Help

[Tropical Rainbow]

Hi all. I am not new to having a fish tank, but for sure new to having this problem. I have a 55 gal fresh water tropical tank. It has at one time had 88 fish of every sort. Rainbows, neons, corys, loaches,angels etc... My tank, and fish made it on a 10 hour drive from PA to Va with not one single fish dying. Then one day my mother went to Pet Partners, and bought me 4 Molly's. Within one week every fish I had was dead. Some of them I had for nearly 4 years. If you are like me you understand my pain, and anguish. I have since relocated to Knoxville, Tn. I have started my tank all over again, and yet still the only fish that will survive are cory's, loaches, and neons. Every single fish I buy dies. I have 4 filters, a UV sterilizer, and a canister pump. I miss having so many fish to watch, and enjoy. I have been using a water filter for fresh, clean water only, but have noticed in my filter's these worm looking things. Please help. I want my beautiful tank back again! Any suggestions?

Sorry. I am new to this. I think I posted it twice. So sorry!

 

[Tropical Rainbow]

Wow. No one can help me? I am so depressed!

 

[mrs biffster]

Hi all. I am not new to having a fish tank, but for sure new to having this problem. I have a 55 gal fresh water tropical tank. It has at one time had 88 fish of every sort. Rainbows, neons, corys, loaches,angels etc... My tank, and fish made it on a 10 hour drive from PA to Va with not one single fish dying. Then one day my mother went to Pet Partners, and bought me 4 Molly's. Within one week every fish I had was dead. Some of them I had for nearly 4 years. If you are like me you understand my pain, and anguish. I have since relocated to Knoxville, Tn. I have started my tank all over again, and yet still the only fish that will survive are cory's, loaches, and neons. Every single fish I buy dies. I have 4 filters, a UV sterilizer, and a canister pump. I miss having so many fish to watch, and enjoy. I have been using a water filter for fresh, clean water only, but have noticed in my filter's these worm looking things. Please help. I want my beautiful tank back again! Any suggestions?

Sorry. I am new to this. I think I posted it twice. So sorry!

It sounds like your LFS water quality isn't good or your keeping your fish in sterile water.

 

[Tropical Rainbow]

Hi all. I am not new to having a fish tank, but for sure new to having this problem. I have a 55 gal fresh water tropical tank. It has at one time had 88 fish of every sort. Rainbows, neons, corys, loaches,angels etc... My tank, and fish made it on a 10 hour drive from PA to Va with not one single fish dying. Then one day my mother went to Pet Partners, and bought me 4 Molly's. Within one week every fish I had was dead. Some of them I had for nearly 4 years. If you are like me you understand my pain, and anguish. I have since relocated to Knoxville, Tn. I have started my tank all over again, and yet still the only fish that will survive are cory's, loaches, and neons. Every single fish I buy dies. I have 4 filters, a UV sterilizer, and a canister pump. I miss having so many fish to watch, and enjoy. I have been using a water filter for fresh, clean water only, but have noticed in my filter's these worm looking things. Please help. I want my beautiful tank back again! Any suggestions?

Sorry. I am new to this. I think I posted it twice. So sorry!

It sounds like your LFS water quality isn't good or your keeping your fish in sterile water.

Hi all. I am not new to having a fish tank, but for sure new to having this problem. I have a 55 gal fresh water tropical tank. It has at one time had 88 fish of every sort. Rainbows, neons, corys, loaches,angels etc... My tank, and fish made it on a 10 hour drive from PA to Va with not one single fish dying. Then one day my mother went to Pet Partners, and bought me 4 Molly's. Within one week every fish I had was dead. Some of them I had for nearly 4 years. If you are like me you understand my pain, and anguish. I have since relocated to Knoxville, Tn. I have started my tank all over again, and yet still the only fish that will survive are cory's, loaches, and neons. Every single fish I buy dies. I have 4 filters, a UV sterilizer, and a canister pump. I miss having so many fish to watch, and enjoy. I have been using a water filter for fresh, clean water only, but have noticed in my filter's these worm looking things. Please help. I want my beautiful tank back again! Any suggestions?

Sorry. I am new to this. I think I posted it twice. So sorry!

It sounds like your LFS water quality isn't good or your keeping your fish in sterile water.

Ok I thought I was a "pro" at this but obviously not. What is LFS? I also use Stress Zyme, Stress Coat, and aquarium salt. This was NEVER an issue up North. Is the water that different? And what about those little worm things?

