2 lemon tetras dead in 24hrs no obvious signs

[R84achey]

I’m so confused right now & sad right now. I’ve had 2 lemon tetras die in 24 hours. I’ve obviously removed them and there’s no obvious signs of illness or injuries. My parameters are ph 7 ammonia zero, nitrite zero and nitrates in the 5-10 range. I’ve had the tank set up around 2 months now, it was fully cycled before adding the fish. I’ve not added anything new to the tank other than a fluval spray bar to help with water distribution. Stocking is currently 4 lemon tetras (was 6), 12 cherry barbs, 6 cardinal tetras and 3 honey gouramis. They’re in 180l tank. I do weekly water changes with one due today. Im
Just at a loss at what it could be? Everyone seems to be behaving normally.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Were these fish at the surface before they passed?do you have a bubbler?spray bars distribute the water more,but also weaken the flow.probably nothing to do with it,but it’s always a chance.
Sometimes we look too much into something like this because we are upset at losing them,you know “there must be something wrong”.sometimes fish just don’t make it.They can already be stressed before we purchase them.
What will go will go and things will settle down and the ones that remain will be with you for their entire life.
Put it this way,if you bought 6 kittens and one passed,you wouldn’t immediately think something was wrong with your house,you would say there was something wrong with that particular kitten.sorry for describing it in a morbid way,but you get the gist of it.

 

[R84achey]

Were these fish at the surface before they passed?do you have a bubbler?spray bars distribute the water more,but also weaken the flow.probably nothing to do with it,but it’s always a chance.
Sometimes we look too much into something like this because we are upset at losing them,you know “there must be something wrong”.sometimes fish just don’t make it.They can already be stressed before we purchase them.
What will go will go and things will settle down and the ones that remain will be with you for their entire life.
Put it this way,if you bought 6 kittens and one passed,you wouldn’t immediately think something was wrong with your house,you would say there was something wrong with that particular kitten.sorry for describing it in a morbid way,but you get the gist of it.

Yes I get that, I just want to make sure no more suffer. I have 2 air stones running at all times and they was no gasping prior to death. They did seem to be singled out though. Of the 4 that’s left 1 of them is the same size as the 2 that died so have a feeling that one will be next the other 3 are much bigger in comparison. Possibly the smaller ones are female

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Yes I get that, I just want to make sure no more suffer. I have 2 air stones running at all times and they was no gasping prior to death. They did seem to be singled out though. Of the 4 that’s left 1 of them is the same size as the 2 that died so have a feeling that one will be next the other 3 are much bigger in comparison. Possibly the smaller ones are female

The females are deeper bodied than the males.check the black line on the anal fin,the males is more pronounced.
possibly the females didn’t appreciate the two others.I will take a chance and say the other one will be ok,as I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t have bullied it at the same time as the other two.
I have 3 tiger barbs that have been getting fin nipped by other fish,and not just by other tiger barbs.The other 4 tiger barbs never get touched.I put this down to hierarchical behaviour in the pack.They deal with things in their own way and there’s nothing that will change that.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Most fish died due to diseases if your water parameters are good.

When did you add the last fish or plants?

 

[Colin_T]

What did you do to the tank 24 hours before the fish died?
Have you added anything to the tank in the last 2 weeks?

Post some pictures of the remaining fish.

 

[R84achey]

What did you do to the tank 24 hours before the fish died?
Have you added anything to the tank in the last 2 weeks?

Post some pictures of the remaining fish.

I will do when I get home. I’ve added nothing new at all barring a fluval spray bar which was 48 hours ago x

 

[R84achey]

I will do when I get home. I’ve added nothing new at all barring a fluval spray bar which was 48 hours ago x

@Colin_T photos below.
Sorry I only have my phone to take photos

 

[R84achey]

More photos. Everyone seems normal, eating etc, no fading of colour? I’m at a loss.

 

[R84achey]

A couple of the lemon tetras

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sometimes, fish just die, with no discernible cause...happens to all of us...don't beat yourself up over it

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Those fish are healthy,the anal fins have a vibrant yellow and the top half of the iris on all four have that lovely red colour,but if they start to lose that red in their eyes then there’s something wrong.Colours fading are often the first indications of disease in a lot of fish,especially ones with red eyes.
Enjoy your fish,they look great.

 

[R84achey]

Those fish are healthy,the anal fins have a vibrant yellow and the top half of the iris on all four have that lovely red colour,but if they start to lose that red in their eyes then there’s something wrong.Colours fading are often the first indications of disease in a lot of fish,especially ones with red eyes.
Enjoy your fish,they look great.

Thanks I’m confident there’s nothing going on in the tank, everyone behaving normally and are still vibrant etc. I suppose it’s just nice to have answers. Especially with 2 passing within 24 hours. It’s making me think it might have been the spray bar as I didn’t rinse it before installing it. That’s the only thing I can come up with. I’ve done a large water change so we’ll see how things go.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

A great way to keep the water clean is by adding some fast growing plants.Three that come to mind are Limnophila sessiliflora,hygrophila polysperma rosanervig and hornwort.
Sessiliflora is one of the nicest plants in the hobby,as it grows in long stems all the way to the surface.Trimming the off shoots will keep them in a single stem fashion which also allows more shoots to grow from the bottom of the plant.
Hornwort will grow very fast from bottom to top too,but it needs to be kept in check by regular trimming(more than sessiliflora)This is a great oxygenating plant.
As well as keeping the water clean(which makes for healthier fish)Both hornwort and sessiliflora are also great at sieving,which makes for crystal clear water,thanks to their whirled leaves.They can both be floated too.
Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig is also a fast grower,but this plant has proper elongated leaves and the top leaves are a pinkish colour with white veins.This plant looks great and offers refuge for the fish.This plant doesn’t have any sense of directional growth and will get as wide as it does tall.
None of these plants have any special requirements apart from light.
Most important of all though,is that they help keep the water and fish healthier.

 

[R84achey]

A great way to keep the water clean is by adding some fast growing plants.Three that come to mind are Limnophila sessiliflora,hygrophila polysperma rosanervig and hornwort.
Sessiliflora is one of the nicest plants in the hobby,as it grows in long stems all the way to the surface.Trimming the off shoots will keep them in a single stem fashion which also allows more shoots to grow from the bottom of the plant.
Hornwort will grow very fast from bottom to top too,but it needs to be kept in check by regular trimming(more than sessiliflora)This is a great oxygenating plant.
As well as keeping the water clean(which makes for healthier fish)Both hornwort and sessiliflora are also great at sieving,which makes for crystal clear water,thanks to their whirled leaves.They can both be floated too.
Hygrophila polysperma rosanervig is also a fast grower,but this plant has proper elongated leaves and the top leaves are a pinkish colour with white veins.This plant looks great and offers refuge for the fish.This plant doesn’t have any sense of directional growth and will get as wide as it does tall.
None of these plants have any special requirements apart from light.
Most important of all though,is that they help keep the water and fish healthier.

Funnily enough I’ve just had a load of plants delivered today. I’ve planted them and added root tabs. I also have liquid tnc complete fertiliser and the liquid carbon. Should I add these on separate days. I also have a large piece of mopani with plants & some stone being delivered on Monday so all the fake stuff is going.