Unexplained deaths

[princess43]

Hi everybody. I'm new to fishkeeping, just 4 months. I have two tanks, one is currently being cycled, but I'm having trouble with the other one. I've had 5 deaths in one week, three mountain cloud minnows and now 2 male guppies. The minnows seemed to go down hill pretty quickly, from being lively to dying in a couple of days. But the guppies just went suddenly. There are no physical signs of illness, and the water has tested okay.
Since the death of the minnows I have been doing daily 10% water changes in the hope that this will help.
The only new things that have been added to the tank are some plants and 5 mickey mouse platties. Although, I did give the fish some live food last week, and the problems started at the same time. All the other fish seem fine at the moment.
Any help and advice would be really appreciated, as I don't want to lose anymore.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Could you post those water parametres for us to look at.

 

[princess43]

I've only tested the ph and ammonia and these are 7.5 and is 0.

 

[Mr Miagi]

And the Mickey mouse platies are still OK?

 

[sunflower]

Any chance of the nitrite and nitrate readings too? If you don thave the test kits for these take a water sample along to your lfs. They should be able to test it for you.

It could be that adding 5 plattys at once has sent your nitrate sky high as they are very good at producing waste!

 

[Phantom Thief]

I doubt it is nitrate levels since white cloud mountain minnows can live in some of the worst water conditions and survive. More likely it is something in the live food. Did all of your fish consume the live food, or only the dead ones ate it?

P.T.

 

[princess43]

I don't really know who ate all the live food. But it's strange how some look really healthy and others not. I also have another guppy now with a sunken belly, although she is feeding and swimming well.

If it was something in the live food, what can I do bar keep changing the water?

 

[Macracantha]

It isn't impossible for there to have been some sort of parasite in the live feed.....be very careful with the source of live feed. I'm not saying this is the course but is one consideration!

 

[nashnutny]

What was the live food???

 

[princess43]

The live food was daphnia, and I did strain them first.

 

[Macracantha]

The live food was daphnia, and I did strain them first.

It isn't uncommon for parasites to 'get in' this way