# new and got a problem



## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

HI people. I've not had an ideal start the hobby. Its all written in my first post. 
I think my neon tetras are dying. 4 of the 5 have lost their colour it started with 1 yesterday and it started to get its colour back and now another 3 have lost colour. dont know my parameters strips ran out yesterday and ordering a test kit tomorrow. may travel to a major pet store to morrow to buy.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

How long has your tank been set up for, and did it go through the Nitrogen Cycle?

Having your water parameters will go a long way to helping us figure out what's wrong. Loss of colour can mean stress, and Neon's are very sensitive.

(Once you get things under control, you may want to consider adding a few more Cory's as they like to be in groups of 6+, as do Neons.)


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Agree with Holly. More infor is needed. How longhave the fish been in tank and what acclimation process was used?


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

Due to ignorance the tank was sent up for a week lps said it would be fine. popping to get a test kit in a few hours...
Im ever mire confused by them... they all have their colour back. should i do a water change or not


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Neons don't like bad water, they lose their color quickly when their water goes bad (high Nitrates, high ph). Change about 30% of their water and make sure their temp is between 70 and 80. Their ph should also be below 7.5. To keep them happy you should change 20-30% of their water every 2 weeks.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

Ill be doing a water change more often than that just because the tank isn't fully cycled yet.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Colours move - it's part of their communication system. It's not necessarily a problem =- only if they fade and stay faded.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

I did a heavy (to carry) water change this morning also got the water test kit will post it in about 7 hours when ive had some sleep


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

wanted to say colorful fish will fade or lose color in the evening(light fades, they don't want to stand out). Not uncommon or problem unless they are always faded.Check your water quality to be safe.Strip test are less accurate than liqiud.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

was going to say what coralbandit said!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I've had Neons/Cardinals almost since I had my first tank. I have had high nitrates as high as 100ppm and high ph (8.2) and have never seen that cause them to loose color. Although I do agree if the color stays faded something could be wrong, but I have seen a few do it and be fine days later. When your light first comes on all of them will be faded or colorless. A hour or two later and they are back to being vibrant.

I think you need to get a handle on where your tank may be in the nitrogen cycle and don't add any more fish until you know what is happening with that. Neons/Cards are not the best fish to run through a nitrogen cycle. Take into account they are about half-dead when you get them and the fact you blow on them and they die and they just don't do well in a tank full of ammonia or nitrites. They are pretty sturdy once they have settled in your tank, but until then it seems like they always have about a 50/50 chance of survival in an established tank.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

Hi guys thank you all for your advice, it's well noted and will be remembered. 
As I mentioned earlier, I went out and (got soaked in the rain) a liquid master kit. Did a test this morning and this evening. Here are the results as best as i can determine.

A.M 
Ph 7.6+ 
Ammonia 0.25ppm 
Nitrite 5.0ppm 
Nitrate 160ppm 
Ph+ 8.4 

PM
PH 7.6+
Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80ppm
PH+ 8.2
PH+ is the high ph test becuase I figured should do it as the ph test was top of the scale.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

You need to do a water change right away and get the nitrite down. Once you've done test again and see how much its gone down by, I'd do at least 50%.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Agreed!! Do at least a 50% water change to get the Nitrites down - they are very toxic to fish!

And Ben - LOLOL!!! "If you blow on them they die." Hahahahahahhaha! (It's true, but that was just a funny way to say it.) XD


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

I did the water change and only the ph and nitrite went down. but not by muxh it was a 50% change posibly more. also my oceanfree filter started to struggle...

Also a friend at work suggested just slinging a plant in their, would that help too. i dont want a quick.fix just somwthing to slow the nitrite and nitrate down, i'd prefer it if spot and ninin didn't die and my other fishies too


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Plants will always help but would put quite a few more than just one.

How much did you ph change? It should remain steady and this "could" be a problem for you if it is going up and down. You should test the ph at your tap and record that value. Let a water sample sit out for about 24hrs and then test it. What you are looking for here is to see if there is a difference in the values between the two tests. Once you know that you should know what your tank is doing or should be doing.

For testing using high and low range ph tests....test with the low, if it maxes it out, test with the high range kit. If the value is higher than what the low range test gave you, go with the high range result.

I also would be doing 50% water change everyday until the nitrites got down to 1ppm or below.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

New test results this morning after a 50% water change. 

Ph+ 8
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 2ppm
nitrate 80ppm.

im not surs if im reading results properly. shpuld they have changed more.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

My water straight from tap tests at 8 ph

Also, just added about 20 what the store called standard oxygenating plants. Elodea Crispa


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Its Anacharis. Good plant for a lot of things. It tends to do better floating than planted.


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

Hey guys figured I'd update you all and ask more questions. lol

I've been doing wwater test over the few weeks and monitoring seeing how it's going. and well i'll give you today's results.... 
Ammonia- 0.25ppm
Nitrite -0ppm
Nitrate - 80ppm 

What could be caulsing my nitrate to be so high?

Also I have two filters running atm. When Would be the best time to take out the smaller one and start my hospital tank?


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## Emphino (Aug 28, 2012)

P.s. All fish still alive and looking better too even the tetra's none of them are fading any more too. 

We named 4 of the 5 Molly's too. Spot, Ninin. Pepper and Spotty.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

your still cycling(2-3 weeks running).Continue to test and change water.All levels will be decreasing slowly.Feed only as much as is eaten in 3 mins.none should be left over.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

please read "cycling process"(permalink ) 6.Accurate way to know where you are.


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