Cloudiness help!

[Janetbarr]

My tank is really cloudy and my Otocinclus fish keep dying. I’ve changed the water multiple times but it keeps staying cloudy. Before my first otocinclus fish died I had them for 5 month with no cloudiness and no problem then the tank got cloudy and all 3 of them died I got new ones and one of them has just died. Please help

 

[85173]

I'll give you a few things to check.

1. Temperature. Goldfish and Otocinclus do not survive well in the same temperature. What temperature is your tank running at? Otocinclus about 26C and goldfish 18-22C.

2. Otocinclus will starve without plenty of algae to eat and your tank looks clean of algae. Do you provide algae tablets as a supplement to their diet.

3. A goldfish in that size tank is likely to create a heavy bioload through producing waste and stirring up waste in the gravel. Likely to overload the bacteria that process it. So test for ammonia and nitrite.

Hope you can find your problem soon.

 

[Mikedawg]

Cloudiness can also indicate a bacterial bloom. Might want to think about how much you feed, if any food goes uneaten and gets into gravel (Cory cats will find it, Oto's not so much), are dead plant leaves removed, how much turnover of water does your filter system provide and do you change filter media regularly, how often and how much water you change.

And as mentioned above goldfish produce a significant bioload and like different water conditions than do Oto's; might want to think about one or the other for this tank. If you go with Oto's you could add in some Cardinals, Rummynose, and many other types of small tetras.

Good luck

 

[Janetbarr]

@GBRsouth
The temperature of my tank is about 26.5 C and I do feed them algae wafers. I haven’t tested ammonia/nitrate levels, do you have any suggestions on a product that test those well?

 

[Janetbarr]

I'll give you a few things to check.

1. Temperature. Goldfish and Otocinclus do not survive well in the same temperature. What temperature is your tank running at? Otocinclus about 26C and goldfish 18-22C.

2. Otocinclus will starve without plenty of algae to eat and your tank looks clean of algae. Do you provide algae tablets as a supplement to their diet.

3. A goldfish in that size tank is likely to create a heavy bioload through producing waste and stirring up waste in the gravel. Likely to overload the bacteria that process it. So test for ammonia and nitrite.

Hope you can find your problem soon.

Thank you!
I haven’t tested ammonia/nitrate levels, do you have any suggestions on a product that test those well?

 

[Mikedawg]

I think a lot of freshwater hobbyists use the API kits which should give you an indication if you have a problem water parameter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NC...t=&hvlocphy=9010955&hvtargid=pla-348697791053
I've also read that Fluval has a new line out.
These are lower end, but price is not always an indicator of quality.
Good luck

 

[savetheocean]

I would also test your water source, and make sure you use a water conditioner.

 

[85173]

@GBRsouth
The temperature of my tank is about 26.5 C and I do feed them algae wafers. I haven’t tested ammonia/nitrate levels, do you have any suggestions on a product that test those well?

Not sure if it is available in your area, but there is an API freshwater test kit.

 

[85173]

Also, given you are running your tank at 26.5C, you need to think about moving the goldfish to another tank. Higher temperatures like that will speed up the goldfish's metabolic rate, shortening it's lifespan. Also, a goldfish will continue to overload your biofiltration for that size tank and filter.

 

[RS350]

My tank is really cloudy and my Otocinclus fish keep dying. I’ve changed the water multiple times but it keeps staying cloudy. Before my first otocinclus fish died I had them for 5 month with no cloudiness and no problem then the tank got cloudy and all 3 of them died I got new ones and one of them has just died. Please help

If you have wood in it get rid of it . Same happend to me before once I took the wood out water looked way better even after 3-5 months never could of got my water clear when I was doing 20% water change weekly on my 150 gallon ..