As of Aug 31, my ammonia and nitrite readings were 0.0 and nitrates 5-10. I tested the water on 9-2 and the readings were the same. I did a 50% water change and added Prime. I tested the water again on 9-6 to be sure the levels were still good and ammonia and nitrite were still 0.0 and nitrate was 5-10.

So today I went to do my weekly water change and the readings were as follows:

pH 7.6
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.0
nitrate 10

water temp 79 (and has been consistently 78-80 since tank set up july 24)
It's a 37 gallon with 2 filters (total gph 420). Two fancies--one is 6" other is 3" (head to tail).

So why am I getting ammonia again? And how much of a water change do you recommend on a weekly basis? (I was planning 25-50%.)

Also, Dorothy, the larger of the two, does this little swim and flip in a circle thing sometimes when I walk by the tank. I don't know if she's showing off and hoping to be fed (I don't notice her doing this unless I'm by the tank) or if there's something going on. It's not a buoancy problem because she goes in a complete circle and then just continues to swim normally.

Her pectoral fins occasionally (less than once a day) twitch for a couple seconds. I've noticed this for the past couple of weeks. Could that be just be from stress due to the cycling of the tank or a sign of something else?


Sorry for all the questions. They jsut kept coming to me.

PS Should I do a separate post in the disease section regarding the swimming and twitch? I thought maybe it had to do with the water chemistry. Please let me know so I can do another post if necessary.

What is the ammonia in your tap? I've never gotten a zero ammonia reading in my tank.

I typically change 30 - 40% of the water weekly. With a mini (20%) change midweek.

As far as Dorothy goes, I bet she just has a really fancy way of getting your attention. Sounds like she can control herself quite well. I wouldn't worry.

Just keep an eye on the water quality, test daily if you need to, and keep up the water changes. Keep some aquarium salt on hand just in case they seem a little stressed.

Last time I tested my tap (probably a few weeks ago) the ammonia reading was 0. I do have salt on hand. Actually the tank still probably has some salt in it since I was salting during the nitrite phase and have only done 1 water change since.

So probably nothing to worry about as far as the flipping or twitching goes? I think I'm more freaked out about every little things these fish do even more so than when I brought my daughter home from the hospital when she was a newborn!!

I do notice her (Dorothy, not my daughter) darting around the tank occasionally but I think she's done that for a while.

it sound slike you have everything under ontrol...did you check the tap water out?

What type of filters are you running? Have you changed the filter media lately? Also, I found the same thing was happening when I didn't have enough filtration for my tank ie. 10 x tank size = gph. Then I added a hang on filter and the ammonia now remains at 0.

Maybe this is why?

The tank has been running for about 6 weeks. I changed the HOB filter cartridge about 3-4 weeks ago so maybe it's time to change that one again, huh? It's an Eclipse filter (250 gph) that came with the tank. The other filter is an Eheim canister that I added about 4 weeks ago and as I understand it I shouldn't need to change media for 3-6 months on that one.

I think at 420 gph I am set since my tank is 37 gallons.


I just tested my tap and ammonia is 0. Also I contacted my city water dept and my water is disinfected with chlorine not chloramine so I don't think the ammonia is coming from the tap.

I'll change the filter when I do my water change tonight.

I'd just rinse the filter pad in discarded tank water and vacuum part of the gravel.

I'd just keep an eye on Dorothy for now. The swimming sounds normal, but keep an eye out for more twitching/flashing.

I changed the filter before I had a chance to read the post by DataGuru!! UGH!!

I'll test the water in a day or two and see how it is.

I still notice an occasional twitch. I noticed it once today and it was only one side. Other than that she acts normal and eats, eats, eats.

What's flashing?

Also so when should I change the filter pad? It's an Eclipse 3 filter with carbon. The package says replace every 2-4 weeks and it had been 4 weeks so I thought I should change it.

Yes, so keep an eye on your water test readings. Depending on how well colonized the rest of the tank is (the biofilter bacteria mostly live on surfaces in a biofilm), you may see ammonia and/or nitrIte.

The filter pad has lots of biofilter bacteria in it. Keep using the filter pad for as long as you can. Just rinse it in discarded tank water at each partial water change to rinse off the gunk. When it starts getting stopped up, stick it in a freezer baggie and smack the heck out of it to clear it. When you think it's close to not clearing put another pad in the tank along with the old one so it can start getting colonized. Or if there's room in the filter (preferably after the water's gone thru the filter pad) you could add some more biomedia like bioballs, ceramic rings, lava rock or even a sponge or scrubbies.

You can cut a slit in the top and dump the old carbon. If you want you can add new carbon. Adding new carbon monthly should be fine.

flashing is when they scratch against something. Usually they swim rapidly down to the bottom and rub their head or side against the gravel. That'a sign that something's irritating them. darting or opening or closing their mouth rapidly are other signs of irritation. I think fin twitching is as well. just like we have itches sometimes. sometimes is ok. doing a lot of itching is not ok, and suggests that either the water isn't happy or there's something in the tank biting them (e.g. a parasite). I hear that flukes are very common with goldies, so I treat all my newbies with praziquantel to kill flukes. It's very safe.

I very occasionally see her darting. She'll start on one side of the tank and swim rapidly to the other side and that's about it. And when I walk over to the tank she dives to the bottom and starts pecking at the gravel like she's looking for food. I think these are normal behaviors? I keep very close tabs on water quality so I would assume that an occasional fast swim across the tank or to the bottom are ok. I haven't noticed any rubbing against gravel or tank ornaments but I'll keep an eye on her.

When a fish does have something irritating it, is darting/flashing is something they do quite often (several times an hour)? Or does it really vary from fish to fish?

And thanks again DataGuru for your help--excellent as always!

You're welcome.

Yea, that sounds pretty normal. My goldies flash once in a blue moon these days. They get all excited near feeding time and zoom around the tank. Back when the costia first showed up Coco acted scared and would hide in the plants. After a while they started flashing, a lot. Here's the blog on it.
http://dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/bugsyCostia0503.html