Fish Loss :(

[Tory]

Just wanna tell someone that understands

Recently got my new tank up and running, transferred and spent another £50 on 6 new fishies. Went to get my water tested and ammonia and nitrItes were at 0ppm, nitrates and ph were normal stats. Late last night my ram died, so this morning I did a 20% water change. This afternoon, I found my other ram that didnt look so hot last night. Ive just walked in, and just gone to see if my gourami was ok - hes been looking like crap all day. When I walked up to the tank, ive just found my 6mth old "big mamma" red eyed balloon tetra upside down, and my gourami both dead.

I cant tell you what my water parameters are because I dont have a home testing kit - am going first thing the my lfs. I have a strong feeling that I am going through new tank syndrome even though my parameters were within normal rates when tested.

Cant tell you how gutted I am - its not the money spent, its the needless death. I should have known better, just with all the advice about planted tanks, and swapping media, water etc etc etc to the new tank, and the tested water, it seemed cycling would be complete. Now even my beatufil pictus' behaviour has changed. Im not looking for sympathy, and I especially dont want people having a go, I just wanted to tell people who would understand and give a crap

I just wanna cry

 

[Faythee]

Awww...I'm sorry.

Rams are VERY sensitive, however there must be a reason the others died. I would do another water change, a large one, and add a good conditioner. Do you have an ammonia remover ?

 

[Truck]

what type of ram? what is your temperature?

you must get yourself a test kit...get the salifert test kits...theyre the most accurate you can buy besides digital readers...avoid API, theyre crap and inaccurate.

what else is in the tank and what volume of water does it hold?

 

[hodgeheg]

I know the feeling.

I moved my 7 8 week old molly fry into a little tank I'd set up just for them and out of sheer ignorance on my part they all died. I hadn't cried that much for a long, long time. My boyfriend must've thought I was slightly crazy but was very sympathetic.

I'm sorry for your loss and I hope you learn from this to become a better aquarist, the only way is up

 

[Tory]

Awww...I'm sorry.

Rams are VERY sensitive, however there must be a reason the others died. I would do another water change, a large one, and add a good conditioner. Do you have an ammonia remover ?

I thought they were, last night, my second rams colour had gone and looked terrible

I will do one shortly, Is it worth taking water out of my other tank to replace the change? I use stress coat - I dont have an ammonia remover, never seen it to be honest

what type of ram? what is your temperature?

you must get yourself a test kit...get the salifert test kits...theyre the most accurate you can buy besides digital readers...avoid API, theyre crap and inaccurate.

what else is in the tank and what volume of water does it hold?

They were blue rams - temps at 27 degrees. its 35imp g. Ive got Hatchets, mollys, platys, a pictus catfish, corys, danios. and a tiny wee bristlenose. Ive never heard of those, will look into it tomorrow, didnt realise api were so bad - was looking at the master kit so might think again.

Thanks dude x

 

[Tory]

I know the feeling.

I moved my 7 8 week old molly fry into a little tank I'd set up just for them and out of sheer ignorance on my part they all died. I hadn't cried that much for a long, long time. My boyfriend must've thought I was slightly crazy but was very sympathetic.

I'm sorry for your loss and I hope you learn from this to become a better aquarist, the only way is up

Ahh that sucks, suprisingly, my fry are always the ones that are the hardiest of them all - right on cue, after the water change, mrs molly decided to start dropping!! Ive seen the little suckers swimming about! My bf is cool about it, he is after all this time properly getting into it all after I got my new tank sorted and told him he could get what he liked - provided he run it past me! Thanks hodgeheg, I thought I had it worked out wth my other tank and now am truly sad cos its just pointless death

 

[arobinson1984]

What were your nitrate levels when last tested at the lfs?

I presume you mean german blue rams, which if thats correct are VERY sensitive and need nitrates to be lower than about 20/30ppm any higher and they will die so whether you can actually keep rams will highly depend on your taps nitrate reading as well as your tanks.

Many users on here along with myself use the API master kit and find it absolutely fine, Truck is entitled to his opinion and his personal experience has found the saliferts tests to be more accurate. I'm also going to try the saliferts tests when I next need to replace my tests but these are also more expensive than the API.

For most general fishkeepers, the API master kit will be fine (although if you are wanting to keep rams you will need a highly accurate nitrate test so you could possibly get a saliferts nitrate test if you wish as all the saliferts tests are only sold individually)

Andy