HELP - Great Tank Die-off

W

wiEngineer

AC Members
Aug 25, 2002
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Madison, WI
I have a 55G unplanted community tank filled with a variety of small happy campers. Mostly tetras, a beta, 3 clown loaches, a couple plecos, a some albino cory cats.

About a week ago, I lost a couple tetras. Ok that happens. Fished em out, did a water change.

The next day, I lost a couple more. Hmm. Ok, fished 'em out, did a water change.

Then I lost a red velvet sword. Then a pleco. Then my beta. Then my hillstream loach. the one cory cat.. More Tetras. and today I came down and a clown loach is gone.

The weird thing is that I can't see ANYTHING wrong with them. There is no sign of ick or fungus. They aren't being listless or anything. You simply turn your back for 5 minutes and somebody else is dead.

I can do water changes but it doesn't seem to be helping. I'm not a big fan od dosing with chemicals, but that might be the next step here.

HELP!
 
First off, water are your water readings... Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate... How often do you do water changes? Do you add dechlorinators? Also, is there a big difference between the pH in your tap and the pH in your tank. How often do you clean your filter and how do you do it?

Sorry for so many questions but its hard to tell whats wrong if we don't know this kind of stuff. Hope someone here can help (which I am sure they can). Good Luck.
 
*sigh*

Just lost another black neon tetra.

Water quality tests still show nothing out of the ordinary. Ammonia and nitrites are **** near zero.

I changed another 25% water out.

Everbody else in the tank looks great right now but I just have this sneaking suspician that a few hours from now I'll look in and find another dead fish.

At this point, I'm almost figuring I'm going to lose the entire tank (I still have about 15 tetras left, a pleco, 5 harliquins, 4 corys, and 2 clown loaches).

Anyone anyone?
 
Do you have large gravel for substrate?
:)
 
I've noticed on several 'help' postings (an old one of mine, for example) where there are die-offs, large gravel is very often present. In my case, I lost a corydora and an oto or 2. I definately felt that the large gravel I was using at the time was the culprit.
I've recently decided based on my experience and reading on this forum that large gravel for substrate without the use of plants in general invites trouble. I noticed you were having 'trouble', so I asked.
I suggest a planned, carefully implemented change of substrate, to a very small grained gravel, sand, or 2-4 inches florabase/laterite (for planted tanks) substrate. Not only is it easier to take care of, but it is much less 'trouble' in the long run. But not too deep, 2-3 inches max, much less than an inch is best.
sorry for your 'trouble'
good luck
:)
 
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famman, what are your theories on the reason for this? i use large gravel in my 50g, but it is heavily planted. i'm curious: what are the side-effects of the large gravel that would cause this? this doesn't make sense to me. i would suggest maybe the water was contaminated by something else, insecticides, etc? perhaps?

in any case, i would suggest 50% water changes every day for a couple days. this may stress your fish, but if they keep dying, it can't do anymore harm...
 
I'm not sure I have a theory, I've just noticed that large gravel, non-planted tanks tend to have trouble.
good luck
:)
 
i wonder if anyone else wants to weigh in on this...substrates seem to have a profound effect on aquariums in general, but usually the negative comments are in regards to anaerobic pockets and such with sand or with lime deposits effecting the ph. i've never read about significant problems with larger gravels. personally, i think it's purely circumstantial...a freak coincedence due to another problem, but you never know. i'm curious as to other's experiences. my newish 50g has large gravel (with a lot of plants, however, as i mentioned before), but prior to this tank i've always used small-medium gravel and/or sand. this gravel just happened to be $2 for a 50 lb bag, and i've found gravel easier to keep clean than sand, so i went for it. i'm not sure if i like the look as much as i liked the sand, but i haven't had any problems.
 
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