Fish Dying Flat Out

[zola]

Hi,

In the past two weeks I have had the following deaths: 3 mollies, 2 platys, 2 neon tetras, 1
Danio.

I am left with 2 mollies, 2 tetras and 1 danio.

I did a fish in cycle ahout 6 months ago.... Took time but the tank has been cycled for a few months now and was going good until I added the mollies.

I have cleaned the filter out twice now. It was soo dirty!

Ammonia has crept back into the tank every couple of days after many gravel cleans and water changes.

I am confident I have over fed and created problems.

The tank has relaxed now (I hope) and deaths has stopped.

I did a water reading tonight and got these results...

Is the nitrate reading crazy? Normally its a nice orange.

I had a healthy and full tank until I added the 5 mollies.

 

[squeeky_jane]

It might be better if you have the charts beside your tests as different kits have different result. But I think something is wrong in your picture.....I would like to ask how you cleaned your filters, may sound daft but there is a correct method to do so.

I hoping you know this but always clean your filter with water you have taken out the tank as tap water will kill the bacteria that breaks down the waste!

 

[XeroTolerance]

I agree with squeeky. There is a proper way to clean the filters. Also when doing a fish-in cycle your bio-filter is just strong enough to hold the fish you currently have in it. That's why after a fish-is cycle you want to gradually stock to your full stocking plan. I think adding two mollies did you in. I also think if you cleaned your filter the wrong way that just worsened it. If I were you I would've added one molly than wait a week while at the same time testing regularly. If all the stats are fine, go ahead and add another molly.

Hope this helped in anyway.

 

[Fishy friend2]

yeah this is a good thing to know i only recently learned that you aren't supposed to clean it with tap water or else it will kill the bacteria

 

[XeroTolerance]

Did you clean it with tap water?

 

[Fishy friend2]

i did once

 

[XeroTolerance]

That could be it...

 

[Fishy friend2]

i dont remember if my fish died but i think my last remaining fry died

i not 100 percent sure i think thats when it died though

 

[Caprichoso]

Hi,

In the past two weeks I have had the following deaths: 3 mollies, 2 platys, 2 neon tetras, 1
Danio.

I am left with 2 mollies, 2 tetras and 1 danio.

I did a fish in cycle ahout 6 months ago.... Took time but the tank has been cycled for a few months now and was going good until I added the mollies.

I have cleaned the filter out twice now. It was soo dirty!

Ammonia has crept back into the tank every couple of days after many gravel cleans and water changes.

I am confident I have over fed and created problems.

The tank has relaxed now (I hope) and deaths has stopped.

I did a water reading tonight and got these results...

Is the nitrate reading crazy? Normally its a nice orange.

I had a healthy and full tank until I added the 5 mollies.

How big is your tank zola?

 

[zola]

Hi guys 60 L - 2 feet x 1 foot:

I took filter pads out and rinsed them in a bucket of old tank water.

I used to take out bout 40% once a week. A guy who cleans our tank in work reckons I have been taking too much water out and flushing out the good bacteria!!

I squeezed the filter pads a few times in the old water and put the filter back together

 

[fluttermoth]

You can't take out too much water (unless you don't leave enough for the fish to swim in!). All the bacteria live in your filter, not lose in the water.

 

[Tizer]

Your ammonia and nitrAte readings look ok, but what about the nitrIte reading?

(dont panic about nitrAte, its very rare for it to get stupidly high and toxic, especially with a good routine for changing water)

Sounds like you cleaned the filter out ok.

I always test for nitrite after a filter clean, for some reason my internal filter has a bit of a relapse for a day or two.