New tank

[Pinkey]

A Adler Also, remember community fish don't live all that long. If I'm reading your pictures correctly, your ammonia is still low even on day two. If you're feeding your fish just as much food as they eat in a couple minutes, you're probably not polluting your tank in any serious way. It is entirely plausible that you're not killing your fish at all. They are now 3+ years old. Sure, I've had gouramis that lasted 5+ years but it's impossible to tell how genetically diverse your breeder's stock really is. Not all aquarium fish are bred equally. Some last a lot longer than others. Please don't get too discouraged. The one sad truth about this hobby is that eventually, 100% of your fish will die even if you take perfect care of them. I have amazingly planted tanks now but I have also killed more plants than I could possibly tell you. I have been keeping fish for 30 years and still experiment. Most of the plants I try fail. A tiny percent of the plants I try grow like weeds and I sell 95% of them twice a year just so I can see my fish. If a well cared for gourami is estimated to live 3-4 years. I have a 125 gallon community tank. If I keep 100 gouramis in there I can expect to lose an average of 25 per year assuming each fish lives for all 4 years. You're probably doing a lot better than you think.

 

[Adler]

A Adler Also, remember community fish don't live all that long. If I'm reading your pictures correctly, your ammonia is still low even on day two. If you're feeding your fish just as much food as they eat in a couple minutes, you're probably not polluting your tank in any serious way. It is entirely plausible that you're not killing your fish at all. They are now 3+ years old. Sure, I've had gouramis that lasted 5+ years but it's impossible to tell how genetically diverse your breeder's stock really is. Not all aquarium fish are bred equally. Some last a lot longer than others. Please don't get too discouraged. The one sad truth about this hobby is that eventually, 100% of your fish will die even if you take perfect care of them. I have amazingly planted tanks now but I have also killed more plants than I could possibly tell you. I have been keeping fish for 30 years and still experiment. Most of the plants I try fail. A tiny percent of the plants I try grow like weeds and I sell 95% of them twice a year just so I can see my fish. If a well cared for gourami is estimated to live 3-4 years. I have a 125 gallon community tank. If I keep 100 gouramis in there I can expect to lose an average of 25 per year assuming each fish lives for all 4 years. You're probably doing a lot better than you think.

thank you for your words. not sure why but I had the idea the gouramis usual lifespan is 7 years, but it turns out is 4 - 5 years. Not sure how old mine were when I got them but some definitely look bigger than the rest.

anyway, fish is spinning while diving. it only happens when it swims down vertically and not all the time, but it has been doing that every now and then:

 

[Adler]

I am using the same filter, however, I did change the mechanical media to a new one. is that the reason why i'm seeing ammonia now? the bio media is the same and I always kept it in old tank water.

 

[Adler]

I'm having a bit of an issue with ammonia. it doesn't seem to be breaking down to nitrite. I tested the water before and after a water change ~25% but the ammonia level is the same. I tested tap water to see if my liquid test has gone bad but it looks like a bit different? what do you guys think?

 

[dougall]

What dechlorinator are you using?

And do you know if your tap water contains chloramine?

The 2 together gan produce ammonium that is not harmful to fish, but will show as ammonia in the API water test

 

[fishorama]

^^ what he said. Does your water company have a website where they post water analysis? It looks to me like your tap water comes with ammonia? I use Prime dechlorinater but that only temporarily "binds" the ammonia & nitrite...but API test will still show ammonia.

 

[Adler]

What dechlorinator are you using?

And do you know if your tap water contains chloramine?

The 2 together gan produce ammonium that is not harmful to fish, but will show as ammonia in the API water test

I use Seachem Prime. I do not know if it contains chloramine

^^ what he said. Does your water company have a website where they post water analysis? It looks to me like your tap water comes with ammonia? I use Prime dechlorinater but that only temporarily "binds" the ammonia & nitrite...but API test will still show ammonia.

I remember one time doing the ammonia test on tap water and it turned yellow/0ppm. maybe my test has gone bad? the expiration date says 09/2025

 

[dougall]

It's a feature of how the test works.. not that it's old or not working

It doesn't contain chloramine.. but your tap water might, instead of or with chlorine to kill bacteria

You just need to know about it, or you can get a different test that does not do that if you like

 

[fishorama]

Yes, dougall has right. & there can be some seasonal issues too sometimes. It may be an effect where you live. Where I am, we have drought almost 6 or 7 months/year (summer). So that can change our water parameters...as can the rainy season in our winter. Everywhere can have different water issues at different times. It's a part of learning about where you live & how it can effect our tanks in so many ways.

 

[Pinkey]

Many of you know your chemistry far better than I do but there is something fishy here. For those of us who are used to measuring in American instead of scientific metric, the tank is 46.7 gallons. A Adler has two small fish and a snail. Assuming they're not feeding tablespoons (another American measurement) of food twice per day, we have not found the source of the pollutant. In theory, the only thing being added to the water is fish food. The food is metabolized by the fish to create the pollutants we all work to mitigate. There shouldn't be enough waste from such a tiny bio load to cause trouble. This bio load should be able to live in a 46 gallon bucket for months without needing a water change.

All 3 of the yellow vials look very similar to me. I checked your photos (no, my computer monitor is not calibrated but it's close enough) against a scan of the API freshwater Ammonia card and you're talking somewhere between 0 ppm and 0.50 ppm. I know we all want 0 ppm all the time but I've had tanks over my many years that lived well above the levels you're seeing here.

I have had fish get old and die from probably all the natural old age causes there are. I have had them waste away and get very thin. I've had them get intestinal blockage and bloat and die. I've had them spin, lose orientation, struggle to eat, and die. I've had them get swim bladder infections and die. It's been a long time but I've also lost entire tanks to various things that, in hindsight, would have been preventable.

If all your fish died at once with the same symptoms I'd worry. Since yours are all getting up there in fish years and are dying at different times with different symptoms, I'd still say your fish are simply getting old. Gourami's are also very hearty (unless yours happen to be poor genetic stock which you couldn't know). Once, life circumstances required me to leave a 55g tank under an acquaintance's care (no, not even a friend). All the fish but the two gourami died.

Wait and see if some of the more experienced members agree with me but my advice is to go out and get a couple more fish from your local fish store and sing the Circle of Life from the Lion King.