OMG, two fish die in one afternoon! Help!

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

OMG, two fish die in one afternoon! Help!

by Zambize4899

I came in from work and my tank smelled like sewer water so I immediately looked for dead fish, found one. In changing my charcoal, another dead one surfaced. Two of my five Black Neon Tetras croaked in one afternoon. All of the remaining, 5 Guppies, 3 Black Neon Tetras, 2 Swordtails, all look healthy...but so did these two. They just ate heartily with everyone else last night. No one has looked sick. I tested and got pH 8.2 (typical for my tank), Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, and Nitrates 0.

I feed very sparingly, did other fish feed on these? They are probably 1.25" at least, including tail, and they have bulk to them. The Guppies are smaller. The Swordtails bigger. What happened?! I'm going out of town in two days... Do I replace the two Tetras to give them peace and protection in their school again? Or do I wait? I'm at a loss. I really don't want to stand by and watch them die one by one.

I change water 25%, twice a week, I feed sparingly, hardly any ever gets to the bottom, and if it does, the Swordtails will get it, usually. My tank is 78-79 degrees. 28 gallons, heavily planted, with each water change I add NovAqua+, AmQuel+, Bacteria Supplement, Freshwater salt, Plant Gro, FloraPride (for one live plant I have).

Thank you all, I don't know of anyone else to ask!
Zambize


Serial324556
 
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:35 am

by Serial324556

How old is your test kit? Just asking because snowboss had an old test kit that was giving false readings.
As for the water changes I'm no expert (which someone like PK will come in and probably correct me lol) but 25% twice a week seems kind of extreme.
I have a 29 gallon and I do about 15 percent once a week and use r/o water. Just seems like a lot of additives going in your tank for 1 plant.

Edit:
Wait is it heavily planted or do you have 1 plant? Confused.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

It's densely planted with artificial plants. I added one live plant just to see how it would do. It does seem like overkill to give it the nutrients, but I figured I would have to to realistically see if a plant would survive my house. My water changes are frequent because 1) I'm still cycling, but near the end, I believe, should have mentioned that, and 2) to *try* and control my pH. My kit is about 3 weeks old.


miami754
 
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am

by miami754

Ah, I didn't realize you were putting so many chemicals in there. First off stop buying the bacteria supplement - that stuff is just garbage. You will grow your own bacteria just fine. Secondly AmQuel has been known to cause pH problems for people so I am wondering if that accompanied with what I suspect is poor bufferin capacity water is what is leading to your pH swings. I would stop using it. Just buy a normal old dechlorinator. There is no reason to be using anything else. That may also be why your readings are so wierd. I seem to remember that AmQuel claims to reduce nitrates in addition to nitrites and ammonia (not sure how effective it is though).

I seem to recall that tetras are pretty sensitive to pH changes. If you are really having swings of .4-.6 in a day, I can't beleive that more haven't died.


Serial324556
 
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:35 am

by Serial324556

I would just switch to r/o water. Then you really don't have to worry about chlorinated water or worry about crappy tap water.
We get it at our local wal*mart for 33 cents a gallon.


miami754
 
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am

by miami754

Actually, I forgot - you have a problem with high pH, not low pH. The Amquel problems result in a downward spike in pH if you have poor buffering capacity. Sorry for the error. I still am not one who likes to add alot of stuff to the water. It makes everything more complicated when figuring out how the different compounds are interacting. I just add dechlorinator and use petrified coral to raise the pH. Nothing else is done to the water.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

So, to get this stuff out of my water ASAP, and hopefully calm my pH, do I quickly change 25% right now and use only a dechlorinator? It's like my crystal clear water is poison right now, and I can't stand the thought of that.


miami754
 
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am

by miami754

Do you have any carbon in the tank. I think I read somewhere that it will remove any excess Amquel and such. Put some new carbon in there if you can. When was the last time you did a water change and what is the pH of your tap water right out of the tap? I wouldn't want you stressing the fish out even more by changing the pH again.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

I just read the article about feeding freshwater fish, and I'm now thinking that I'm seriously underfeeding. Could the other fish have simply decided that these fish were dinner? There wasn't much left of them, and they were healthy-looking Black Neon Tetras just this morning. I almost didn't find one there was so little left of him.

I'm embarassed to say that I hadn't checked out the "Articles" section here, but it is fantastic. What a resource. I will be reading more!

Zambize


miami754
 
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am

by miami754

How much were you feeding them? Fish need suprisingly little food. Their stomachs are about the size of their eyes for most community fish so you can imagine how much food they need.

OMG, two fish die in one afternoon! Help!

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