cardinal tetras are dying

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vadim

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Mar 24, 2004
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I have 20 G new setup aquarium. Cycling went well and water quality is fine. And until last week I had 1 bristle nose pleco, 3 cories and 1 dwarf male Gourami (the LFS is out of female for at least a few weeks).

This Friday I decided to add cardinal tetras, so I got 7 tetras. in first night 4 of them died. I went back to the LFS and they retested my water, and it was fine again, so they give me replacement 4 tetras, but they continue to be dying. Now I have 2 left, and I think 1 is dying).

Interestingly, about before tetra dies, is become much darker color, then it starts to swim alone, later it start to gasp for air, and then dies.

Any recommendation of what I should do? All other fishes seems to be just fine.

PS: I have notices some mild smell coming from the water, but I am not sure if it wasn't there before.

Thanks,
 

dwayne

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Interesting... I know that most tetras are pretty delicate, but I read somewhere that cardinals are a bit more hardy. I think if your water is testing fine, then it's the stock of fish from the lfs.

As for the smell - of all the fish that died, did you actually get them out of your tank, or did any just disappear (I have had this happen a couple of times, never to find a trace of the fish). Maybe you can check the filter to see if there is a carcass in there?

If no carcass, maybe just try a water change and see if that helps the smell (and maybe the tetras).

HTH some, hopefully someone else can help you otu more!

Good luck!

~Tara
 

vadim

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Originally posted by dwayne
I think if your water is testing fine, then it's the stock of fish from the lfs.
It's what I was thinking about, but LFS owner says that his fishes are fine. He did pull out 2 out of the tank on first night after he got them.

Originally posted by dwayne
As for the smell - of all the fish that died, did you actually get them out of your tank
I did get all of the dead out.

What really bugs me, is the fact that tetras change color. I started to think about hydrogen sulphide, but the color change is for the top part of the body, not gills only.
 

LongTime

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The cories, pleco, and the gourami are capable of getting air from the service but not the tetras. I don't know if that means anything, but you did mention the one that dies begins to gasp. I don't have a clue about what is wrong, but if the water quality is fine and the stock is fine and only the species that doesn't gulp air from the surface is having a problem...

Now, what could be in the water?
 

vadim

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Originally posted by LongTime
The cories, pleco, and the gourami are capable of getting air from the service but not the tetras.
Well, Pleco sleeps all day and even doesn't get out of it's cave all day long.

In any case, do you think I should check for O2?
 

vadim

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Originally posted by LongTime
Now, what could be in the water?
You were correct.

Until now LFS was doing water testing for me, so I didn't have numbers. Finally today i got the test kit (Tetra) and here are numbers:

GH = 14
KH = 10
NO2 = <0.3
Hn3+Hn4 = 0
PH = 8.0
CO2 = 3

PH is a little bit higher. Given the smell and the fact that Tetras change color I was worried about Hydrogen Sulphide, so I also did O2 test, and the result is:

3ml/L

Which is very low.

Based on low O2 value, I just did 25% water change, and there was junk in the gravel.

I am planing to wait a few days and then if O2 level comes up, a little bit to change 25% of water again, if it cames back to 5+ then not to do anything else.

What do you guys think?
 
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