Hi all. I am not new to having a fish tank, but for sure new to having this problem. I have a 55 gal fresh water tropical tank. It has at one time had 88 fish of every sort. Rainbows, neons, corys, loaches,angels etc... My tank, and fish made it on a 10 hour drive from PA to Va with not one single fish dying. Then one day my mother went to Pet Partners, and bought me 4 Molly's. Within one week every fish I had was dead. Some of them I had for nearly 4 years. If you are like me you understand my pain, and anguish. I have since relocated to Knoxville, Tn. I have started my tank all over again, and yet still the only fish that will survive are cory's, loaches, and neons. Every single fish I buy dies. I have 4 filters, a UV sterilizer, and a canister pump. I miss having so many fish to watch, and enjoy. I have been using a water filter for fresh, clean water only, but have noticed in my filter's these worm looking things. Please help. I want my beautiful tank back again! Any suggestions?

Sorry. I am new to this. I think I posted it twice. So sorry!

It sounds like your LFS water quality isn't good or your keeping your fish in sterile water.

Hi all. I am not new to having a fish tank, but for sure new to having this problem. I have a 55 gal fresh water tropical tank. It has at one time had 88 fish of every sort. Rainbows, neons, corys, loaches,angels etc... My tank, and fish made it on a 10 hour drive from PA to Va with not one single fish dying. Then one day my mother went to Pet Partners, and bought me 4 Molly's. Within one week every fish I had was dead. Some of them I had for nearly 4 years. If you are like me you understand my pain, and anguish. I have since relocated to Knoxville, Tn. I have started my tank all over again, and yet still the only fish that will survive are cory's, loaches, and neons. Every single fish I buy dies. I have 4 filters, a UV sterilizer, and a canister pump. I miss having so many fish to watch, and enjoy. I have been using a water filter for fresh, clean water only, but have noticed in my filter's these worm looking things. Please help. I want my beautiful tank back again! Any suggestions?

Sorry. I am new to this. I think I posted it twice. So sorry!

It sounds like your LFS water quality isn't good or your keeping your fish in sterile water.

Ok I thought I was a "pro" at this but obviously not. What is LFS? I also use Stress Zyme, Stress Coat, and aquarium salt. This was NEVER an issue up North. Is the water that different? And what about those little worm things?

I wish I could post a pic. I had such a beautiful tank. My mom taught me how to hang the plants from the top swaying down. Plus I had such a huge assortment. They were my morning ritual along with my coffee. Now I feel so lost without them. Especially the ones I had for over 4 years. I could finger feed some of them. Now they are all gone...

 

[mrs biffster]

You are using a UV sterilizer and filter, these take out the minerals in the water. When you buy fish they could be kept in ordinary tap water so the water that comes out of the bag in which you bring your fish home in contaminates your tank water and so kills your fish.
It's a bit like putting a bad apple in a barrel of good apples.

 

[Mikaila31]

Did you cycle the tank? How long has it been set up in your current location? And do you have a liquid test kit?

A UV Sterilizer takes nothing out of the water and adds nothing too the water. It uses UV light to kill microorganisms in the water that is all it does. A tap filter can do various things depending on the kind of the filter. The only one that removes enough minerals to be of concern in the aquarium is using pure RO water.

IMO your problem comes down to the source of most problems in this hobby. Your water. This is why water tests are vital initially.

 

[Tropical Rainbow]

OK let's see here. I never put the fish store water in my tank. I float the bag in my tank adding my tanks water every 15 minutes. Then I let the new fish out into my tank after about 45 minutes. I use all of the proper stuff like the stess zyme, stress coat etc... it use to work, but for some reason now does not. I have never had these little worm like things until I moved to the south. What are they, and can they? It seems like every fish I buy has fin, and tail rot or ick. I even bought a separate small tank to keep new fish in for a few days to make sure they are healthy. However after about 2 days they die! No matter what I do.

Oh I have been here for 6 months, and I have recycled my tank. I do a few gallons about once a month.

 

[Mikaila31]

There is really not enough information to tell you what to do about your tank. What size is it? How often and how much do you change at water changes? I also NEED to know your water stats. A test kit is really needed in this hobby. You can buy the API master test kit at petsmart for $20 and it will do you good. You can also take your water in to a store to be tested. But please note if they are using the dip strips or liquid tests in glass tubes. Also WRITE DOWN NUMBERS don't post that ammonia or something else is "ok", "high", or "low". This is very common an is no help at all to those that want to help you.

 

[the biffster]

Did you cycle the tank? How long has it been set up in your current location? And do you have a liquid test kit?

