Am I Missing Something Basic?

[timmystood]

OK, i've been keeping African cichlids for about a month now in a 150UK Gallon tank. I originally got 14 of them (not all at the same time) and in that month i've had 2 die and now another one is looking like it's knocking on death's door

As with all my tanks nitrIte and Ammonia etc. is under control at 0, pH is about 8 Many of you would have seen the pictures of my cichlid tank so would know that it is a natural looking tank so it can't be that either? I'm struggling to understand why i've lost 3 (soon the be the case) in a month

Also, as you may remember from my previous posts I put my pride and joy (L001 Plec) into the cichlid tank and I haven't seen him for about 5 days so hopefully he's not died

I just don't understand the cause for their deaths, no chemicals have got into their tank etc. and if so it would have killed all the fish?
I'm confused...

Any suggestions or help is very very very much appreciated
TIMMYSTOOD

 

[Nick Sw]

Timmy how did your fish die ? Any symptoms ? External Damage ?
I know you said your Nitritres were skyrocketing earlier in the week which are harmful I`m sure that didin`t help.
I`m not sure that Plec would be compatible with Mbuna maybe someone can confirm that ?
Maybe the fish were ill before you bought them ?
Did you scrub and boil the rocks before placing them in the Tank ?

 

[timmystood]

The fish lay on the bottom of the tanks for a few days, really unactive, they even let me touch them, they occassionally move then they just die

The NitrItes did spike but that's now under-control and two of the fish died before this spike (granted, this third death could be due to the nitrite, although the other fish seem fine)

The plec has been getting on ok with the cichlids and I had no choice but to put him in the big tank. Again, the other two fish died before his introduction and him being put in the tank wouldn't kill fish surely?

It's possible the fish we're ill when I got them but all the other fish seem healthy and fine and also there's a regular interval to their deaths rather than all in one go... one fish died within 2 weeks of tank being set-up, then the second died and week later... then's there's been a 2 week gap before this latest fish has fallen ill.

I washed all the rocks before putting them in tank (didn't boil though) and again, the first of the 3 deaths was prior to the rocks being put in the tank, also the other Mbuna are fine with the rocks (they show no ill-effects)

I'm really stumped

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i don't have much to add except to tell you to not worry about the high pH. most of the Rift Lake cichlids' natural environment has a pH of 8.4

 

[Boids-n-more]

I need a little clarification , has the tank been up and running for a week ? Did you do a fishless cycle or a fish cycle. The reason i ask is i can't see a tank being mature in a month if its a new set up. you might want to double check your test kit and take a water sample down to your lfs and have them test your water and see if the readings match. if they do i'm stumped , if they don't match you can chuck your kit or play it safe and hit another lfs to triple check. Also have you put any live food in the tank lately , you might have some hidden carcuses some where just poluting your water.

 

[Nick Sw]

One guess is it`s the exposure to the High Nitrites some fish being stronger than others and being able to cope for longer with the weaker fish biting the bullet first.

I remember a member called dthoffsett having a very similar problem and it turned out to be an internal bacterial infection I think.

Have a look at his threads and see if it sounds similar

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=149463&hl=

Just the 2nd last post on this one.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=149456&st=32

Failing that try posting in the Emergency Section but make sure you fill in the form (I think it`s a sticky at the top of the page) completely.

 

[timmystood]

pica_nuttalli - i'm not worried about the pH, 8 is fine and if it was the pH then surely it would affect all the cichlids at the same time?

Boids-n-more - the tank was already cycled when I got it, it's been running for over 2 years, I simply transferred it about 10 minutes up the road to my house (I didn't take the fish in it, I got my own).

Nick SW - The high nitrites would only be responsible for this latest fish illness. However, the internal bacteria infection could be possible, but surely it would kill all fish at the same time?
I'll post in the Emergency section and see what they come up with.

Thanks Guys

 

[adambrum]

how long was the filter off for ie from the time it was switched off the tank emptyed moved refilled and the filter put back in and switched on, was the water from the old tank ?

Sounds as if your filter bacteria may have died off.

 

[timmystood]

how long was the filter off for ie from the time it was switched off the tank emptyed moved refilled and the filter put back in and switched on, was the water from the old tank ?

Sounds as if your filter bacteria may have died off.

Nope - it was off for about 20 minutes at most and Ammonia etc. was fine for the first 3 weeks, then a power cut caused a little spike but that's under control and 2 of the death's happened before the spike

 

[dthoffsett]

I remember a member called dthoffsett having a very similar problem and it turned out to be an internal bacterial infection I think

It very well might be a bacterial infection like I had. It started out similar to yours then I had a massive die off. There were no typical symptoms of a bacterial infection, but Wilder managed to find some info on a common bacteria that kills fish, mine just happended to be the most virulent form that I wasn't able to find any information on how its contracted. I had the fish for 6 weeks and fishless cycled before that, never had an ammonia or nitrite spike of any kind, still don't know how I got it. Fortunately 13 fish survived (lost 10), and they're fine today.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it is to see your fish die and have no clue why.


Oh, and Nick, I'm a girl.

 

[Nick Sw]

Oh, and Nick, I'm a girl.

A girl I`m sorry ! I don`t know why I made that presumption.

 

[jayjay]

The nitrite spike is a possible option as is the internal bacterial infection, internal worms? Another idea is something on the rocks like iron, though it probably would kill all your fish not just the few that died. Though it may just of killed the weaker ones.