Without tests, it's hard to say (hence the reason we advise people to have their own--it's easier than always running to the LFS). The key is to get ammonia and nitrites down through water changes. I would start doing a 20% water change daily, and then adapting that based on the test results, to keep ammonia <1 and nitrites <.25. Adding a small amount of salt (NaCl) will reduce the toxicity of nitrites--1 tsp/gallon of regular table salt will work (and watch for the outcry against iodine--it's a myth that table salt will kill your fish).
Fish are dying, I'm clueless
- Thread starter paradigmcubed
- Start date
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Well the results from the fish store were mystifying. I have no traces of ammonia and my ph is perfect. I also brought multiple samples from different areas of the same tank. He ran four tests just to make sure after hearing of all my troubles. I guess that isn't the reason for my dying fish.
Get your own test kits
You also needed to test for nitrites. And nitrates. Better to get the test kits and do it yourself. A tank a few weeks old with dying fish is most likely high ammonia and nitrites. The ammonia cycle shouldn't have passed that quickly without using biospira or adding gravel or filter material from a cycled tank.
What is the tank temperature?
Were any of the fish damaged? Scrapes from careless netting can allow parasites to enter, bring bacterial infection along with them...were any of the fish from tanks where there were dead fish floating or even being eaten?
Do not add any fish until you know that nitrites have peaked and gone to zero.
You also needed to test for nitrites. And nitrates. Better to get the test kits and do it yourself. A tank a few weeks old with dying fish is most likely high ammonia and nitrites. The ammonia cycle shouldn't have passed that quickly without using biospira or adding gravel or filter material from a cycled tank.
What is the tank temperature?
Were any of the fish damaged? Scrapes from careless netting can allow parasites to enter, bring bacterial infection along with them...were any of the fish from tanks where there were dead fish floating or even being eaten?
Do not add any fish until you know that nitrites have peaked and gone to zero.
The temperature is 79 degress farenheit and the fish weren't scraped or scarred. I guess I he didn't test for nitrates and nitrites, but its weird the ammonia test came out as zilch.
i admit that is a puzzle, but maybe the test kit it was tested with was faulty. or did you take the sample after a water change? this could hav reduced the amount of ammonia in the tank.
i would also introduce the fish even more slowly than you did, and start out with the hardy fish moving onto the more sensitive ones. i also agree with oriongirl that the LFS may often give you false information to make a quicker sale to you, but please may i stress that this does not apply to all LFS. you are better off getting your advice from those who will not have the intent of making a profit from it, such as on this forum. here no one stands to gain from giving false information unlike at the LFS.
i would also introduce the fish even more slowly than you did, and start out with the hardy fish moving onto the more sensitive ones. i also agree with oriongirl that the LFS may often give you false information to make a quicker sale to you, but please may i stress that this does not apply to all LFS. you are better off getting your advice from those who will not have the intent of making a profit from it, such as on this forum. here no one stands to gain from giving false information unlike at the LFS.
Okay, a few things that I see:
1.) Homicidal gouramies: Those that you mentioned are some of the nastiest fish around.
2.) Paradisefish: Ditto.
3.) 79 degrees Fahrenheit: I would check your numbers for dissolved Oxygen. That high of a temperature is not conducive to dissolving gasses in water without a large amount of dissipation. If you continue to have such temps, you need a lot of aeration to create more surface area and thus more gas exchange.
4.) You do not mention the use of dechlorinator. The chloramine in city water is the quickest way to kill a bunch of fish. Dechlorinator takes care of that aquarium scourge.
5.) Not cycling the tank. Others have already elaborated on this.
6.) Adding all those fish at once. Angels are not good for fishy cycling as they don't handle high nitrates/nitrites/ammonia well, and you easily outstripped your nonexistent biofilter right away. Mollies are also notorious for being poor cycling fish.
7.) The pictus. He will pick off sleeping fish at night, and the baby ZD was likely only the first of many.
HTH,
Matthew
1.) Homicidal gouramies: Those that you mentioned are some of the nastiest fish around.
2.) Paradisefish: Ditto.
3.) 79 degrees Fahrenheit: I would check your numbers for dissolved Oxygen. That high of a temperature is not conducive to dissolving gasses in water without a large amount of dissipation. If you continue to have such temps, you need a lot of aeration to create more surface area and thus more gas exchange.
4.) You do not mention the use of dechlorinator. The chloramine in city water is the quickest way to kill a bunch of fish. Dechlorinator takes care of that aquarium scourge.
5.) Not cycling the tank. Others have already elaborated on this.
6.) Adding all those fish at once. Angels are not good for fishy cycling as they don't handle high nitrates/nitrites/ammonia well, and you easily outstripped your nonexistent biofilter right away. Mollies are also notorious for being poor cycling fish.
7.) The pictus. He will pick off sleeping fish at night, and the baby ZD was likely only the first of many.
HTH,
Matthew
Originally posted by paradigmcubed
When I put the water in I also put some of the stress coat or dechlorination. I added that immediately after putting the water in.
hate to do this matt, but the use of dechorinator was mentioned. i agree with you on everything thou.
I took the water samples before any water change and I took those water samples somewhere else today, they found no ammonia either.
**Thanks for all of your help, I don't know what I would have done without it.
**Thanks for all of your help, I don't know what I would have done without it.
