Help

[bexyjane]

help me i've had 3 guppies die with what i thought was fin rot, but ive just found a dead platty and her fins looks absolutely fine! whats going on?
thanks
bex

 

[vancouver]

You're going to have to give more information..

Was the tank cycled? how often do you do water changes? do you test the water? if so what are the readings? How big is the tank? what other fish are in the tank?

 

[bexyjane]

No ive just cycled it now, i do water changes about every other week. i dnt test the water. tank is 96l

fish i have are
male s.fighter
four mollys - all fine
five plattys - one dead so now four
five guppies - three dead so now two

all fish seems to get on fine tank has been running for about 4 months with no probelms and no dead fish until these last two weeks

 

[SamUK]

what do you mean by jus cycled it now? what did you do?

 

[bexyjane]

ive just taken abou 20% out and then but fresh chlorine free water back in? given filters a good clean in dirty water and generally cleaned mess off sand etc?

 

[SamUK]

im afraid you have some reading to do.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861



cycling normally takes about a month and it allows the good bacteria to build up in your filter to deal with all the crap your fish make.


your fish could be dieing because the tank isnt properly cycled.

 

[bexyjane]

tanks run fine for past 4 months ive followed all instructions given to me from my local fish shop, and read many books, none of them have told me i need to do it like this! i don't understand how this could be a probelm now?

 

[vancouver]

There isn't enough good bacteria in the tank to ''eat'' the toxins in your tank... the toxins build up too fast and end up making your fish sick or killing them..

I don't know how big 96L is in gallons.. but I know keeping bettas with guppies isn't recommended.. and mollies should have some salt in their water.. not sure if you knew any of that

 

[starrynightxxi]

might be the betta. they often mistake colorful fish lilke guppies as other male bettas and will kill them.

changing the water is changing the water, not cycling the tank. you need to test the water as fish deaths can also be caused by nitrogen or ammonia spikes.