Help! Angelfish Emergency!

[Brandonpieters55]

Hi,

Im new to fishkeeping and I've had my tank for about three weeks now.

It has an U/G powerhead filter, 4 plants and a big aquarium decoration in the middle, taking up most of the tank.
18x18x18 inches roughly.

I first got some 5 tetras of some sort but cant remember what. Looks similar to Dawn tetras but I'm not sure.
Then I got two big red fish about 1-2 inches long. Could be a bauber? With them i got two angelfish.

We decided that we didn't like how dirty the gravel was getting so we bought a Fluval 2+ filter pad filter with polystyrene and foam pads.

My grandfather also recently got a fishtank and his frien gave him some big fish because he was giving his tank away.
My grandfather offered me some fish and i walked away with 2 zebra fish (zebra danios?), 4 neon tetras, a catfish( about 4-5 in. long) and a huge sucker fish (about 6 in. long).

My zebra fish laid eggs in a livebearer breeding trap. Most of them fell to the bottom.

The fluval filter has been in the tank for about 2-3 days now but when i came home tonight I found both my angelfish on top of each other behind my powerhead.

I think they might be dying. I pulled the tube leading up from the powerhead and one of the fish got out and started swimming sluggishly. The other one stayed there.
When i finally managed to get it out it just swam towards the big decoration in the middle and layed on it.
The other one was swimming very badly. Its fins at the top were torn and it was stuggling to swim.
It was tilting upwards and couldn't swim very well.

Both filters have been running at the same time.

Please help!!!

 

[WILDER]

Bad water quality do you have test results in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, need to no how many gallons the tank is as angel need to be in a 30gal tank, i would do a immediate water change, are they gasping at the surface of the tank.

 

[LYNDYLOO]

Hi Brandon,

Did you cycle this tank before adding all of these fishies to it,? how big is this tank, and really important to do a water test, do you have a test kit? By doing a water test this will tell us abit more about what is going on in the tank, What are you feeding the Fishies?

There are lots of questions that need to be answered before we can have any idea what the problem is.

Cheers Lynda

 

[WILDER]

See we need water stats, if the fish have all been added without cycling the tank, then you have over loaded the tank with fish, when you use fish to cycle the tank i takes it toll on them, causing there immune system to shut down, then desease sets in.
As it sounds like the fish are suffering wan't to check if it's ammonia poisoning with adding that many fish to soon.

 

[LYNDYLOO]

Hi Brandon,

Have u tested the water yet, the readings should be Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 PH round 7 and Nitrates 40 or less.

When u are cycling a tank u should only use about 3-4 fish, guppies are good for this, really important not to add fishies to quickly and that many, as that is when u will start running into problems, when the tank has readings like the above readings that usually means that the cycling process is complete, then and only then should u start to slowly increase the number of fishies in the tank, say adding round 3-4 at a time.

Let me know how ya go,
Good Luck

Lynda

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Sounds like you have too many fish in there for an 18" cubic tank. Do yourself a favour and go to the newbie section and read the FAQs that are pinned at the top of the forum. It'll save you lots of dead fish and money and make fishkeeping easier and more enjoyable.

WK

 

[Brandonpieters55]

Ok,

The fish went behind the powerhead again last night.
When I came down this morning they were dead. One of them had scratches on its side so i think that the catfish must have caught it when swimming. Im going to have to take the catfish and the suckerfish out and give them back to my grandfather.

I think it probably was ammonia poisining after all.

The tank is about 30 litres. I'm not really that sure.

When i

Ok,

The fish went behind the powerhead again last night.
When I came down this morning they were dead. One of them had scratches on its side so i think that the catfish must have caught it when swimming. Im going to have to take the catfish and the suckerfish out and give them back to my grandfather.

I think it probably was ammonia poisining after all.

The tank is about 30 litres. I'm not really that sure.

When i get the big fish out i probably have enough fish already.

I'm definitely going to leave the tank how it is for a while.

I did add quite a bit of water from my grandads tank because the big fish were too big for the net.
about 1.5 litres after adding some of my own water.

What is strange is that no other fish seem affected by the change at all.

I might try angel fish again in a couple of months. What do you think?

But now my angelfish are dead. But I cant reach one with a net. Should I just flush them when I do get them out?

Thanks for your help anyway.

Hi,

Im new to fishkeeping and I've had my tank for about three weeks now.

It has an U/G powerhead filter, 4 plants and a big aquarium decoration in the middle, taking up most of the tank.
18x18x18 inches roughly.

The tank is actually taller than it is wide, about 9 or 10 in.

I an get water samples. A friend said that I should have left it for a month but all the pet stores
try to get your tank running with fish after about 2 days.

I might have added too many fish at once. Its probably not the quantity so much but the 2 giant fish.

What do you think. I just don't want any more of my fish to die!

 

[WILDER]

Sadly you are well overstocked for a 6gal tank, plus added to many fish to soon, i would do some water changes, and see if the lfs will take some fish off your hands, i would also ask them to test your water and ask them to write the readings down for you.

Not the writer of this information
Ammonia Poisoning



Symptoms:

The fish will hang just under the surface with labored breathing. Its gills will appear to be lilac in color. Red streaking may be seen throughout the body and fins. Fishes with ammonia poisoning will become lethargic and eventually die, maintaining their full coloring. The ammonia will damage their skin, gills, nerves and internal organs. The red streaking is due to hemorrhages (internal and external bleeding). Its mucous membranes of the skin and intestine are also destroyed. Damage also occurs to the brain and central nervous system.



Cause:

Abnormally high levels of ammonia.



Treatment:

Test the water to confirm the disease. If ammonia levels are high, perform an immediate water change. It’s also a good idea to use a chemical that will remove the ammonia. Activated carbon, Ammo-Lock, or Tetra Easy Balance.

 

[Brandonpieters55]

Ok thanks for the help.

How many fish would you suggest for a 30 litre tank? About 10 small or medium fishes.

what is strange is that even though the fish was dead, when I came home today it was under the powerhead again. It is definitely dead because it is missing eyes. Maybe the U/G suction is strongest there?

i'll flush it.
I'll get a water test ASAP. Probably tomorrow at the pet store.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[WILDER]

There isn't a great deal of choice for a 6gal, tetra's out as they are shoaling fish and need room to shoal, if you really wan't to appreciate the hobby i would get the biggest tank you can afford.
Livebearers are out too as they need room as they are active fish, all that tank size is good for is a betta.
http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/beginner.../a/fishcalc.htm