Is there a community for asking questions about pet symptoms? Maybe a place where vets share advice?
I already go to my local vet with our dogs when needed but we have no vets for aquatic animals here and I could use some advice about an issue some of my fish have.
I could imagine though that it could also be a good place to share experiences and advice about more obscure issues for any pet, like SLO in dogs. We got a diagnosis from the vet, but a lot more advice online about it.
Glad you found some answers. I may have a bit of old school approach but fish are usually happier in a stable environment, the less you change things the better. I was never a fan of using additives until they’re needed. Purigen in the filter, some Melafix / Pimafix if things went downhill. The water will age if you make small water changes. With large water changes you flush out the beneficial bacteria and while you still have them in your filter, they will need time to repopulate in new water. Shrimps are great cleaners if you don’t mind them and if your fish can tolerate them, they will need hard water and some minerals added every now and then to help with molting.
Thanks! I have a pretty solid grasp on the chemistry of fish tanks and I don’t think bacteria are free swimmers. This is also quite evident when I do the large water changes, as the rate at wich the bacteria still break down ammonia and nitrite seems the same.
Even though I am not concerned for the bacteria as such, and actually not at all concerned for the nitrogen cycle at large, there might be other circumstances with fresh water that may be affecting the most sensitive of the fish. I am considering apilitting the tanks into hardy and sensitive fish and experimenting with smaller and more frequent water changes for the sensitive ones.