Help, Fish Keep Dying!

[eltz21]

I have had my tank running for nearly 3 yrs and i have never had a problem with it. i still have some of my very first fish I put in!! but recently i have had a few deaths, some new fish lasting a week or so and some older fish but all within the past 3 weeks.

just before this happend i did re home 3 large angels and a large cat fish as they out grew my tank. they were replaced by smaller tetras. these new additions were added in the same way i have always done it. water changes have always been the same also.

I have never carried out a test on my water, mainly because i was never told to do so, and untill i registered with this site i was never aware i could. but i think as these suddern deaths have occurred its time to start testing.

I have no idea what to do or where to start. I will be visiting my lfs this weekend to purchase a tester kit. any suggestions to which is best and can anyone tell me what results i should get back if everything is ok.

also if anyone has any other suggestions other than the water quality for the deaths, please leave a message.

Thanks

 

[Athena]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Just a quick question - did you add a lot of new fish all at the same time to the tank? Was your tank stock increased dramatically to what it was before?

Just wondering because I know that adding too many fish at once can cause an ammonia spike and subsequent fish deaths.

If you really want to get a test kit, the best type to get are the liquid ones rather than the paper strip kits. They give a more accurate reading (as I found out myself).

But since you've been going for 3 years without testing, you might just be able to tackle the problem by doing a 50% water change and then monitoring the fish closely for next day or so. I mean, by the time you've gone and bought the test kit, sat there for half hour doing all the tests, the fish are suffering in the meantime and at the end of it all you'll probably realise that you've got to do a water change anyway.

Hope it all works out and you don't lose any more fishies - Athena

 

[rdd1952]

Did you quarantine the fish before adding them? If not, it's possible they brought some type parasite or disease into the tank and infected the other fish. Other than that, depending on the type fish you have, 3 years is close to the life expectancy of a lot of fish so it could be a matter of age for the older ones.

 

[eltz21]

I took out 4 large fish and added 15 smaller fish. so maybe that is the problem. I tried a 50% water change after adding a beta and within a week he died. i think i will just keep an eye on them and keep up regular water changes and monitor the fish.

maybe it is old age or maybe too many fish too soon. I just need to hope i get no more deaths and keep the rest living happily.

thanks

 

[Athena]

I took out 4 large fish and added 15 smaller fish. so maybe that is the problem. I tried a 50% water change after adding a beta and within a week he died. i think i will just keep an eye on them and keep up regular water changes and monitor the fish.

maybe it is old age or maybe too many fish too soon. I just need to hope i get no more deaths and keep the rest living happily.

thanks

Yes, too many fish added at the same time - always best to add just a few (2 or 3) and build the stocking level up gradually over a period of a few weeks to the level you require.

Never mind, we all learn as we go along - I've made the same mistake as you in the past but I've learned to slow down and be patient with adding new fish (I've got that age old problem of "see it, love it, want it now" LOL but having to keep a tight reign on those urges to bulk-buy now that I know the problems that transpire)

Athena

 

[gaz gun man]

I have had my tank running for nearly 3 yrs and i have never had a problem with it. i still have some of my very first fish I put in!! but recently i have had a few deaths, some new fish lasting a week or so and some older fish but all within the past 3 weeks.

just before this happend i did re home 3 large angels and a large cat fish as they out grew my tank. they were replaced by smaller tetras. these new additions were added in the same way i have always done it. water changes have always been the same also.

I have never carried out a test on my water, mainly because i was never told to do so, and untill i registered with this site i was never aware i could. but i think as these suddern deaths have occurred its time to start testing.

I have no idea what to do or where to start. I will be visiting my lfs this weekend to purchase a tester kit. any suggestions to which is best and can anyone tell me what results i should get back if everything is ok. also if anyone has any other suggestions other than the water quality for the deaths, please leave a message.

Thanks

API master test kit, and ideal results should be, ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate anywhere under 100ppm is ok.

 

[vinylman]

How often do you do water changes, how much do you change approximately?.

 

[eltz21]

I will not add that many new fish again. I will def keep it slow. I was gutted because some of my favorite fish died. But now I know for future referance.

I change the water every 1-2 weeks and change 25-50% water a time. this is the amount I always have changed.

Thanks for your help guys