Help Me :(

[Mikeyf]

Hi,
I Have recently aquired a tropical fish tank which is about 40gallons,the journey from his house to mind was not the best as there were fish still in the tank.

I realise this was quite stressful for the fish but everything was then set up and away i went that was 2 wks ago,in the meantime i recently added various fish to the tank since i aquired the tropical tank,the plantation is really good as there is alot growing i have an external biological filter and another filter at the opposite end and an airrater too which al works ok.

i checked the Ph,Nitrate,Nitrite and ammonia and all is fine the temperature of tank is currently 24 degrees also.Now the lights are on in the tank about 12hrs aday and go off at night and the morning seems to bring a surprise of a fish that has died and this is happening every day they seem to be ok throughout the day but something seems to happen throughout the night.

I have thought this might be the oxygen lvl's in the tank as some of the fish seem to be hanging around at the top of the tank and also around both filters,i have read that the plantation offers the fish oxygen throughout the day but at night they absorb oxygen and then i feel this is how my fish are dieing.i have about 39 fish in my tank which consists of a few Gourami's about 12 Cardinal tetra's 3 guppies a few mollies and a flying fox i did have a clown loache but that was dead this morning .
As u can tell i am extremely anxious as to what is wrong with them,they have no white spots on them or anything that looks like some sort of disease.so any help will be much appreciated.

 

[arobinson1984]

Fish hanging around the top can be sign of ammonia present.

What are exactly are your readings in number format for PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and what test kit are you using?

We really need these figures to be able to help as one persons interpretation of 'fine' is quite often different from anothers.

Andy

 

[Mikeyf]

Fish hanging around the top can be sign of ammonia present.

What are exactly are your readings in number format for PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and what test kit are you using?

We really need these figures to be able to help as one persons interpretation of 'fine' is quite often different from anothers.

Andy

Ok the testing kit that i'm currently using is called a Freshwater master test kit and the lvl's that i have checked are as follows :
Ph 7.1 Ammonia 0 Nitrate 20 and Nitrate 0.

Hope this helps

Mike

Fish hanging around the top can be sign of ammonia present.

What are exactly are your readings in number format for PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and what test kit are you using?

We really need these figures to be able to help as one persons interpretation of 'fine' is quite often different from anothers.

Andy

sry Nitrite is 0 and Nitrate is 20

 

[arobinson1984]

Ok, them levels seem spot on, I'm presuming the master kit is the API one?

Do you use co2 at all ikn the tank for plants?

What sort of filter are you using? and is it creating disturbance on the water surface?

Andy

 

[Mikeyf]

Ok, them levels seem spot on, I'm presuming the master kit is the API one?

Do you use co2 at all ikn the tank for plants?

What sort of filter are you using? and is it creating disturbance on the water surface?

Andy

Thanks for your quick response i am currently using no Co2 in the tank for the plants and my filter is a Fluval 305 and i have an additional one in the tank called a Fluval 4plus but where u say is it creating disturbance on the water surface well it ain't on both because the outlets on both filters are below the surface of the water the only disturbance on the surface is from the airator that is on bottom of the tank.

Hopes this helps


Mike

 

[arobinson1984]

Position at least one if not both of the filter outputs a bit higher, they only want to be about 1cm below the surface so that they cause the water to at least ripple on the surface. This is very important as the surface disturbance helps gas exchange so your fish can breathe.

The airiator alone won't be enough as they actually provide very little oxygen and are mainly just a decorative item.

Andy

 

[Mikeyf]

Position at least one if not both of the filter outputs a bit higher, they only want to be about 1cm below the surface so that they cause the water to at least ripple on the surface. This is very important as the surface disturbance helps gas exchange so your fish can breathe.

The airiator alone won't be enough as they actually provide very little oxygen and are mainly just a decorative item.

Andy

Ok thanks i will try that,maybe that is the reason i have been losing fish since i've had the tank.If that doesn't solve it is there any other reason why i could be losing my fish as the readings are correct and the water is crystal clear....i am starting to think it could just be stress as to be honest i feel there ain't alot i can do so i might have to ride the storm so they say.

Thanks


Mike

 

[Mikeyf]

Position at least one if not both of the filter outputs a bit higher, they only want to be about 1cm below the surface so that they cause the water to at least ripple on the surface. This is very important as the surface disturbance helps gas exchange so your fish can breathe.

The airiator alone won't be enough as they actually provide very little oxygen and are mainly just a decorative item.

Andy

Ok thanks i will try that,maybe that is the reason i have been losing fish since i've had the tank.If that doesn't solve it is there any other reason why i could be losing my fish as the readings are correct and the water is crystal clear....i am starting to think it could just be stress as to be honest i feel there ain't alot i can do so i might have to ride the storm so they say.

Thanks


Mike

Just to say i lost 2 guppies this afternoon they seemed perfect this morning really cannot understand why this is happening i have re checked my water tests and came up with the same readings .

So i'm still really scratching my head as to why they are dieing

 

[arobinson1984]

Do you spray any sort of chemicals anywhere near the tank, such as air fresheners etc that could be getting into the water, you'd be suprised what can get through cracks in lids.

Andy

 

[Mikeyf]

Do you spray any sort of chemicals anywhere near the tank, such as air fresheners etc that could be getting into the water, you'd be suprised what can get through cracks in lids.

Andy

Well prollly my wife uses hair spray and stuff in the living room but it is not near the tank but never the less it could be the problem i guess.

I was thinking could there be some sort of bacteria in the water that the tests i do don't pick up?


Mike

 

[OldMan47]

As Andy said, aerosols anywhere in the vicinity of a tank can end up in the water. The nice little heated deodorant things that make the house smell so nice can be a disaster for your tank. Other sources of tank pollution that we don't run into as often are paint fumes from new paint on the walls, cleaning solvents used to keep the outside of the tank looking nice and similar products. Open windows and natural bacterial contents of the tank are very seldom the real problem.