My fish keep dying! T_T

[vwill279]

You may be able to jump start the cycle by getting used filter media from a friend's aquarium or a fish store. The filter media, provided it was just removed from the tank, should have enough beneficial bacteria to help get you really going and help support the fish you currently have in the tank. If you cant find some of that, there is a product by API called quickstart that is a supply of nitrifying bacteria which says it stops "new tank syndrome"(uncycled tank). I dont know how well it works, but its better to try than losing more of your fish. Definitely dont buy any more fish though until your tests read that your tank is cycled.

 

[kingearwig]

So the moral here is that aquariums don't like drastic change. If you had cleaned 25% of the tank every week or so, things would have been much better for your tank. Please, for the sake of the fish at your LFS, DON'T buy any more fish until you fully understand what cycling is all about. You have to remember that with an aquarium you are dealing with a sealed eco system. You may think that sterile is a good state of things... but if you were the only life on earth you wouldn't last long either.

 

[judayxlo]

Thanks everyone!
I will definitely keep a close watch on my water levels. I don't have any of those water reading strips yet, but I can bring in a water sample to my pet store and they check it for free.
While I'm there, I'll also ask if they have any filter media that I could take. Do I just float these in the water then, or how does that work?

There's some really useful information here. Thank you everybody!

 

[kingearwig]

The best would be to get a small bucket of gravel from your friend's tank(assuming that his tank is cycled and disease free). If you don't mind the look of it just spread it around your tank on top of what you have. if you don't like it you can hide it in the back corner and remove it when your tank is cycled. If you get a used filter, wash it with 78 degree water then replace your filter with the used one(don't wash it too much).

What kind of filtration are you using? How often do you change the water? What kind of lighting do you have? Can you put plants in the tank? If you can put plants in that is a good way to jump start the cycle. I just started my 20 about 2 weeks ago. It is heavily planted. I may not be fully cycled yet but I haven't lost a fish yet. I attribute this to over filtration, heavy planting, light feeding, and religious 10% water changes every 5 days or so. The only chemical I have use is Prime to remove chloramine... Have you use any chlorine removers? Most city water sources now use chloramine which won't just go away like chlorine would.

 

[vwill279]

If you get a used filter, wash it with 78 degree water then replace your filter with the used one(don't wash it too much).

Make sure you dont wash it in tap water. wash it in water that has been treated with an aquarium safe dechlor like prime, quick start, or stress coat. If you wash it in tap water, the chlorine and chloramine in it will kill the bacteria and make the used filter media useless.

The best would be to get a small bucket of gravel from your friend's tank

Not true. The best is used filter media. Gravel doesnt contain nearly as much surface area as filter floss or pads, so it wouldnt contain nearly as much beneficial bacteria. So while gravel is helpful, and would work if filter media isnt available, its not as good. As for where to put it, I put it in with my filter pad so that the beneficial bacteria start spreading more quickly to the new filter. Also, then the filter will pull water containing the ammonia and nitrites through the used pad containing the BB, which will treat the water. You will want to leave the used filter pad in the tank for a good 2-3 weeks at least so that your decor, gravel, and new filter get sufficiently covered.

 

[petluvr]

Since you have fish in the tank, your best bet now is water changes. Change 50% of the water in the tank DAILY until you can get a liquid test kit. Note I say until YOU get a LIQUID test kit, don't take it to the LFS and get them to test it because IME they will tell you it is fine and it obviously isn't. Water change, water change, water change right now and you should be ok.

 

[CornBreadjiffy]

I would do mini water changes for the next week straight, turn up the heater to 79, and add aquarium salt. Jun too many variables too quess, quarantine the tank

 

[kingearwig]

If the OP is not conditioning the water to remove chlorine/chloramine water changes are going to kill more fish.

 

[flyinggig]

Listen to Katy above..... your tank is cycling.......(ammonia is present) and you've probably disturbed the tanks bacteria colony by the vigorous cleaning all at once.

Water changes are the only way to keep these fish alive until the benificial bacteria colony can re-colonize the gravel filters etc.

Not to sound too harsh.....but Google is our friend!
Google how to care for freshwater fish...... go from there.

Cheers, and hope it all works itself out !

 

[judayxlo]

Thanks everyone!
I went to a pet store and they tested my water for me and here are the results:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
pH: 6.8
Alkalinity: 120
Hardness: 300
Chlorine and Chloramine: 0
So everything came back normal from what they tell me so I don't understand what's wrong with my fish. O-o;
Why do they keep dying?!