I’ve seen multiple YouTuber’s successfully breed neon tetras in tubs (keepingfishsimple and Bo the Tetra Breeder) and decided to have a go at it myself. Long story short, I ended up losing 3 of my 13 neon tetras with a fourth fighting for its life.
On my third attempt I lost my first pair of fish, but when I tested the water parameters it showed 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate (this tank was never cycled but fish typically only stay in the tub for 24 hours max before a 100% water change and feedings only happen in their main tank which is cycled and has no problems) so I guessed they had died from hypoxia so for my fourth attempt I added a airstone to the tubs (YouTubers I watched didn’t have one or a filter) but again the female in my second pair had also died but I came just in time to take the male out of the tub were it’s currently fighting for its life in a plant storage container away from the other fish in the tank (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate again as usual).
Currently my best guess as to what happened is acclimation shock here are the water parameters of the main tank vs tubs:
Main tank:
Ppm- 180
Ph- 7.5
Tub:
Ppm-30
Ph- under 6 (test kit can detect below 6)
If I am correct on acclimation shock being the reason why my neons died how long would I have to acclimate them for? I also never seen or heard any of the YouTubers I watched show or mention anything about acclimating their fish before placing them into the tubs from their main tanks.
I think it’s also important to mention that during my third and fourth attempts (when the fish started dying) I used almost pure RO water from my ZeroWater filter. My first two attempts only resulted in no eggs, no fish had died and I had used 50% RO water and 50% Tap water do you think the pure RO water had something to do with my fishes deaths?
My questions are:
What do you think caused my fishes deaths?
I personally believe it’s a combination of using pure RO water and not acclimating the pair of neons properly. What do you guys think?
How long would I have to acclimate my neons for to safely introduce them to their tubs?
Finally is pure RO water dangerous for neon tetras? I heard they love extremely soft and acidic water.
Posted by Noseface1234
3 Comments
Probably a combination of things, possibly osmotic shock from TDS change and ph swing on top of that, i’m assuming temperature is same from tank to tubs.
Drip acclimation over an hour might help.
You could also take some tank water over to the tubs first, then steadily do small water changes over the course of a few hours until desired parameters are met. I wouldn’t use pure RO as it can swing in ph easily when anything is added.
How long have you had these neon tetras.
Why didn’t you use the water from your aquarium into the tubs.
Having completely different water is the reason they are dieing.
I think you need to rewatch those online videos.
They slowly change the parameters when in the new tub. Leaf tannins etc.
Is there a heater matching temperature of the main tank.
Also you need to darken the tub as eggs are light sensitive.
Yeah I agree with the other responses. You should be slowly drip acclimating and don’t use RO water without remineralizing or mixing with tap. Adding tannins to RO water probably made the water extremely acidic because RO doesn’t have any buffering capacity. Also keep in mind that smaller volumes of water shift temperature much quicker. It’s summer…how hot was the water getting? I have to ask, did you properly condition the fish? You should be bulking them up with live food and excellent conditions long before you start so that they are strong enough for something like this and ready to breed. Do you have an infusoria culture ready to go? If you don’t have food that is small enough and ready to go for the fry they will die off very quickly