Only Larry is left and he's not looking good

mcfadds

AC Members
Sep 26, 2005
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We're out of ideas please help us to stop killing fish!

I posted a few weeks back about our problems keeping Dwarf gouramis. Well the last gourami died at the begining of December (total 6). Of our 3 marble angle fish, Larry curly and moe, only larry is left and I can tell by his increasing lethargy he'll be gone within the week.

we've also lost 2 small amber coloured angle fish and 1 neon tetra.

all follow the same basic course; fine for several weeks (8or more) then begin being less active, then very timid hiding in the corner or near the heater coming out only for food but not eating well, then not eating at all. No external symptoms that we can see except for a slight loss in colouration.


We have a 25gal established in early september.

We were doing 2 water changes per week via our gravel cleaner. We're now down to one because I thought we might be doing more harm than good. this morning we had Ph 7.0 amonia 0 nitrite 0, nitrates 8ppm phophates 2ppm and temp 79 degrees. plants are now doing well since we started adding just a little plant food.

other info
Aquaclear filter,we have a small area of course sand an area of 3/4" deap gravel and an equal area of larger rocks and bolders (from lake Superior) (we remove these every third week and vacume all the poop with the gravel cleaner) and 2 pieces of drift wood. 20% water change once a week cleaning the gravel and sand full depth on alternate changes. Water added is filtered drinking water with conditioner added.

Plants: java fern floating, cabomba, amazon sword just added.

Fish; always hungry, feed twice a day no food left over. We have two upsidedown catfish, 2 algie eaters, a rainbow shark,8 bloodfin tetras, now3 medium angles, and 7 neon tetras.
 
Last edited:
I'm no expert but it sounds like your tank is slightly overstocked.
 
OK just to make sure you originally had:

6 Dwarf gouramis
3 Marble Angles
2 Amber Angels
2 Upside down cats
2 Algea eaters (plecos?, Otos?, SAE?)
8 Bloodfin Tetras and
8 Neon Tetras

And all that in a 25 Gallon ?

Please dont take this offensively - and its just my opinion - but thats a stocking list worthy of a 75 Gallon tank or bigger. It might not explain the mysterious deaths - but then again could've been stress from all the overcrowding.
 
mcfadds said:
Water added is filtered drinking water with conditioner added.

This might be your problem. Filtered drinking water has all the minerals removed that fish need. Use tap or R/O water.
 
sillyputty said:
This might be your problem. Filtered drinking water has all the minerals removed that fish need. Use tap or R/O water.
R/O has all the minerals removed as well.

If you are filtering your water, why are your phosphates 2+? That is very strange.

IMO it's overstocking and yes, fish can and will die from the stress of overstocking.

Roan
 
thanks for the replies
I see I was not completely clear, we have had a lot of fish, just not all at the same time.

until yesterday we only had
three small angles (that replaced the gouramis)
8 bloddfin tetras,
two algie eaters (don't know what type they are but they're only 3/4" long)
1 rainbow shark
two upsidedown cats

if overstocking was the problem surely we would see phosphate, amonia or nitrite problems. test results are very good these days.

RO removes minerals. filters do not remove disolved solids/most minerals

The plant food specifies that it won't hurt fish and we've only used it twice and far below the recommended amount.
 
the bioload isnt the only problem of overstocking.

the fish will stress each other out "just think how people act when a group is held in too close quarters for too long IE: a crowded elevator , or shows like the real world or road rules , hell your workplace probably even qualifies i know mine does at times"

also the water issue thats been mentioned
and the possiblility that your fish store sucks
 
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