UUGHHH

[FindingBlemo]

One of my angelfish just died! :'( It wasn't a normal angelfish tho, it was like smaller than the rest and he didn't eat at all. I just found him sunken to the bottom when I went into my bedroom to get ready for bed. I used to have 8! I bought all 8 at an auction and now I only have four. These 4 are the biggest, is this just nature's way of culling the pack? Survival of the fittest style?

My angelfish are in a 30 gallon, and I expected a few to die off, but not half of them! What should I do? Is 30 gallons enough for 4 angelfish? Should I bag the aquarium and focus on my 8G Biocube? I'm so sick of death!!! (and failing at aquariums.) If I keep going with my 30 gallon, I'm going to buy an aquaminder and probably a tap water filter so I don't have to keep buying jugs of water to keep the phosphates down.

 

[cam191919]

30 gallons is too small for 4, have they been fighting?

 

[Riiz]

Well, your overstocked. Angelfish need about 10-15 gallons a piece, and then if any pair up, those 2 would claim the entire 30gal. The other 2 would be at the mercy of the pair and would need a new home.

Also when you say you're buying water, what exactly are putting into the aquarium? If its pure R/O or distilled, you need to add back minerals/elements or even a bit of tap water to make it suitable for fish too.

 

[FindingBlemo]

i have been using microfiltered ozonated spring water.

 

[FindingBlemo]

and only one got killed from fighting, the first of four to die.

 

[Riiz]

i have been using microfiltered ozonated spring water.

Do you know any chemical properties of this water, such as pH, GH/KH, NH3, NO2, NO3, PO4? Are you sure this water is safer than tap?

 

[Carla G]

Do you know why your phosphates are high? Have you been using discus buffer or PH Down?

 

[FindingBlemo]

i use a buffer called 7.0. i do know that phosphate, ammonia, nitrate and pH are all perfect in the jugs of spring water.

 

[KarlTh]

Numbers. "Perfect" is not a number. Kick the buffer out; it's not needed. Angelfish don't give a flying one about pH, despite popular mythology. Use tapwater; it's cheaper.

 

[FindingBlemo]

Really? What about chlorine and other harsh chemicals that could be in the water? Hard metals?