A UV Sterilizer takes nothing out of the water and adds nothing too the water. It uses UV light to kill microorganisms in the water that is all it does. A tap filter can do various things depending on the kind of the filter. The only one that removes enough minerals to be of concern in the aquarium is using pure RO water.

IMO your problem comes down to the source of most problems in this hobby. Your water. This is why water tests are vital initially.

mrs biffster got all crossed
up getting it mixed with an RO
unit she apologizes it was late
and she was tired so once again sorry

 

[Tropical Rainbow]

There is really not enough information to tell you what to do about your tank. What size is it? How often and how much do you change at water changes? I also NEED to know your water stats. A test kit is really needed in this hobby. You can buy the API master test kit at petsmart for $20 and it will do you good. You can also take your water in to a store to be tested. But please note if they are using the dip strips or liquid tests in glass tubes. Also WRITE DOWN NUMBERS don't post that ammonia or something else is "ok", "high", or "low". This is very common an is no help at all to those that want to help you.

So those simple little dip sticks I buy are not good enough? They worked up North, but I am sure there is for sure a difference in the water as far as North/South. I will check into getting what you are talking about. I love my cory's, neon's, and loaches, but I also miss my entire variety of other fish I use to have with no problem. Plus I never had problems with parasites before. These tiny worms have little hooks on them. I never see them in the tank. Only caught in the filters already dead.

 

[onebto]

They do work to a certain extent its just they are very unpredictable and will never give you an accurate reading so a waste of time and money.

Water differences between North and South I would imagine there is a good chance they are different there is a very good chance the PH is different are you aware different species of fish require different PH for good health?

What sort of Cory's and Loaches do you have?

Regards onebto

 

[Tropical Rainbow]

They do work to a certain extent its just they are very unpredictable and will never give you an accurate reading so a waste of time and money.

Water differences between North and South I would imagine there is a good chance they are different there is a very good chance the PH is different are you aware different species of fish require different PH for good health?

What sort of Cory's and Loaches do you have?

Regards onebto

I have albino, aneus, and emerald cory's. Now the loaches are albino gojo(sp?), and khoolie(sp?). My neon tetra's are doing great. I can not even keep a molly or guppy, and they are suppose to be the easiest fish ever to have! I am so frustrated. It seems every new fish I get develops ick or fin, and tail rot. I have treated the entire tank with the meds the fish stores tell me to use. My tank has been dark blue, to bright green with all the different meds they are tossing my way. I even bought a small tank to use as a quarantine tank for a few days. They do great in that tank, but as soon as I put them in my 55gal they all start rotting away! It is like their little bodies start to dissolve.

 

[onebto]

I do not know what everyone else thinks but it sounds like to me that you really need to start using some carbon in your 55G tank filters and start a program of large daily water changes and get all the chemicals out of your tank. At least 50% at a time more would be better the only thing to remember with large water changes is to guard from dropping the tanks water temperature to much.

I would guard against the advice of Local fish shops advice its rare for them to give good advice that does not require you walking away from the shop without parting with some of your hard earnt money.

 

[Tropical Rainbow]

I do not know what everyone else thinks but it sounds like to me that you really need to start using some carbon in your 55G tank filters and start a program of large daily water changes and get all the chemicals out of your tank. At least 50% at a time more would be better the only thing to remember with large water changes is to guard from dropping the tanks water temperature to much.

I would guard against the advice of Local fish shops advice its rare for them to give good advice that does not require you walking away from the shop without parting with some of your hard earnt money.

Thank you for your advise. I actually believe that what you are saying is a good thing to do. I have used Amocarb for years. I use to change my filters, and add extra Amocarb to them every two weeks. Then well I just couldn't afford to keep up with it. Until you just mentioned the carbon I never even thought about that. Even though I can't afford to do it as much you have made me realize I need to be doing it more then what I have been. Thank you so much. It is just like in the cartoons. A light bulb just came on above my head!!! LoL

 

[Mikaila31]

proper quarantine of a fish requires at least two weeks of the fish showing NO signs of disease. Also test the water of your main tank and of the quarantine tank and see if there are any differences. You can use some carbon if you want or do some large waterchanges to remove the meds. Again knowing what normal care you do for the tank would help alot. I would recommend that you stop treating the main tank with random meds and consult the web first. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the meds you used were totally worthless for what you were treating for. Also you still have the "validating" under your name on the left of the screen. Validating your account using the email link you sent when you registered will allow you to post in other sections of the forum that would be more helpful.