High mortality rate in new tank

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

joepeet65

Registered Member
Feb 3, 2014
3
0
0
Hello all,

I have a recent tank setup (36-gallon bow front) that is plagued with non-surviving fish. My first batch was two blue gouramis, two black tetras, two ruby barbs and two tiger barbs. One of the blues died the day after being introduced, but it was doing the little back-and-forth dance which I have since concluded was flukes. None of the other fish displayed that symptom but all died within 5 days, the other blue being the last to go.

I have an API master test kit which showed trace ammonia (.25) after the first couple of fish died, which I expected since the nitrogen cycle had just started, but no nitrites or nitrates and only a slightly high pH. I also had the water tested by my LFS to confirm that my water appeared fine, and even got a water test kit from Home Depot to test my tap water for metals and hardness. The results showed no metals and slight softness. My tap water is from a well but I put conditioner in it before adding to the tank to be on the safe side. I have been doing 25-30% water changes every 3-4 days to keep the chemistry good, and the ammonia level has stayed low and is now showing traces of nitrites, so I know the first stage of the cycle is under way. it's been a little over two weeks since the tank was set up. I've been using a brand new bucket to add water, have a non-smoking house and have not been using any chemicals or detergents anywhere near the tank or in the air.

I got 4 more black tetras last Sunday and they were doing fine until one died on Friday and another on Saturday. The remaining two seem fine, but this is the way it's been going. The fish show no external symptoms until, one by one, they start swimming lop-sidedly and within a few hours will be dead. There has not been any gasping of air at the surface. I have not seen any discoloration in fins or gills or any sign of bacterial infection or parasites. I have a few live plants in the tank, which are doing so-so, and have ample aeration from two long stones in the back of the tank creating something of a bubble curtain. I have kept the temperature at a constant 78 degrees and keep the light on about 12 hours a day.

Anybody have any ideas? I'm tearing my hair out and my 9-year-old son is heartbroken. Thanks in advance.
 

atreis

AC Members
Nov 24, 2013
88
0
0
SW Ohio
Highly recommend researching "fishless cycle"...

Until your tank is fully cycled the fish will continue to just die.
 

vanillarum

AC Members
Jan 4, 2008
1,230
0
36
Mass.
I agree with what atreis said, sounds like the tank needs to be cycled. Good luck.
 

joepeet65

Registered Member
Feb 3, 2014
3
0
0
Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned I added Jungle Start-Zyme as well. It's all Walmart had and they are much closer than the other fish stores. Anybody have any experience with that?
 

joepeet65

Registered Member
Feb 3, 2014
3
0
0
So isn't it puzzling that there are only a few small fish in a 36-gallon tank, there have been frequent water changes, no typical physical evidence of ammonia or nitrite poisoning on any of the fish, and only trace amounts of ammonia, yet they are still dying? I mean, I would be greatly relieved if this was going to stop in a few weeks, but i don't want to count on that at this point. Anyone else want to weigh in?
 

atreis

AC Members
Nov 24, 2013
88
0
0
SW Ohio
Any measurable amount of ammonia is toxic, so it's not really surprising. It will eventually stop, but cycling a tank from scratch takes ~1.5-2 months. It will go faster (3-4 weeks) if you can get some filter media or substrate from an already cycled tank. Most LFS will give you some substrate if you ask.
 

Byron Amazonas

AC Members
Jul 22, 2013
986
2
18
73
Pitt Meadows (within Greater Vancouver, BC) Canada
Real Name
Byron
I am thinking along the lines of joepeet65 too, though the first setup may well have been ammonia. And atreis is absolutely correct that any trace of ammonia is toxic--levels as low as 0.5 have been shown to cause problems for some fish--but in a tank with live plants this should not occur. Cycling by using live plants is the safest method one can use, if done correctly. However, there were several fish added initially, and in too small a group for those that are shoaling fish requiring a group, and this adds stress, so we might be seeing a combination of issues here.

Get some floating plants as they being fast growers are especially good at this. You may need some comprehensive fertilizer as they have nutrient needs to be healthy and grow. And only a few fish at first.

I would not recommend ever using substrate or filter media from a store or someone else's tank. The risk of introducing pathogens is too great. Although the plants should handle this, one of the bacterial supplements won't hurt, and Stability as someone mentioned is one, Tetra's SafeStart is another, or the Dr. Tim's One and Only. I've no experience with the Jungle product, but it probably can't hurt.

Which conditioner are you using? Any other substances going into the tank?

To the fish. Once things are settled and the plants growing, add the first group of fish. Wait a few days before adding the second, and so on. But you have some issues with the mentioned species that needs to be resolved or trouble is almost guaranteed.

I would forget the blue gourami; these get largish, and males can be very aggressive to other gourami. And I have seen this fish in a store tank gobbling up neons like you wouldn't believe. If you are looking for a nice colourful and peaceful tank for your son, I would leave out this (and frankly any other) gourami, though the Honey is an option, and a nice red colour.

Tiger Barb are notorious fin nippers, and must be in a group of at least 8 though many will suggest 12+ to keep this in check. I would leave these out. A nice alternative is the Black Ruby Barb. This is a very beautiful fish, and quite peaceful. A group of 6-7, say 3-4 males and 3 females, would be nice. The Ruby Barb is fine too, also a group of 6-7.

The "black tetra" can be the black neon, which is OK in a group of 7-8. But if this was the Black Skirt Tetra, leave it out. They get fairly good sized, and share the Tiger Barb's penchant for nipping slower fish, especially in small spaces. Gourami for instance would likely not appreciate this fish around.

I take it there are now two of the "black tetra left. It might be best to stay with these and see what develops. If they do live past a few weeks, perhaps the store will take them as a trade.

You have soft water, so the options for suitable peaceful and colourful fish are many. But not all fish work with all other fish. The two barbs I mentioned are fine, but beyond those I would look at some of the tetra, like the Rosy Tetra, Robert Tetra, Black Phantom Tetra. Rasbora (the medium-sized species like the Harlequin and a few others) will work. Catfish, perhaps a group of corys, and/or a whiptail or two. Some thoughts.

Byron.
 

kumar420

AC Members
Feb 5, 2014
54
0
0
32
Personally I'd get six pearl gourami, 3 males and 3 females. Lovely peaceful and beautiful fish, get along with any other peaceful community fish of any size.
I'd opt for a large school of tetras or rasboras, perhaps two large schools of both. 250g is ample space for a few hundred small fish, perhaps 60-80 larger tetras or 30-40 medium-large sized barbs (note- tigers aren't the greatest community fish and will harass the pearls and rip their fins and feelers)
Bottom cleanup crew- Clown loaches without a doubt. Great looking, slightly boisterous and highly personable fish, best kept in a school of 6+. They get a foot long, but you have plenty of room in a 250. Or you could get like 20-30 cories, that would be an awesome little school too.

Unfortunately the gourami are reputed to be harassed by cichlids- I've kept pearls with angelfish and had few problems, as long as there are enough angelfish to establish a pecking order I'd hazard a guess that the gourami will be fine. Maybe 6-8 angels in a tank this size? A question better posed to somebody with a very large tank and more experience, my largest has been a 55g long.

and assuming there is adequate filtration, there are tons of fantastic looking plecos out there that will go in your tank. I have no experience with the larger ones, but several small-medium sized plecos should be fine in this tank (again, its HUGE). I love the look of the King Tigers myself, same with some of the smaller species with the sail-fin (note: NOT THE GIBBICEPS- you could fit one in here but it'd probably suck the mucus off the angels and kill them)

you probably still have room for more, but if you want ease of care less than a full stock is the way to go. That and lots of live plants.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store