I set up a new 60l biorb and left it 8 days before putting in 3 guppies and 8 days later 9 tetras (on the shop's advice), one guppy had died prior to my adding the tetras, and another on the day I added the tetras and the other guppy followed in the next two or three days. After 3 - 4 days the tetras started dying too.
Someone told me that the first fish are "sacrificial fish," and that I could expect them to die in short order because they were setting up the bacteria, so I half expected it, but not for it to continue like this.
When there were 4 tetras left (out of 9), I added 3 molly's (the shop kindly gave me replacements for the 3 guppies), having been told that they are hardy fish. Two of them are now dead too. The last molly - a white one spent 2 days drifting vertically at the top and had a red area on her tail which wasn't there before. 2 of the guppies also did this before dying, the tetras did not. One of the 3 molly's hid a lot, only coming out at feeding time and late at night. The black one just seemed to go from perfectly fine to dead - no floating in the bubbles.
All seemed perfectly fine for a few days with all of the fish, then they started living in the bubbles at the top of the tank, bubbles formed/stuck to their bodies.
Two different shops checked the water before I added the 3 molly's and they said that there was a small amount of ammonia, but otherwise it was okay, not enough of anything to cause the fish to die. I did a partial water change as soon as I got home, and have
changed approx' 6 - 7l of water each week and dechlorinated it. The last partial water change was yesterday.
I fed them once a day on flakes, the water temperature is a constant 25.4 deg' with no living plants in the tank.
The biorb is new, but the volcano and some plants are second hand.
I can't begin to tell you how upset I am. I never expected to become so attached to them, and so quickly. All 15 fishes have now died and I am at a loss as to what to do.
Thank you for your help, it is most appreciated.
Someone told me that the first fish are "sacrificial fish," and that I could expect them to die in short order because they were setting up the bacteria, so I half expected it, but not for it to continue like this.
When there were 4 tetras left (out of 9), I added 3 molly's (the shop kindly gave me replacements for the 3 guppies), having been told that they are hardy fish. Two of them are now dead too. The last molly - a white one spent 2 days drifting vertically at the top and had a red area on her tail which wasn't there before. 2 of the guppies also did this before dying, the tetras did not. One of the 3 molly's hid a lot, only coming out at feeding time and late at night. The black one just seemed to go from perfectly fine to dead - no floating in the bubbles.
All seemed perfectly fine for a few days with all of the fish, then they started living in the bubbles at the top of the tank, bubbles formed/stuck to their bodies.
Two different shops checked the water before I added the 3 molly's and they said that there was a small amount of ammonia, but otherwise it was okay, not enough of anything to cause the fish to die. I did a partial water change as soon as I got home, and have
changed approx' 6 - 7l of water each week and dechlorinated it. The last partial water change was yesterday.
I fed them once a day on flakes, the water temperature is a constant 25.4 deg' with no living plants in the tank.
The biorb is new, but the volcano and some plants are second hand.
I can't begin to tell you how upset I am. I never expected to become so attached to them, and so quickly. All 15 fishes have now died and I am at a loss as to what to do.
Thank you for your help, it is most appreciated.
Have a look here, some good reading for new fish keepers http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/ i recommend reading the fishless cycle
