3 Tetra died in about 3 days?

[Iamjustifyd]

I have 5 neon, 7 glowline, 4 serpae, 5 small little red fish (can't think of the name off hand) 2 albino corey catfish and 1 siamese sucker fish. Everything was going fine. I do a 50% water change once a week, with a filter change, 20 gal. tall tank. I come home from school this past Tues. and a neon had died. I come home last night from school, go to feed them and notice one is very weak, kinda floating around, trying to swim a bit but the currents take him. I get up this morning and he is dead and one of the glowline. Having the water tested when I get home from work. Was reading a bit last night and read in one place where the neons can't take the hard water..carbon from filter? I've also heard that about some types of snails. What exactly does the carbon do and should I not use carbon with tetra? The fish themselves look fine, no color changes or spots or anything. I've heard I am changing the water the way I should be..what do ya'll think? Thanks
Sherry

 

[bradlgt21]

How long have you had your tank? The hard water would likely not kill them this fast. If they are wild caught fish and really sensative of hard water it would still take like a year for them to die from it. But 90% of the time hard water doesn't have that much negative effects on it.

I suspect you have a cycle problem. Either your initial cycle or a mini cycle from cleaning your filter... when you clean your filter what exactly do you do. What kind of filter?

 

[TL1000RSquid]

For your carbon question you don't need to use carbon all the time, I'm not running any I'm using an extra sponge in its place. The only time you really need to run carbon is to get rid of chemical impurities or med's and if you need to polish the water.

I'm having a problem keeping mine alive lost 5 neons in the last 2 weeks to unknown causes. As pointed above it could be a cycle problem post your testing results.

 

[JoeLaX28]

For starters, your tank seems to be overstocked. 24 fish in a 20 tall even violates the "inch per gallon" rule that many of us see as bad information given by pet stores.

I agree with bradlgt21, that you may be experiencing a mini-cycle. Let us know what your cleaning procedure is. Also, what are your water parameters (i.e. ammonia, nitrites, pH, etc.)? Until you find out and let us know, I'd perform daily water changes of about 20% to reduce parameter levels.

 

[Iamjustifyd]

Took the water in and everything was fine except for a high PH level. I was told to get some driftwood as that is a natural buffer. So bought a piece, looks good and no more fish have died. I was thinking the tank was a bit over stocked for it being a tall tank. I'll just keep what I have now. My cleaning process, I will put water in 2 5 gallon buckets earlier in the day with the chlorine deliminator and let it sit for a few hours. Siphon out 1/2 the water using the vacuum hose and getting in the gravel. Pour in the water from the buckets, sometimes I will change the filter at that time and sometimes I won't change until the next day. I'll do this once a week. Seeing as how nothing is wrong with the except the PH should I use carbon or not? Helping anything...hurting anything? Guy at the pet store said I could use RO water or distilled. I am doing the cleaning ok? Thanks for replies

 

[swinneyw]

when you changed the water was the water tempature of the new water a big difference when i make a big water change i do it very gradual so it won't shock the fish

 

[jpappy789]

Took the water in and everything was fine except for a high PH level. I was told to get some driftwood as that is a natural buffer. So bought a piece, looks good and no more fish have died. I was thinking the tank was a bit over stocked for it being a tall tank. I'll just keep what I have now. My cleaning process, I will put water in 2 5 gallon buckets earlier in the day with the chlorine deliminator and let it sit for a few hours. Siphon out 1/2 the water using the vacuum hose and getting in the gravel. Pour in the water from the buckets, sometimes I will change the filter at that time and sometimes I won't change until the next day. I'll do this once a week. Seeing as how nothing is wrong with the except the PH should I use carbon or not? Helping anything...hurting anything? Guy at the pet store said I could use RO water or distilled. I am doing the cleaning ok? Thanks for replies

How are you changing the filter?

Are the buckets for aquarium use only?

I would never use RO water myself, especially without adding dissolved solids back. If your tap is safe to drink then generally it is safe for fish.

 

[TabisFish]

overstocked

 

[iheartbettas]

if you are replacing the filter, you're getting rid of most of the beneficial bacteria so you might be getting an ammonia spike shortly thereafter.

 

[Iamjustifyd]

Adding the water pretty slowly, don't just dump it in. Filter changing..out with old, in with the new. Separate filter material and gravel. I should probably get a couple of buckets just for the tank. How many fish should be in this tank? They are all small fish.