We have a 55g tank w/ an undergravel filter. In the past week we have bought 3 bala sharks, 2 red fire gouramis, 3 paradise fish, 2 rope fish and a tire track eel. We already had 3 zebra danios and two female bettas. The day after buying the paradise fish one died, two days later a zebra danio died of constipation and tonight a red fire gourami was just laying on the bottom of our tank gasping for air. One of the rope fish kept trying to get it to swim (so it looked like) then it went absolutely berserk..swimming erratically up and down and doing somersaults. Then just sank and died....I just cleaned the tank yesterday and all were fine. Am I doing something wrong...there was no aggression in any of my fish.
dying fish
- Thread starter mcdeali
- Start date
How long have you had the tank? Even if it was finished cycling a week ago, adding all those fish at once probably would have overwhelmed the beneficial bacteria already present. Have you tested for amonia and nitrites?
no we have not...we have had the tank set up about a month with just the danios and betas...i had a male beta in there but had to take him out after we put the gouramis in..he kept chasing them. We have hard water but i don't know the specifics
I forgot that I also have 4 painted tetras...2 blue and 2 pink...my husband seems to think this might have something to do with it.
Give this a quick read:
http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquasource/cycling.shtml
Pretty much what it is going to tell you is fish give off a toxin in their wastes and certain types of bacteria change those toxins into a much less toxic substance that can be removed with partial water changes done every week.
It can take 1-2 months for this to stabilize. After it stabilizes there is just enough of that bacteria to handle the fish that are present. If you dump in a lot more fish it will start all over. Some fish will die, others will survive but with permanent damage that will greatly shorten their lifespan for the most part.
What you can do:
You need to do large partial water changes. Daily. Get Tetra Aquasafe and add it to the partial water changes to get rid of the Chlorine or Chloramine that is in the tap water, that is also toxic to fish and the bacteria they need to convert their own toxins.
It would be best to buy test kits to test for Ammonia and Nitrite. Maybe one for Nitrate as well.
You need to keep the Ammonia and Nitrite as close to undetectable as possible. That is what is killing your fish.
Try to keep the nitrates under 20 parts per million(ppm)(test kit will make it clear).
http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquasource/cycling.shtml
Pretty much what it is going to tell you is fish give off a toxin in their wastes and certain types of bacteria change those toxins into a much less toxic substance that can be removed with partial water changes done every week.
It can take 1-2 months for this to stabilize. After it stabilizes there is just enough of that bacteria to handle the fish that are present. If you dump in a lot more fish it will start all over. Some fish will die, others will survive but with permanent damage that will greatly shorten their lifespan for the most part.
What you can do:
You need to do large partial water changes. Daily. Get Tetra Aquasafe and add it to the partial water changes to get rid of the Chlorine or Chloramine that is in the tap water, that is also toxic to fish and the bacteria they need to convert their own toxins.
It would be best to buy test kits to test for Ammonia and Nitrite. Maybe one for Nitrate as well.
You need to keep the Ammonia and Nitrite as close to undetectable as possible. That is what is killing your fish.
Try to keep the nitrates under 20 parts per million(ppm)(test kit will make it clear).
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Your right...I went to LFS and they tested my water. My ammonia is perfect but my nitrates are high. I am only doing total water changes too often and not doing partial at all. Plus I am feeding the fish way way too much. I am adding the stresscoat like I should and they told me that was good but I have to wait the nitrate problem out.
Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for the advice!
I would be doubtful that you have undetectable ammonia in less than 7 days after you've added all those fish. It usually takes a week for the ammonia to spike, but who knows. Even if your ammonia eating bacteria have built up enough already to handle the new load, you are going to spike with Nitrites not to far in the future(1-3 weeks).
I've heard too many stories about LFS employees giving false readings to people. I personally will never trust them and will always test my own water.
NitrAtes would have to be very high to danger your fish, and in only a month, with most of the inhabitants being in there less than a full week, the nitrifying bacteria hasn't had enough time to build up their numbers to change the Ammonia & Nitrite into NitrAte.
As far as Stresscoat goes, it won't help anything here. It will not reduce the affects of Ammonia & Nitrite. It's like massaging someone's shoulders while they have a plastic bag around their face. Won't really calm them down or prevent what's really hurting them.
Try not to use any type of chemicals or medications or anything without first asking on the forums about them. A lot of them are at best useless and often will actually harm the fish more than help.
Ignore the LFS employees. I know there are some that know what they are talking about. About 1 in 50 probably. Not good odds. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people here. And if someone says something wrong, then 5 people jump them and a debate ensues until the truth is found.
Good luck and welcome to AC. Read around here a lot. Everything you need to know about keeping fish is here.
I've heard too many stories about LFS employees giving false readings to people. I personally will never trust them and will always test my own water.
NitrAtes would have to be very high to danger your fish, and in only a month, with most of the inhabitants being in there less than a full week, the nitrifying bacteria hasn't had enough time to build up their numbers to change the Ammonia & Nitrite into NitrAte.
As far as Stresscoat goes, it won't help anything here. It will not reduce the affects of Ammonia & Nitrite. It's like massaging someone's shoulders while they have a plastic bag around their face. Won't really calm them down or prevent what's really hurting them.
Try not to use any type of chemicals or medications or anything without first asking on the forums about them. A lot of them are at best useless and often will actually harm the fish more than help.
Ignore the LFS employees. I know there are some that know what they are talking about. About 1 in 50 probably. Not good odds. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people here. And if someone says something wrong, then 5 people jump them and a debate ensues until the truth is found.
Good luck and welcome to AC. Read around here a lot. Everything you need to know about keeping fish is here.
Thanks I appreciate all the help..
And now that I am actually reading and not listening to my husband...I realize that I never really cycled the tank.
And now that I am actually reading and not listening to my husband...I realize that I never really cycled the tank.
Actually I'm shocked all the regulars haven't been helping you out already. Usually you'd have about half a dozen people chiming in.
Must be because its Father's day.
Most people here recommend that you test your water every day for Ammonia and Nitrite in this situation. After that, do around a %50 water change. Your readings on your tank will be very important for the people here to help you.
After the cycle is complete you can reduce the water change schedule to about %25 weekly.
Good luck.
Must be because its Father's day.
Most people here recommend that you test your water every day for Ammonia and Nitrite in this situation. After that, do around a %50 water change. Your readings on your tank will be very important for the people here to help you.
After the cycle is complete you can reduce the water change schedule to about %25 weekly.
Good luck.
Just something to add to this, while in the context that this was written it is correct, don't quit using stress coat during water changes. Stress coat is a viable dechlorinator ( assuming your water has chlorine and not chloramine) wheather it is really beneficial to enhance slime coat and reduce stress is highlky debateable. There are many good dechlorinators out there, as long as you use something to neutralise the chlorine at water changes you are fine. Stress coat does a great job, as do many others.
The cycle sticky is pretty in depth, and will probably cover most of your questions. after reading up on things if anything isn't clear just post it and as was said lots of people will help you out.
Can't speak for anyone else, but I'm recovering from a 50 mile canoe trip on the allegheny river, and tomorrow I get to go back to work:sad :sad :sad :sad :sad :sad