All New Fish Are Dying! Red Rash. Upside Down. Only 3 Days

[TrojanHawk]

Dear Everyone!!,

I have a 55 gallon tank that stays around 78-82 degrees on average.
My Current Water Quality:
Ph: 8.5
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrate: 2.5ppm
Nitrate 0ppm

A 5 days ago I went to aquarium city in canoga park California. I brought a water sample and intended on buying some fish. Earlier that week, I went to another store where they tested my water and said they wouldn't sell me a fish cause my quality was bad. So I did a water change and a couple days later went to aquarium city. I had them test my water and they recommended I change my water after three days of introducing the new fish. I asked the guy if he thought it would be stupid to buy them and have them die because one was a full grown Frontosa that was beautiful and over $40. He sold me two other peacocks for $25 each and he sold me a $6 snow leopard catfish.

After introducing these fish to my tank they seemed entirely happy. However, after the second day the peacock was upside down and his normal green coat was red and it confused me with the other rainbow peacock. My frontosa didn't look good. I immediately changed the water. The water had a low Ph at around 7.4 or so and the Nitrates were a little high. We did a 40% water change. Since this my Ph has risnen dramatically over the past days. Indicating my tap water is high in Ph. So on the third day I returned with my first dead fish and new water sample. He refunded me the fish for a Bichir and said that my water seemed good enough to put him in.

However, by the time I returned to my tank the Frontosa and other peacock and the leopard catfish had died. Now after two days of having the Bichir he is getting the same red rash on the back tail and he is not moving around much and showing similar signs. What do I need to do to save him and what can I do to make my water better so I can continue putting fish in my awesome tank.


Current Survivors

Bichir (dying)
Frontosa
Gobi
Convict
Catfish
Green Spotted Puffer and Malawi Cichlid

 

[karin]

First, what are your nitrItes not nitrAtes. Any ammonia and nitrites are going to cause death. With those fish, especially how expensive they are, you should be investing in your own liquid test kit. Most of us here use the API Master Test Kit.

How long has this tank been set up? What is the Ph of your tap water? Is there a chance that this tank is cycling? Is it newly set up? If not, did you change anything in the filter? Any gravel changes?

With Ammonia at anything other than 0 indicates a water quality problem.

 

[jpeterson]

You tank is not cycled! You will have to carry out water changes every day of around 25-50% to keep the ammonia and nitrites down! Make sure you keep testing the water. When ammonia is going within 24 hours start checking the water every 12 hours(still carrying out the water changes), once the ammonia is going to 0ppm and stopping along with nitrites you tank is cycled! Have a look here.... http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306

Also make sure you have plenty of oxygen getting into the tank, and also try getting some live plants to keep the nitrates down!

Don't get anymore fish untill its cycled. Make a post in the newbie area posting your test results every day and im sure waterdrop will help you along the way with any problems you might face!