at night as well, but I always see them out during the day eating.

The injured fish is eating though, so must've been recent


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

sorry to hear about your fishy issues. I can feel your frustration and I would be the same if it was me. Cheers!


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## LucyGoosey (Dec 11, 2011)

Sorry to hear about your health problems  Hope your efeeling better soon


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