Dead Chaeto?
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tehmadreefer
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Goodair
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As everyone has pointed out, you got no nutrients for the cheato. Your stock probally doesn't even have high bio load so you will only need a small amount to upkeep the tank.
That seems like alot of ammonia coming from a crab unless its been dead for sometime. The API test isnt super accurate, but from that picture, seems high.
That seems like alot of ammonia coming from a crab unless its been dead for sometime. The API test isnt super accurate, but from that picture, seems high.
Found a dead molly today
Pretty sure it’s been dead for a few days from the condition it’s in. There were 3 but I only see 1 moving around often.
There’s possible another fatality in the tank causing the spike.
Tank looks to still be cycling fish might have died from ammonia being to high. You should have no ammonia no nitrite and some nitrate to be fully cycled. Once you start seeing nitrates and no nitrite your cheato should start growing instead of dying. It needs nitrates and phosphates to grow. Hope this helps
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I would agree that your tank is probably still cycling, if I were you I would get some bacteria in bottle and try to jump start your system. Also noticed you have a mandarin goby. These fish are really hard to keep and should be kept in a well established tank that is able to grow pods. If I were you I would consider finding him a new home and probably not consider adding a new one until your system matures enough. Slow and steady wins the race and you can have a beautiful tank just don't rush it! The API test are not that great but with a test that green I'm pretty sure it's not a false positive. Good luck!
Edit: when your tanks biological filter/nitrogen cycle is established and mature if something dies you won't see any amonia
Edit: when your tanks biological filter/nitrogen cycle is established and mature if something dies you won't see any amonia
+1 too early. Everyone struggles with this. I am going through this same thing myself. Everyone says patience is the key. I haven't set up a new tank in probably 5 years so take this for what its worth.
A friend of mine gave me some chaeto and some feather caelerpa that I put in after my diatom outbreak and after I had several fish in the tank. I have 10 relatively small fish in my 75 with a 30G sump. My chaeto was dying off at a pretty good pace for a couple of weeks and I was tanking it out in chunks. I clearly got too much for the tank. Not enough waste. Now here I am a couple of weeks later and the little bit of chaeto I have left is hanging on and actually starting to grow a little. As for the caelrpa, even though I just had a little bit of it, probably just 6 or so leaves, it is actual growing and did better the entire time for whatever reason. I am currently running 14 hours of light in my sump to encourage macro algae growth. I was at 6 hours in my main tank in an effort to keep the algae in my sump. I am now up to 8 hours of light in my main tank. The hair algae is just now starting to take off in my sump. None in my display tank. TBD what will happen over time.
A friend of mine gave me some chaeto and some feather caelerpa that I put in after my diatom outbreak and after I had several fish in the tank. I have 10 relatively small fish in my 75 with a 30G sump. My chaeto was dying off at a pretty good pace for a couple of weeks and I was tanking it out in chunks. I clearly got too much for the tank. Not enough waste. Now here I am a couple of weeks later and the little bit of chaeto I have left is hanging on and actually starting to grow a little. As for the caelrpa, even though I just had a little bit of it, probably just 6 or so leaves, it is actual growing and did better the entire time for whatever reason. I am currently running 14 hours of light in my sump to encourage macro algae growth. I was at 6 hours in my main tank in an effort to keep the algae in my sump. I am now up to 8 hours of light in my main tank. The hair algae is just now starting to take off in my sump. None in my display tank. TBD what will happen over time.
I would stay away from the calerpra it will be a headache if it makes it into the display
One question on this, when you say will be a headache . . . . . . Could you clarify why? I ask because I spoke to someone at my local fish store and they said it won't be a problem unless it goes asexual and that only happens if your nitrates go to 0. Is that that you are referring to, or is there something different? I was envisioning something like bubble algae.
Looking back I believe the tank was too new for Chaeto, not enough nutrients in the tank to support the Chaetos needs.
I’ve since replaced with a ball of Chaeto that seems to be thriving now that the bioload is much heavier.
I’ve since replaced with a ball of Chaeto that seems to be thriving now that the bioload is much heavier.
