Fish Keep Dying- Please Help :-(

[Stephanie87]

Hi!!

Just wondering if anyone can offer me some advice.....

I've only recently decided to keep tropical fish, so I'm very new to this all.

My set up is as follows:
28L tank with an internal filter
Thermostat set to 24°C
live plant


The first lot of fish I purchased (5 neon tetras) all died within 2 days. I took a water sample to Pets at Home and I was told that the water quality was fine, so I assumed that the fish must have been poorly before I bought them.

After the tetras died, I did a complete water change, and cycled the tank for about 2 weeks.

A lady from my local aquatic centre gave me a sample of water that she squeezed from her filter sponge, to try help speed things up for me.

I then purchased 2 golden gouramis and did a 10% water change before introducing them into their new home. (I'm currently treating my water with 'Tapsafe'). The second day (yesterday) I noticed that they were swimming close to the surface and gasping for air, so I did a 30-40% water change. I don't think that there is an oxygen problem (as I have a live plant and the filter creates movement on the surface of the water), however, I added a couple of oxygen tablets anyway.

Today, both gouramis are still alive but are resting on the bottom of the tank, not moving. I did another 30% water change today, and added some Stress Zyme to the water (i'm not sure what it does, but Pets at Home recommended it)

Ive not been over feeding them as they have not been eating.
I'm starting to worry that perhaps its a dodgy tank or faulty filter/thermostat.

My pH level is about 7.6. I believe gouramis prefer a slightly more neutral or acidic ph, but I was told that they should be fine anyway and that messing with the pH could have a worse effect on them.

I feel really lost as I dont know what im doing wrong and its awful to watch my fish keep dying!
If anyone can offer me some advice that would be great.

Thanks!!!
Steph x

 

[Jamepsss]

Hi!!

Just wondering if anyone can offer me some advice.....

I've only recently decided to keep tropical fish, so I'm very new to this all.

Hi and welcome, there's some great fishkeepers here who can offer great advice

My set up is as follows:
28L tank with an internal filter
Thermostat set to 24°C
live plant


The first lot of fish I purchased (5 neon tetras) all died within 2 days. I took a water sample to Pets at Home and I was told that the water quality was fine, so I assumed that the fish must have been poorly before I bought them.

Neons don't tend to do well in new set-ups, they aren't the most hardy of tetras and tend to do better in mature tanks (6 months +). Did Pets at Home give you the test results or just say they were fine?

After the tetras died, I did a complete water change, and cycled the tank for about 2 weeks.

What did you use to cycle the tank? You can't really cycle a tank in two weeks from scratch without mature media.

A lady from my local aquatic centre gave me a sample of water that she squeezed from her filter sponge, to try help speed things up for me.

This will help but mature media would help a great deal more.



I then purchased 2 golden gouramis and did a 10% water change before introducing them into their new home. (I'm currently treating my water with 'Tapsafe'). The second day (yesterday) I noticed that they were swimming close to the surface and gasping for air, so I did a 30-40% water change. I don't think that there is an oxygen problem (as I have a live plant and the filter creates movement on the surface of the water), however, I added a couple of oxygen tablets anyway.

Golden Gouramis get pretty big, or are they the small honey gouramis? Sounds like they're suffering from ammonia/nitrite due to uncycled tank.

Today, both gouramis are still alive but are resting on the bottom of the tank, not moving. I did another 30% water change today, and added some Stress Zyme to the water (i'm not sure what it does, but Pets at Home recommended it)

Ive not been over feeding them as they have not been eating.
I'm starting to worry that perhaps its a dodgy tank or faulty filter/thermostat.

I doubt it's an equipment problem. Do you have a thermometer in there?

My pH level is about 7.6. I believe gouramis prefer a slightly more neutral or acidic ph, but I was told that they should be fine anyway and that messing with the pH could have a worse effect on them.

They'll be fine as long as acclimatised slowly and the pH isn't messed around with.

