3 Deaths In The Last 2 Days, Help!

[jessynut]

For Christmas I got a Fluval spec tank (7.6L) and in it I got a male siamese fighting fish and 4 tiny sparkling gouramis. Within the first two weeks of buying them, the sparkling gouramis slowly all died, so this sunday just gone I decided to replace them with 4 rummynose tetras, and in the last 2 days 3 of them have died, I only have 1 left!!
Any ideas what I may be doing wrong? I don't have any water test kits or anything like that.

 

[andy_gtfc]

You will probably have the same problem that I have had. Check out this thread as your filter will probably not be mature yet

 

[the_lock_man]

You will probably have the same problem that I have had. Check out this thread as your filter will probably not be mature yet

Seems that way to me, and sorry to say, that aquarium, lovely though it is, is far too small to comfortably keep fish in. Once the filter is mature (see the link in my signature area for info on your situation), you might get away with a single fighter in, but I personally wouldn't recommend it. Probably a better idea would be 2 or 3 male endlers. Best idea is a planted tank with a colony of red cherry shrimp.

 

[Sanctuary80808]

For Christmas I got a Fluval spec tank (7.6L) and in it I got a male siamese fighting fish and 4 tiny sparkling gouramis. Within the first two weeks of buying them, the sparkling gouramis slowly all died, so this sunday just gone I decided to replace them with 4 rummynose tetras, and in the last 2 days 3 of them have died, I only have 1 left!!
Any ideas what I may be doing wrong? I don't have any water test kits or anything like that.

I get the feeling that you may not have cycled this tank? If you havent,there are great articles on this in the beginners section so please read up on "fishless cycling".

As for why your fish died there are a number of reasons. If you havent cycled as mentioned above then you would have exposed the fish to high levels of ammonia (created via fish waste) which would have killed the fish. Also, a 7.6l tank is not big enough for ANY fish, especially rummynose tetra! (they are very active swimmers) Even one male siamese fighter needs a 20 litre tank minimum just for himself, a larger tank is required if you wish to keep a siamese fighter with other fish. Also, sparkling gouramis cannot be housed with siamese fighters as they are both anabatoides (meaning they both can breathe from the surface), this means they will fight and kill one another.

I'm sorry to throw so much information at you at one time for the health of your fish and your own peace of mind i would recommend you move all of those fish into larger aquariums (keeping the betta/sparkling gouramis in seperate aquariums) or return them to a fish shop.

As for future stocking of that aquarium in particular only dwarf shrimp (cherry shrimp etc) are appropriate. I would think having 5 cherry shrimp and some live plants would make that tank look very nice best of luck

 

[jessynut]

Thanks guys, that's really helpful- I have this thing called Filter start that I got with my main tank, will that be good for my problem? It says it adds essential bacteria.

 

[afremont]

Thanks guys, that's really helpful- I have this thing called Filter start that I got with my main tank, will that be good for my problem? It says it adds essential bacteria.

It probably won't hurt, but the first thing you need to do is change all the water so that the fish will feel better. Be sure that you use some type of dechlorinator in the water. The betta has lived thru this because he is much more durable to the effects of ammonia and nitrItes than the gouramis. He's not happy though. Get a test kit so that you can monitor your ammonia and nitrIte levels while the tank cycles. Don't buy any more fish, the betta will suffice for cycling the tank.