3 Deaths In 3 Days - What's Going On?!

[baz_78]

OK, story is I've a well stocked 15G tank which has been going for 11 months with only a few deaths (most were from my inexperience/lack of knowledge at the start)

However, over the last 3 days I've lost 2 Glowlight tetras and a Zebra Danio - one each day. Obviously I don't want to lose any more fish.

None of the dead fish showed any visual signs of disease, however the Danio had been off its food and one of the Tetras was swimming tail up/head down shortly before it passed away.

I've done a 50% water change and will do a smaller change tonight but any odeas on what the problem could be? I'll take stats tonight before the water change.

Cheers

 

[Medionsaturn]

Can't do much with no water stats but if the fish have been off food or swimming tail-up head-down then that's not a good sign.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

with no symptoms or stats it's pretty hard to tell.

if they're struggling to swim and hold themselves right in the water, this could be swimbladder problems which they can either be born with or develop due to poor water conditions or stress. unfortunately with swimbladder by the time you see the symptoms it's more often that not too late to treat it and euthanasia is often the best way forward

all I can suggest is get your water stats asap, keep a very close eye on them and do a water change. I'd advise adding salt is this is a pretty good cure all, but as you have cories it could do more harm than good as it can kill them. And without knowing what it is that's wrong I can't say weather the whole tank would need treating or if it's OK to take the cories out and put them in a spare tank and treat the rest of the tank or not.

 

[baz_78]

OK - unfortunately a sad update to this thread...

I lost another danio over the weekend and tested my water before doing a water change, results were:

Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
PH - 8-9
NitrAtes - 75mg/l (was 2nd highest measurement on the scale!)

Everything seems fine apart from the NitrAtes so what is the problem and the solution?!!

Forgot to add - still no symptoms from the fish in any way...

 

[yzho105]

i am a newbie my self, so i cant offer you any specific remedy.

however, the most obvious thing to me is that ur PH is too high ( too much toward the alkaline).

normally its around 7. for tetras probably 6.5. So 8-9 is too HIGH. i've heard PH is one of the vital issues.

hope that will help.

 

[catxx]

that is a pretty steep PH, even for here! (i'm a londoner too)

do you have bogwood in your tank? i've got big lumps in each of mine, it helps soften it a little.

what else do you have in your tank? fish & decor/substrate wise.

if the fish have been living in a ph of 8+ for those full 11 months, it could just be their time, they've succumbed! OR an internal thing, OR swimbladder. I've had 2 of my endlers do the head down tail up thing recently, i had to put them out of their misery.

 

[baz_78]

From what I read i thought specific Ph levels were not essential for fish (although certain ones preferable). I also thought it was not advisable to 'mess around' with Ph levels as it is difficult to get consistency around water changes...

If I need to change the Ph in the long term, how is best to go about this or are there any suggestions on fish that thrive in Ph levels this high? I ask about other fish as I'm considering changing my stock list anyway...

Catxx - I don't have any bogwood in my tank, just a couple of plants, gravel and a log ornament.

Is the high level of nitrAtes a problem?

Cheers.

 

[catxx]

fish that like high PH are malawi cichlids, pretty guys, check out the cichlid forum for more information. for a 15 gallon you could try a smaller species such as the Shelldwellers, they're cute!

bogwood only softens a little, not enough to really mess with pH, it's worked for me so far, also make sure all fish you buy were spawned in London/South East water, i've had no luck with fish brought in from elsewhere in the UK, they've died off pretty quick on me.

nitrates, where they still the same after a water change? the shouldn't be that high you're right, but i'm not a nitrate expert.

 

[Callum]

those nitrates are very high im not sure but ive heard anything over 50 is lethal it could be the nitrates more than the ph although that is quite steep to. to lower nitrates more waterchanges may be neccesary and do you have crushed coral sand in your tank or a limestone rock ? also wood will help as long as your KH isnt very high. however i suggest you steer clear of chemicals to adjust ph there more trouble than there worth.

 

[mark.w.jones]

Whats's the pH of your water as it comes out of the tap?

That'll show if it's your tank condition pushing it higher. You are correct to say that many fish are fairly tolerant of pH, especially danios so it seems strange that they are suddenly dying so quickly.

Are you using a liquid test kit for your results?

Theyre far more accurate.

Your nitrate levels are a bit high which usually indicates overstocking, over feeding or maybe not maintaining well enough