Sterbai fatalities.

lute17 · Post by **lute17** » 02 Mar 2004, 15:06

I have a 75gal heavily planted tank withthe following-
5koi angels
20various tetras[including neons]
3 ancistris
2 chinese algae eaters
and 3 now ex. c. sterbai

Please help--I loved these guys!
The tanks been doing great, water tests have beengreat and all fish have been thriving. 10 days ago I decided to upgrade my substrate and added 30 lbs of Flora Base[replacing about one third of the existing substrate] It made the water real cloudy for a day[the instructions warned about this] but it cleared up pretty quick. The first cat died that day suddenly[no symptoms]. About four days later I added a few more plants and slightly stirred up the bottom. The next two days claimed the remaining sterbai. It sure seems like it is the Flora Base but maybe I'm missing something.
Thanks in advance,
jeffb

Just read the pinned thread[guess I should have done that first]
I just wanted to add that the tank is well established and all the basic parameters for cories are good. These guys were juvies, I guess about an inch long.

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 02 Mar 2004, 17:57

No sign of any problems with any of the other fish?

I would first double-check the pH in case the Flora Base has affected that.

Also is there a CO2 system? And if so any change to the dosing?

lute17 · Post by **lute17** » 03 Mar 2004, 04:53

A.W.C.-
Thanks for your reply. No CO2 and the PH is right as rain. All the other fish are bursting with vigor. I've read that these designer substrates contain arsenic but that it is in an inert form-I dunno. Mebbe the silt affects the corys more. I hate to throw any more in as guinea pigs.

Post by **Coryman** » 03 Mar 2004, 11:01

It could be that you are disturbing poisonous gasses that have accumulated in the original gravel.

How about some more details like size and depth of original substrate, filtering system.

Ian

lute17 · Post by **lute17** » 07 Mar 2004, 21:53

Thanks Coryman!
This makes sense and in fact your opinion was seconded elsewhere. I stll wonder about a few things. One, no other fish showed any symptom[including neons]. Also, my tank is about two months old-I'm curious if such gas could accumulate in this time period. Wouldn't this gas show up somehow in my tests? I'm just still suspicious of the Flora base. When I put it in there was a huge silt cloud which of course settled everywhere. The corys would be getting a continual dose wherever they rooted.
The original substrate was just 4mm gravel three in. deep. I excavated the areas that I wanted to plant the more delicate rooted plants and just filled them in with the Flora base. My filter is an Emperor 400[double bio-wheell hanger].