I don't know what happened...I had one zebra in a 55 gallon tank. I had run the tank and had just taken out the other fish I had in there when I got my zebra after saving for eons because they were harrasing it. Well I have had my zebra for 2 weeks and everything was going fine except I didn't know if he was eating but everyone thought so so anyway... I check the level today and my nitrate and nitrite level are through the roof! I admit I panicked and changed 15 gallons which is about 30 percent change and tested again. Suddenly my zebra came out of his cave with the lights on in the aquarium and began to swim around more and more frantically until I caught it and it died in my hand holding it in the water. I have to admit I am taking it hard... But I have to figure this out because I have 5 coming next week! And neither my heart nor savings account can handle that...Now I have 5 breeding caves and a sand substrate 1/2 thick, shale rock overhangs with some granite and about 10 plants 4-6inches...I don't know what happened I have 2 30-60 whisper filters one 16 inch bubble stone and the heater. If you have any ideas please help!
Second, read This article. It explains what happens in the cycling process. Nitrite and Nitrate at high levels are going to be the result of rotting food or other matter, period. Nitrite means your tank wasn't finished cycling yet. Zebras and most South American fish are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite both. It's why it's imperative to have a stable, well established tank to put them in. Hopefully this will clear up some of your questions. Anything it doesn't help with, ask away!
sorry to hear your zed died,
i would get rid of the sand substrate, i changed to sand substrate for a while because i though it looked better, i had around 1/2" of sand with bogwood and a few caves and lots of trumpet snails, after about a month i lost my 1st zeb then another 2 also they stopped spawning, i put it down to the sand so i changed back to a fine gravel, 6mth now with no probs and lots of spawns, that just my thoughs, other might disagree.
A good way to prevent ammonia, nitrite and nitrate shocks is with Seachem Purigen; it removes DOCs before they have a chance to be converted into ammonia, etc.
IMO there is no chemical media out there that I'd trust to keep my fish healthy and happy over a well established biological filter. It never runs out or leaches anything back into the tank once it's "full". While Purigen might be very effective, I would never count on it keeping water quality clean enough for zebras. That's just my opinion though, so take it for what it's worth. Water changes and good filtration work great for me here!
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