HELP MY FISH KEEP DYING!!!!

20 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


kristalee
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:01 pm

HELP MY FISH KEEP DYING!!!!

by kristalee

So we got giving this 70 gallon tank for free with all the fish so we are very new to all this fish stuff. But now are fish keep dying i dont know what wrong!

We have
1 black ghost knife
2 albino tiger barbs (one is 6inches one is very small maybe 1 1/2 inches)
1 tiger barb (hides in the shell)
1 barb (not sure the type he has his mouth bitten by a lobster and was put in this tank)
2 sucker fish (plecostumus) very large
1 small catfish
1 neotetra (there was 8, 7 got eaten by someone!)

And we HAD 3 bala sharks, 1 dies instantly when put into the tank :( one died last week and the sucker fish was trying to eat him, the this morning the large one and the only one left was swiming upside down (still is) he is about 6 inches and is probally going to die :( he is quarantined right now.

Im very new to this whole fish stuff but why do my fish keep dying? I also bought 2 elaphent nose fish and one dies the day i put it in the one died about a month later out of nowhere :(

ANYBODY WITH ANSWER PLEASE HELP! I dont want all my fish to die but at this rate ill have no fish by next month. What can i do?
edec0-DSC01394.JPG
a6a41-DSC01395.JPG


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

Can you tell me the tanks water stats please

Ammonia?
Nitrite?
Nitrate?

Sounds to me the is not cycled and the fish are paying the price for this


DanDman18
 
Posts: 115
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:56 am

by DanDman18

I agree, except that if you have very high ammonia, nitrate and nitrite usually the watcer is very yellow.


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

Errrr no its not


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

The tank i have pictured below, clear as a bell, no yellow tint in any form.

The tanks stats at the time

Ammonia Off the charts (test tube is no longer black but a definate green now *L*)
nitrate 170ppm
nitrite Off the charts

This tank was a toxic waste land yes looked a dream *LOL* You cannot tell by looking at it
2c154-5ft 11th Oct 2010.jpg


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

by natalie265

Alasse, however did an experienced fish keeper such as yourself end up with a toxic waste land, beautiful tho it may appear?

kristalee, How long has this tank been set up? When you moved it to your home did you take care to keep the filter wet? An established tank shouldn't be cycling, unless you killed off the bacteria in the filter during the move. Either way, we will need the stats that alasse requested to help you better.

One problem that i see right away is that many of the fish you have are very poor choices for beginners. Elephant fish and ghost knives are notoriously difficult to keep alive. You also have fish that are not compatible. Any number of fish in that tank could have eaten the neon tetras. Also, bala sharks grow too big for even a 70 gallon tank (in my opinion). I realize you inherited these fish from someone else and hopefully you can do a little more research before you add more fish to this tank, which btw, you should not do until you figure out what is wrong. If you are indeed cycling, adding more fish would be a mistake.


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

There was an issue with the gravel....all i will say is urine crystals make an excellent thing to cycle a tank with, but you cannot add fish until its completed the cycle *LOL* (wanna know more PM me)


kristalee
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:01 pm

by kristalee

im so new to this so i dont have all the test kits :( i feel horrible :( i only have the ph tester kit as i did not know about the other tests and as i said befor this tank was givien to me with all the fish so i did not know what to expect.

My ph is at 7.5 is that ok?
And my tank does not look yellow infact it absolutly clean and clear.
The filter did stay wet while we moved the fish but the fish tank needed a water change so about 3 weeks after we got it we did a 50% water change and the fish were fine up unitl 3 weeks after the water change, we did add new filters (the sponge and charcol as they were very old) and since the water change we did buy 2 baby bala sharks which died one died the day we bought him and the other died 21 days later. The big bala sharek who just died yesterday was 3 years old :(

This has been a eye opener i never knew fish werre so difficult! But im glad im learning now, i really just dont want the other fish to die they are so cool and i would hate to see that happen the kids would be devistated :( Is there a good article about cycling i keep hearing about it but the previous owner told me it was fine as we have 2 filters the air thing and the sucker fish wich clean the side of the tank. So is that proper cycling or am i doing something wrong?

im going to get my water tested today.


DanDman18
 
Posts: 115
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:56 am

by DanDman18

Just saying I don't know why but I can look at the color of the water and tell you just about exactly the ammonia and nitrate, maybe it's just a coincidence.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

of course she has no liquid test kits for the tank is still cycling...you needed only about 2-3 fish like zebra danios to cycle the tank

do you know what cycling the tank means? I do not mean to be harsh with the next statement, but did you ever read a good book about freshwater fish keeping?

do not be surprised if the other fish perish for I am sure the ammonia level is extremely high

first, give all your fish back and get 3 zebra danios

second, purchase liquid test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph (high end)

third, test the tap water then test the tank water

fourth, do a 50% water change

fifth, make sure the filtration is no less than 700 gallons per hour

sixth, cut down on feeding every other day

seventh, get a temperature gauge stick on, make sure the temperature is 76-82 every day

eighth, observe and get back to us

hope this helps

HELP MY FISH KEEP DYING!!!!

20 posts • Page 1 of 2

12
Display posts from previous: Sort by: