Max Taffey
10-19-2006, 9:51 AM
20-gallon aquarium
planted
Ammonia - 0 mg/l
nitrites - 0.3 mg/l
Ph - 7.5
Temp. constant at 24 degrees Celcius (74 F)
15-20% water change weekly
This is a new aquarium, set up approx. 4 weeks ago. The first inhabitant was a kuhlie loach. This was a very HARDY fish. He was the last survivor of a swampy, very neglected work-place aquarium that was his home for approx. 5 years. He even lived for 3 weeks in an unheated bowl while my I set up my home aquarium.
He adapted well to the new aquarium, eating well, even coming out in daylight (he was strictly nocturnal before) and resting among the plants, etc. I added two more kuhlies about a week later, as I understand they seem to "enjoy" the company of their own kind. The new two adapted equally as well, cruising around in the day, exploring the driftwood, curling up in plants, eating well.
This past Saturday I introduced two dwarf gouramis to the aquarium. By Sunday, the three loaches had disappeared, which didn't surprise me, as I know they can be shy of other fish. However as of today, all three loaches are DEAD. In the span of 5 days, all three seemingly healthy loaches had died. I observed the last one carefully...his colour was fine, but he was on his side, breathing very hard.
The gouramis are fine. No sign of illness, were taking food from the first day, and continue to eat, and behave normally.
One thought I had was that the gouramis had brought some kind of contaminent with them that didn't affect them, but killed the loaches, however, I've ruled this out because I actually purchased both the new loaches and the gouramis from the same store, and they were housed in the same tank. I've been back to the store, and all the fish in that tank still seem healthy.
Does anyone have any advice or thoughts as to what might have killed the loaches in such a quick time??? By the way, I test my own water, but just to be sure, I brought it into the store for analysis, and it was fine.
planted
Ammonia - 0 mg/l
nitrites - 0.3 mg/l
Ph - 7.5
Temp. constant at 24 degrees Celcius (74 F)
15-20% water change weekly
This is a new aquarium, set up approx. 4 weeks ago. The first inhabitant was a kuhlie loach. This was a very HARDY fish. He was the last survivor of a swampy, very neglected work-place aquarium that was his home for approx. 5 years. He even lived for 3 weeks in an unheated bowl while my I set up my home aquarium.
He adapted well to the new aquarium, eating well, even coming out in daylight (he was strictly nocturnal before) and resting among the plants, etc. I added two more kuhlies about a week later, as I understand they seem to "enjoy" the company of their own kind. The new two adapted equally as well, cruising around in the day, exploring the driftwood, curling up in plants, eating well.
This past Saturday I introduced two dwarf gouramis to the aquarium. By Sunday, the three loaches had disappeared, which didn't surprise me, as I know they can be shy of other fish. However as of today, all three loaches are DEAD. In the span of 5 days, all three seemingly healthy loaches had died. I observed the last one carefully...his colour was fine, but he was on his side, breathing very hard.
The gouramis are fine. No sign of illness, were taking food from the first day, and continue to eat, and behave normally.
One thought I had was that the gouramis had brought some kind of contaminent with them that didn't affect them, but killed the loaches, however, I've ruled this out because I actually purchased both the new loaches and the gouramis from the same store, and they were housed in the same tank. I've been back to the store, and all the fish in that tank still seem healthy.
Does anyone have any advice or thoughts as to what might have killed the loaches in such a quick time??? By the way, I test my own water, but just to be sure, I brought it into the store for analysis, and it was fine.