2 Neon Tetras Found Dead This Morning

[resa]

I'm a new VT male betta owner and 2 or 3 days ago I added 8 neon tetras. this morning i wake up and find them dead i'll post pictures of them so you can help me determine what killed them. for the record when i watch my betta he seems to be scared of the tetras and never goes around them when i'm observing them the pictures are to big for me to upload so hopefully its ok for me to upload the link where the pics are....



http/s1308.beta.photobucket.com/user/resa83/library/Tetras

 

[the_lock_man]

OK, carrying on from the chat room, you have made the most common beginners mistake.

The filter in your tank needs to grow to colonies of bacteria to process the ammonia that the fish produce. Read the article in my signature area, it goes into things in a lot more detail, but basically, the fish dies from ammonia poisoning.

 

[phoenixgsd]

without any more details we would be guessing, what are the water stats, tank size, other tank mates, is your tank cycled, how did you cycle it? ive also heard neon tetras often dont do well in new tanks ....apparently

 

[resa]

well why are all the other fish doing ok

i dont know what water stats are but its a 10 gallon tank with now 6 neon tetras 2 algae eater fishies and 1 VT male betta i'm usin a aqua tech 5-15 model filter (walmart) and i'm using a top fin adjustable heater (petsmart) its set at 82 F....cycle? i dont know what that is

 

[fluttermoth]

Some fish, even within the same species, are always going to be more sensitive than others to toxins building up in the water.

Until you can get some test kits (ammonia and nitrite are the important ones for you right now) change nearly all the water (leaving just enough for the fish to swim upright; not forgetting to turn your heater and filter off first!) every day.

Could you post some pics of your 'algae eaters'? They might not be suitable for your tank, as some grow very large indeed, and they can be messy fish, which won't be helping your cycle.

 

[resa]

algae eaters been added to the tetra profile

http/s1308.beta.photobucket.com/user/resa83/library/Tetras

i can't put that little of water in the tank bc of my betta fish....... it'll stress him out...... i'm keeping my tank full of water.....i'm going to use my gravel vacuum tonight ....now between now and tonight is there anythig else i can do for my tank? is there a specific chemical i have to buy for the tank?

 

[the_lock_man]

The ammonia in the water is stressing him much more. And indeed, poisoning him.

Let me make an analogy with your own life. Imagine you were trapped in a room that stank to the ceiling of poo and wee. Not a pleasant experience. Now, what if someone promised you that they would open a window, and let the smell right out, they would make you sit in a car for the 10 minutes that it would take to clear the smell out? Would you say ok, or would you refuse and ask to stay in the smelly room? I think I know the answer.

Obviously you can't have that discussion with your fish, but what do you think is best for him? Being permanently poisoned, or a bit of discomfort for 10 minutes, and then the bliss of not being poisoned?

There aren't any miracle chemicals, all there is is hard work, changing water daily until the filter grows enough bacteria that you don't need to.

I'm sorry if that's not what you want to hear. But in my opinion, and I believe you'll find that the majority of experienced aquarists on this forum will agree with me, it is what is best for the fish.

 

[resa]

gonna take tetras back to store

so are you telling me to just take all fish out and do a 100% change and put them back in and it'll be ok???

 

[the_lock_man]

No, if you re-read what Fluttermoth said, leave just enough water for the fish to swim upright in.

In my analogy, I said make you sit in a car, not a coffin!! ;-)

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Here is how I do water changes.

I turn off my heater and filter, I start siphoning the gravel until the desired amount of water is removed. In your case, remove water until you have left just enough water for your fish to swim, let's say the height of his body plus 1 inch or so. Then, fill your bucket with clean dechlorinated water (try to temperature match it, you can use your tank thermometer) and add it back in until you have filled it all the way up again. Then restart your filter and heater.

Yes, in the beginning, fish don't like this and will swim around frantic and hide... but they do get used to it and it becomes less of a deal. My guppies, for example, follow my siphon around and make it a pain.

 

[the_lock_man]

Here is how I do water changes.

I turn off my heater and filter, I start siphoning the gravel until the desired amount of water is removed. In your case, remove water until you have left just enough water for your fish to swim, let's say the height of his body plus 1 inch or so. Then, fill your bucket with clean dechlorinated water (try to temperature match it, you can use your tank thermometer) and add it back in until you have filled it all the way up again. Then restart your filter and heater.

Yes, in the beginning, fish don't like this and will swim around frantic and hide... but they do get used to it and it becomes less of a deal. My guppies, for example, follow my siphon around and make it a pain.

LOL

Mine are the same, they'll swim up the syphon tube and bang their heads on the grille at the top.

 

[resa]

when i can take the tetras back i am......so once their back do i still need to do what fluttermouth said everyday

 

[fluttermoth]

gonna take tetras back to store

so are you telling me to just take all fish out and do a 100% change and put them back in and it'll be ok???

As the other members have said, you don't want to be taking the fish out to water change; that would stress them out!

It will make everything ok for the moment.

They way it works is this; fish produce ammonia all the time; not just in their pee and poo, but also as a by produce of respiration. When your tank is cycled, you filter bacteria will eat the ammonia turning it first to nitrite, and then to nitrate, which you remove through weekly partial water changes. Until your filter has those good bacteria living in it, the only way to stop the ammonia and nitrite building up and poisoning the fish, is to remove it yourself with large, daily water changes.

I know it seems scary, and you're worried about stressing your fish (some fish shops also confuse the issue, by telling people not to do water changes and to allow the tank to 'stabilse'; that 'advice' is a good 20 years out of date!), but big water changes are your best friend right now, and will be the only thing that will keep your fish alive.

Just make sure the new water is temperature matched (just roughly; a degree or two either way won't hurt) and dechlorinated and your fish will be perfectly alright; it's far better for them to have the small amount of stress that to be living in toxic water, as lock_man has so clearly explained.

Until you can get the water tested, or get your own tests, which would be for the best, then yes, you'll need to change as much water as you can, every day.

 

[resa]

well what im going to do is take the tetras and algae eaters back and then work on just having my betta and cleaning tank until the tank is where it needs to be to be adding fish....

 

[fluttermoth]

Best thing you can do is get your own test kits for ammonia and nitrite. There's no way of knowing, without testing, whether your water is 'good', or whether your filter is cycled.