Fish keep dying on me

[dvdlard]

Hi,

I've recently purchased a new large tank (2 Months). The tank measures approx 40cmx120cmx43cm. When I first started the tank the only fish in there was a rather large Shebunkin who I've had for a few years and seems to be indestructable. However every attempt I make to introduce new fish, they always die within a week ot two.

I've started testing my water and the PH in the tank is betwen 8.5 and 9.0, the PH of my tapwater is exactly the same. The Nitrate in the tank is also very high, somewhere between 75-100 mg/litre. Ive tried doing a 50% water change but the nitrate level hasn't dropped.

Anyone have any suggestions of where I go from here, I'm assuming the Nitrate level needs to come down, but do I also need to do something to drop the PH of my tapwater.

Thanks

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Have you got your reading for ammonia & nitrItes to hand?

Also what kind of fish have you been adding to the tank?

 

[dvdlard]

The Ammonia was around 0.1 mg/litre and the nitrite was pretty much 0 mg/litre.

The fish I've tried are male Guppies, Harlequins, Clown Loach and some Neon Tetras. The Harlequins lasted the longest of all the fish. The Shebunkin still seems pretty healthy and strong.

 

[dvdlard]

Not sure if any of this helps but from the volume converter on the mains site, I'd say the tank is about 45 Gallons and at the moment I don't have any live plants in there. Would they help to control the Nitrate level.

 

[CFC]

Forgive me for asking but you do have a heater in the tank dont you?

Shebunkins are coldwater fish and the rest are tropicals.

 

[dvdlard]

I had a fairly long conversation about that vey subject with the guy at the local fish stockist. He assured me that the Shebunkin would be perfectly fine in a tank with a heater. The temp in the tank at this moment is around 25 Centigrade.

 

[gadazobe]

Plants will help with the nitrate problem. Do your fish die or disappear? If they disappear, they might be supper for your shubunkin

 

[dvdlard]

I think a few of the Neons went that way as he is a pretty big Subunkin, he's about 5 inches head to tail. I would always find bodies for the rest of them though. They all appear to be disease free when they die as well.

I've done another 50% water change today, so I'll do another Nitrate test. I'm more concerned about the high PH of my tapwater though. Should I be trying to reduce it or is it not a problem?

 

[CFC]

Oops sorry didnt see that ) ,your PH is way to high for normal tropical fish,most prefer a PH in the region of 6.5-7.5.With a PH that high i would recomend giving up on keeping normal tropical fish and go with some African cichlids which prefer a higher PH,trying to alter the PH of tapwater is difficult though not impossible but the real problem would that when you do water changes you would just be pushing the PH back up with the freshwater.Another alternative would be to use RO water which you can buy from good fish stores,it has a neutral PH and can be altered by the addition of minerals to suit the requirements of your fish but this gets expensive with larger tanks.

 

[dvdlard]

I was worried someone was going to say something like that.

I've read that cichlids are only community with other cichlids , does that mean that the Shubunkin would have to go?

 

[CFC]

That would be the problem,yes the shubunkin would have to live elsewhere,African cichlids are quite to very aggressive and the shubunkin would get torn up in no time.You are correct when you say that AC's should only be kept with other AC's but you would be able to add some synodontis catfishes which come from the same area as they have evolved alongside the cichlids and are used to dealing with them.

 

[dvdlard]

Thanks for the info, I guess this gives me an excuse for getting a small tank in the study to keep the Shubunkin in

 

[Jamnog]

cfc i have a question that might fit in here just as well as starting a new topic. i was looking for a replacement for my irridecant shark (wich as i have allready thanks to the boards i am taking to a reputable fish stockist). i found something that looks just like it only with long whiskers at one of my favorite websites Plannet Catfish as you will probably know ive got a 135 litre tank and decideing on stocking it was thinking if i went for cichlids and a cat would this be a wise fish choise or another one of my hairy messups?

 

[CFC]

Sorry jamnog but youve picked one that you cant have (at the moment) again,shark cats not only grow too large for a 135L but need a increacing ammount of salt added to the tank as they grow until eventually going into a full marine set up,the fish are migatory in the wild and adults only enter FW to spawn.They are best kept with fish that have similar needs such as Scats and Monos.
What cichlids are you planning on getting?Synodontis catfish are the best tankmates for cichlids as their lifestyles and armour suit living with them but if you are going with smaller non aggressive species then many of the medium sized southamerican pimeloids and callichyide catfishes would be OK.

 

[Jamnog]

i really kinda had my heart set on a shark that wasnt a red tail there where two types of cichlids that i was looking at getting to go with that one wich i wont be getting now and those where firemouths and another sort that i cant remebr the name of atm but will let you know when i go to the lfs next. i might not get a cat to go with the cichlids if it comes to it as i allready have the oto alge eater. also im only planning on getting 4 or 5 actual fish in terms of cichlids posibly 2 or 3 cichlids and maybee 2 of the other sort but im going to see if they are the sort that might get along. they come from the same lake but not neccasarily the same part of the lake. or at least i think so... thanks for you help cfc