I feel really lost as I dont know what im doing wrong and its awful to watch my fish keep dying!
If anyone can offer me some advice that would be great.

Get an API Liquid test kit! You need to know your water stats so you can see what's going on in there, ammonia and nitrite will kill the fishes pretty quickly. If there's any doubts then water change, 50% at a time. Every day if need be.


Good luck!!

Thanks!!!
Steph x

 

[twodoctors]

I don't think your tank is cycled. You need ammonia to encourage the bacteria to grow. That's what they feed on. So no ammonia, no bacteria growth, no cycle.

If possible bring your fishes back, as the gourami are being poisoned by their own excrement. If that's out of the question then you'll need to do daily water change and keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite, both of which are toxic to fishes.

The tetra died probably because of the above plus they prefer acidic water.

Adrian

 

[Stephanie87]

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it
Pets at home didn't give me the results after i took them a water sample.... they just said it all looking fine- which wasn't very helpful considering all the tetras died that night.
I'm going to buy an API liquid test kit tomorrow. if I find there is an ammonia/nitrate problem, is there anything that I can do to fix it other than daily water changes??
thanks again, fingers crossed for my little gouramis!
x

 

[Aqua Tom]

You need to cycle the aquarium.

 

[Skins]

Hi!!

Just wondering if anyone can offer me some advice.....

I've only recently decided to keep tropical fish, so I'm very new to this all.

Hi and welcome, there's some great fishkeepers here who can offer great advice

My set up is as follows:
28L tank with an internal filter
Thermostat set to 24°C
live plant


The first lot of fish I purchased (5 neon tetras) all died within 2 days. I took a water sample to Pets at Home and I was told that the water quality was fine, so I assumed that the fish must have been poorly before I bought them.

Neons don't tend to do well in new set-ups, they aren't the most hardy of tetras and tend to do better in mature tanks (6 months +). Did Pets at Home give you the test results or just say they were fine?

After the tetras died, I did a complete water change, and cycled the tank for about 2 weeks.

What did you use to cycle the tank? You can't really cycle a tank in two weeks from scratch without mature media.

A lady from my local aquatic centre gave me a sample of water that she squeezed from her filter sponge, to try help speed things up for me.

This will help but mature media would help a great deal more.



I then purchased 2 golden gouramis and did a 10% water change before introducing them into their new home. (I'm currently treating my water with 'Tapsafe'). The second day (yesterday) I noticed that they were swimming close to the surface and gasping for air, so I did a 30-40% water change. I don't think that there is an oxygen problem (as I have a live plant and the filter creates movement on the surface of the water), however, I added a couple of oxygen tablets anyway.

Golden Gouramis get pretty big, or are they the small honey gouramis? Sounds like they're suffering from ammonia/nitrite due to uncycled tank.

Today, both gouramis are still alive but are resting on the bottom of the tank, not moving. I did another 30% water change today, and added some Stress Zyme to the water (i'm not sure what it does, but Pets at Home recommended it)

Ive not been over feeding them as they have not been eating.
I'm starting to worry that perhaps its a dodgy tank or faulty filter/thermostat.

I doubt it's an equipment problem. Do you have a thermometer in there?

My pH level is about 7.6. I believe gouramis prefer a slightly more neutral or acidic ph, but I was told that they should be fine anyway and that messing with the pH could have a worse effect on them.

They'll be fine as long as acclimatised slowly and the pH isn't messed around with.

I feel really lost as I dont know what im doing wrong and its awful to watch my fish keep dying!
If anyone can offer me some advice that would be great.

Get an API Liquid test kit! You need to know your water stats so you can see what's going on in there, ammonia and nitrite will kill the fishes pretty quickly. If there's any doubts then water change, 50% at a time. Every day if need be.


Good luck!!

