Fish Are Dying

[Chug]

OK, here is the scoop. 26 us gallon tall tank, filter fluval C3,

ammonia is 0, ph was 0, nitrate is ok within color, nitrite is showing below .3

fish are, 1 x angel, big beautiful and healthy,
2 x adult male mollys
1 x female (new to tank 2 weeks ago molly) dieing now!!!!
5 x silver tip tetra healthy and great
5 x neon tetra healthy and great

2 x female guppies new to tank and doing great
1 x common plec great as well

Tank is had fish since sept 1st, went through great fishless cycle prior

2 male guppies were added and within a few days one died during the night, then the other died while watching, observed him swimming to the top, then floating down, again and again. till he died, they didnt know what to do

Now the new female molly, 2 weeks in the tank, and much smaller than the other mollys is now doing the same thing, just clinging to life. Whats going wrong, what needs to be done,
thanks

 

[This Old Spouse]

pH is 0? What kind of test are you using? Your pH can't possibly be zero! And please tell us how you cycled your tank.

First off, do a really large water change. Next, go get yourself a liquid test kit to get some accurate readings. This sounds like ammonia poisoning.

 

[Chug]

using the full water test kit from Nutrafin, when i say ammonia is 0 i mean the results the results color grid range from clear 0.0, and dark yellow 7.3, the results of the water test show no color, meaning 0. water change was done after both guppy deaths also, forgot to mention this.

for the cycle of the tank, a new fluval c3 filter was used with experienced media, tank cycled for 3+ weeks all live plants were added from local fish store at the beginning of cycle, as well as 1 piece of drift wood from LFS, rinsed very well.

Water changes have been done on a regular basis, all nutrfin chemicals, waste assistance, and tap water conditioner have been added as per instructions on bottles on a constant basis as well

 

[This Old Spouse]

Okay, so your ammonia is zero, but you're showing some nitrite, which is just as bad. And still, youre pH can't be zero. It should be somewhere between, say, 6.0 and 8.5, hopefully somewhere in the 7.x range.

How did you cycle the tank during that 3 weeks? Did you dose with ammonia?

The other thing I wonder is if something could have been wrong with these new fish before you brought them home. Did you quarantine them before adding them to the main tank?

 

[This Old Spouse]

Okay, so your ammonia is zero, but you're showing some nitrite, which is just as bad. And still, youre pH can't be zero. It should be somewhere between, say, 6.0 and 8.5, hopefully somewhere in the 7.x range.

How did you cycle the tank during that 3 weeks? Did you dose with ammonia?

The other thing I wonder is if something could have been wrong with these new fish before you brought them home. Did you quarantine them before adding them to the main tank?

 

[Chug]

Okay, so your ammonia is zero, but you're showing some nitrite, which is just as bad. And still, youre pH can't be zero. It should be somewhere between, say, 6.0 and 8.5, hopefully somewhere in the 7.x range.

How did you cycle the tank during that 3 weeks? Did you dose with ammonia?

The other thing I wonder is if something could have been wrong with these new fish before you brought them home. Did you quarantine them before adding them to the main tank?

it was dosed with ammonia from LFS, and fish were not added till all levels were good.

How do i take care of nitrite level?

Okay, so your ammonia is zero, but you're showing some nitrite, which is just as bad. And still, youre pH can't be zero. It should be somewhere between, say, 6.0 and 8.5, hopefully somewhere in the 7.x range.

How did you cycle the tank during that 3 weeks? Did you dose with ammonia?

The other thing I wonder is if something could have been wrong with these new fish before you brought them home. Did you quarantine them before adding them to the main tank?

it was dosed with ammonia from LFS, and fish were not added till all levels were good.

How do i take care of nitrite level?

this is the test kit they are using to test the levels

http/www.yorkshireaquatics.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_34&products_id=66046

 

[ripil]

if it was something to do with the water wouldn't the neon tetras be the first to show signs? mine alway used to go pale in colour. i'd say its something wrong with the fish IMO. also it might be your male to female ratio. the two males would just harass her to death trying to mate.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Okay, so your ammonia is zero, but you're showing some nitrite, which is just as bad. And still, youre pH can't be zero. It should be somewhere between, say, 6.0 and 8.5, hopefully somewhere in the 7.x range.

How did you cycle the tank during that 3 weeks? Did you dose with ammonia?

The other thing I wonder is if something could have been wrong with these new fish before you brought them home. Did you quarantine them before adding them to the main tank?

it was dosed with ammonia from LFS, and fish were not added till all levels were good.

How do i take care of nitrite level?

Okay, so your ammonia is zero, but you're showing some nitrite, which is just as bad. And still, youre pH can't be zero. It should be somewhere between, say, 6.0 and 8.5, hopefully somewhere in the 7.x range.

How did you cycle the tank during that 3 weeks? Did you dose with ammonia?

The other thing I wonder is if something could have been wrong with these new fish before you brought them home. Did you quarantine them before adding them to the main tank?

it was dosed with ammonia from LFS, and fish were not added till all levels were good.

How do i take care of nitrite level?

this is the test kit they are using to test the levels

http/www.yorkshireaquatics.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_34&products_id=66046

Your nitrite should be handled by your cycled filter media. Check your pH level both on your tank and your tap water.

 

[pkppv]

Im inclined to think they were unhealthy from the store, because ive brought fish home and have had them die in quarantine in a matter of days. Its very possible, some pet stores really let their fish get pretty sick

 

[ripil]

+1. most pet shops staff shouldn't be allowed to go near water let alone advise on fish. my favourite quote "rams are cichlids from america so grow quite big and would be fine with oscars and other cichlids from that area" the rams were apistogram ramirezis. sorry about the spelling there.

 

[karin]

If ammonia and nitrite were both at zeros fro 7 days, then you added fish and now you have a spike in nitrite, then you have to test your water daily and do large enough water changes until the double 0s show. That is really all you can do now. Also test your pH again just to make certain it is in a good range. You reported a pH of 0 which would be like an acid bath. Unlikely.

Anyway good luck.

 

[the_lock_man]

My initial thoughts would be ammonia poisoning as well. One thing that makes me wonder is this "ammonia from the LFS" - I have never seen a LFS with ammonia for sale. I have seen many LFSs with "Instant Cycling" products which many people believe are useless, and which may or may not have ammonia in. I worry that those 3+ weeks of cycling may not have been cycling at all.

The other possible problem is that the fish seem to be dying very soon after being added to the tank - it could be that you aren't acclimatising them sufficiently (I take nearly 2 hours to acclimatise my new fish).

As Spouse and other said, your pH cannot be 0 - that's about the pH level of lead-battery acid. Vinegar usually has a pH of about 2.0. This makes me question the validity of the other readings.

 

[This Old Spouse]

+1 Expertly said.

 

[colleen0309]

Please, what is your pH? I'm sorry if it seems like we are harping about the pH, but a 0 for pH is wrong. If the test kit is showing 0 for pH, then it may be giving the wrong ammonia and nitrite readings also. As I see it, the guppies could be because of bad stock, nitrite, or ammonia poisoning. The molly could be those factors or harassing by the males. We need accurate readings if we are going to be able to steer you in the right direction.

 

[mark4785]

if it was something to do with the water wouldn't the neon tetras be the first to show signs? mine alway used to go pale in colour. i'd say its something wrong with the fish IMO. also it might be your male to female ratio. the two males would just harass her to death trying to mate.

I can vouche that if they are black neon tetras, they are usually the last (if at all) to show signs of illness induced by environmental problems. I have heard of other Neons that are much more sensitive however.