Help My Fish Are Dying

[random919]

My nan got 7 new guppies from a very well known breeder and we put them in with our 3 guppies, 2 cories, 4 black tetras and 2 neons. lots have died. We have only got 7 guppies, 3 black tetras and 1 neon. there is nothing noticably wrong with them and they haven't got any illnesses that we can see. any ideas what it could be? we are really worried about them.
thanks
random919

 

[TheJ0kerrr]

Do you have a water test kit to give us your water parameters? Sounds like you may have gotten an ammonia spike by adding those fish... Was the tank stable (cycled) before you added the new fishes in?

 

[DJH584]

What size is your tank?
Have you tested your tank water?
If so what are the water parameters i.e Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc?
Were the new guppies quarantined before being added to the tank?

Lots of questions I know BUT to lose half of your fish stock is somewhat drastic and distressing.
By answering those questions may give the experts on here a chance to help you save the rest.

David

 

[random919]

the tank is 70L
the ammonia is 0-0.05 , nitrite is 0.1, nitrate is 25 and the pH is 7.5-8.0
we don't have a quarentine tank but they were in one like it in the breeders place as it is our local pet store.

 

[Jakey02578]

Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0. Water change it?:')

 

[Termato]

the tank is 70L
the ammonia is 0-0.05 , nitrite is 0.1, nitrate is 25 and the pH is 7.5-8.0
we don't have a quarentine tank but they were in one like it in the breeders place as it is our local pet store.

How long have you had this tank?

DO you have any live plants in there?

It looks like you are either cycling or are in a mini cycle from putting too many fish in at once. I would do a 50%-60% water change ASAP just to ensure the fish health. The presence of ammonia and nitrite is toxic to fish, these should not be present in an established healthy tank.

 

[Akasha72]

Hi again Random, it sounds like your tank isn't cycled properly (as others have already said) and adding 7 fish to an un-cycled or freshly cycled tank is going to turn your water parameters upside down.

The filter media will cycle to the amount of fish in the tank. Adding a lot of fish or adding a waste machine (like certain plecs for instance) to the tank all in one go will cause the ammonia and nitrite to climb. This is because the new fish are creating ammonia in their waste, through their gills etc and there isn't the bacteria in the filter to break this down.

The only way to get around this is to start doing daily water changes to neutalize the ammonia and nitrite so that the fish don't become poisoned.

My advice would be to only add a maximum of 3 small fish every two weeks. This gives the filter time to adjust slowly and to mature.

Keep checking the water parameters daily and keep on top of the water changes. You could try adding some bottled bacteria but the jury is still out on whether it actually works or not

 

[Jakey02578]

Keep checking the water parameters daily and keep on top of the water changes. You could try adding some bottled bacteria but the jury is still out on whether it actually works or not

In my experience it has worked!;D

 

[Akasha72]

I had good result with one by King British but the more scientifically minded members on here say it doesn't work so maybe I just got lucky

 

[drobbyb]

Some say it works, others do not. In my opinion, there is none better than a properly cycled mature tank. Works 100% of the time.

 

[random919]

it was mature as we had fish in it before and have had it going since January. We changed the water and tested it again so its not ammonia or nitrite anymore. any other suggestions?
The ammonia is now at 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20 and pH 7.5-8.0

 

[Jakey02578]

Do you use like sprays or anything in the room? That's what killed my SmokeyJo:'(

 

[drobbyb]

Air fresheners can/do kill fish as well as some ant/wasp sprays and carpet refreshers.

 

[Jakey02578]

Air fresheners can/do kill fish as well as some ant/wasp sprays and carpet refreshers.

Should try telling my auntie that! Went away for two days, she used her hairspray and SmokeyJo the Swordtail died