Thanks!!!
Steph x

Agree

 

[Jamepsss]

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it
Pets at home didn't give me the results after i took them a water sample.... they just said it all looking fine- which wasn't very helpful considering all the tetras died that night.
I'm going to buy an API liquid test kit tomorrow. if I find there is an ammonia/nitrate problem, is there anything that I can do to fix it other than daily water changes??
thanks again, fingers crossed for my little gouramis!
x

Not really, daily water changes will keep the ammonia and nitrites down, they need to be 0 which your filter will take care of once it's cycled. If your water tested after a water cghange then the rsults may well have been 'fine'.

By the way Steph, I'm not sure Gouramis are a good choice for this tank as they breath from the surface of the water.

 

[twodoctors]

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it
Pets at home didn't give me the results after i took them a water sample.... they just said it all looking fine- which wasn't very helpful considering all the tetras died that night.
I'm going to buy an API liquid test kit tomorrow. if I find there is an ammonia/nitrate problem, is there anything that I can do to fix it other than daily water changes??
thanks again, fingers crossed for my little gouramis!
x

Daily water change is only to keep the fishes alive as you do Fish-in cycle. Cruel to the fishes but if you have no choice then you have no choice.

Adrian

 

[Stephanie87]

By the way Steph, I'm not sure Gouramis are a good choice for this tank as they breath from the surface of the water.
[/quote]

what type of tank are they more suited for??

thanks everyone for all your help. Its annoying how pet shops and aquatic centres don't tell you all this beforehand....now my fishes are suffering

I'm going to try get some mature media as well!

xx

 

[Jamepsss]

what type of tank are they more suited for??

thanks everyone for all your help. Its annoying how pet shops and aquatic centres don't tell you all this beforehand....now my fishes are suffering

I'm going to try get some mature media as well!

xx

Oops, just read your first post again. For some reason I thought you had a Fluval Edge tank. Sorry, I've had a few beers today.

 

[MikeO]

I wonder what tests P@H actually did on the water sample.

Probably tested it for ethanol to see if the fish were drunk knowing that place.

 

[Stephanie87]

hii again!!

I bought an API liquid test kid today, and my results were as follows (results taken BEFORE 30% water change)
ammonia: 0.25ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 5.0ppm

My gouramis are both still alive and one of them seems to be doing much better, so fingers crossed.

x

what type of tank are they more suited for??

thanks everyone for all your help. Its annoying how pet shops and aquatic centres don't tell you all this beforehand....now my fishes are suffering

I'm going to try get some mature media as well!

xx

Oops, just read your first post again. For some reason I thought you had a Fluval Edge tank. Sorry, I've had a few beers today.

Yeah everyone I spoke to at Pets at Home told me different things, first I was told to turn my temp down to 21 degrees, then up to 28. then I was told to up the pH. and they just kept trying to sell me loads of chemicals. i'm glad ive found this forum cause it seems like people on here actually know what they are talking about..... feel like i'm finally getting somewhere with my fish!

I wonder what tests P@H actually did on the water sample.

Probably tested it for ethanol to see if the fish were drunk knowing that place.

 

[Jamepsss]

Glad to hear it

Once it's cycled only your nitrates should rise. Once they get a bit high it's time for a water change. (Weekly in my case).

 

[twodoctors]

Glad the fishes are better.

You'll need to do daily testing. Cycling will take a while now as you have the welfare of the fish in mind. You'll need to keep the ammonia and nitrite at a lower level, personally no more than 0.25. Keeping everything zero won't help as you need ammonia and nitrite to feed the bacteria. Also remember that a 50% water change will half the level, 25% change will reduce by 1/4 etc.

Once you find that ammonia and nitrite disappear without water change then you have cycled. Remember not to add more fish as it will increase the ammonia production.

Adrian

 

[fluttermoth]

Keeping everything zero won't help as you need ammonia and nitrite to feed the bacteria.

Much as I loathe to disagree with anyone's advice (but I'm going to anyway!), this isn't really right. The tank will still cycle and the bacteria will have enough to feed on with levels that are lower than our tests can register.

It is better to try and keep ammonia and nitrite at zero.

Sorry to contradict you, Adrian