Help

[cueball0904]

Email meOn completion of the set up of my tank I waited 3 weeks until placing fish into the aquarium. The Ph levels are correct as are the temperatures. I also added quick start to ensuer that the tap water was acceptable. Over thae last week about 20 fish have died All 3 Siamese fighting fish in one night (2 females 1 male) then the next night all 3 Panda platies. 12 guppies have died in 2 days and now my lovely catfish has also died not to mention a few others! Any suggestions as to where i'm going wrong would be appreciated. Regards

 

[Aquascaper]

Firstly, how big is your tank and is your filter 'cycled'?

Secondly, do you have test values for ammonia, nitrites & nitrates in your tank water?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

If all you did was add a start-up product and wait 3 weeks... then you didn't start your cycle until you added all your fish. You need to have a source of ammonia to feed bacteria and grow the good bacteria in your filter... which is not what a start up product does.... even if you did succeed on adding good bacteria with the product... not adding ammonia every day would mean in that 3 weeks the bacteria would have died off... thus your water was unable to cope with the load when you added fish.

 

[cueball0904]

Firstly, how big is your tank and is your filter 'cycled'?

Secondly, do you have test values for ammonia, nitrites & nitrates in your tank water?

No I don't but obviously I need to look at that , are there test kits available?

The tank is 4ft and holds 300l. The filter is located in the lid of the tank and holds bio balls and caron in a bag!

If all you did was add a start-up product and wait 3 weeks... then you didn't start your cycle until you added all your fish. You need to have a source of ammonia to feed bacteria and grow the good bacteria in your filter... which is not what a start up product does.... even if you did succeed on adding good bacteria with the product... not adding ammonia every day would mean in that 3 weeks the bacteria would have died off... thus your water was unable to cope with the load when you added fish.

Wow, what do you suggest I do, I have approximately 50 fish left!

 

[Aquascaper]

It sounds like your tank is overstocked even if it was cycled

All you can do now is have a good read of the Fish-in Cycle thread in the beginners section and get doing some massive water changes. The remaining fish are no doubt suffering from acute ammonia poisoning and water changes are the only way to remove it at this point in time.

A very good idea would be to get an API Freshwater Master Test Kit as you will need to monitor the water levels very carefully until the tank is cycled.

 

[cueball0904]

Many thanks for the advice

Its not over stocked, they are all small fish ie guppies , tetras zebra danioes etc!

 

[Aquascaper]

70+ Fish (20+ that have died and the 50+ left) in a 300l (80g) tank is way overstocked even if they are all a maximum 1" when adult (which they won't be) and you use the 'general guide' of 1" per gallon

What filter do you have as that may swing it slightly in their favour?

 

[Essjay]

Your tank is 300 litres, which is 80 American gallons. The maximum amount of fish you should have for fish-in cycling (which is what you are now doing) is 16 inches, though fewer would be better - and that does not mean the size they are now but the size they'll grow to. Fish sold in shops are babies or juveniles and they still have a lot of growing to do. 50 fish is far too many for a fish-in cycle.
Some fish do badly in an uncycled tank, guppies are notorious for being weak these days, which is probably why you lost them. They could also have been attacked by the male betta (siamese fighting fish)

Besides the problem of your tank not being cycled you also added some incompatible fish - the bettas. Males and females should not be kept together exept during breeding in carefully monitored tanks. It is quite likely that fighting coupled with a rocketing ammonia killed them.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

The best thing you could do at this point is get mature filter media. (I am unfamiliar with the kind of filter you have described). Anyhow, filters usually have something in them that holds the bacteria (sponge, floss, chalk like pieces, etc). Figure out what you have in yours then visit your local fish shops and see if you can get them to sell you enough used media to replace the new media you currently have in your filter (if you get some, keep it wet in a fish bag for transport and set it up in your filter right away as to rescue as much good bacteria as you can).

Also you will need to do a lot of daily BIG water changes to keep your fish alive, possibly twice a day. You may want to consider rehoming the majority of your fish as it will be a huge task to attempt to cycle your tank with that many fish.

 

[cueball0904]

The best thing you could do at this point is get mature filter media. (I am unfamiliar with the kind of filter you have described). Anyhow, filters usually have something in them that holds the bacteria (sponge, floss, chalk like pieces, etc). Figure out what you have in yours then visit your local fish shops and see if you can get them to sell you enough used media to replace the new media you currently have in your filter (if you get some, keep it wet in a fish bag for transport and set it up in your filter right away as to rescue as much good bacteria as you can).

Also you will need to do a lot of daily BIG water changes to keep your fish alive, possibly twice a day. You may want to consider rehoming the majority of your fish as it will be a huge task to attempt to cycle your tank with that many fish.

Many thanks for the advice you have been a great help. I have carried out all relevant tests and I had a very large Nitrite Level. I have carried out a 20% water change and added the relevant potions to hopefully fix it. I will also cut down on the food for a day or two!

 

[mossonthemoon]

How high are the nitrites? Any at all can be very bad for the fish, and a 20% change will only take out 20% of the nitrites. I would do a bigger change as soon as possible, and possibly a 80/90% change at that.

 

[WILDER]

You are getting excellent advice by members.

 

[cueball0904]

You are getting excellent advice by members.

I am very impressed and extremely grateful for the superb advice, I'll keep you all posted on the outcome!

 

[snazy]

The tank is 4ft and holds 300l. The filter is located in the lid of the tank and holds bio balls and caron in a bag!

On the powerhead of that hood filter you'll see written the water flow per hour. I am presuming this filter is way under what your tank needs. You need to get yourself an external that filters around 2000L/H or two externals to the same rate about. That hood filter does nothing.

Bettas and guppies are incompatible, the bettas will kill the guppies but in an 80G 4f tank you can put more inch fish per gallon(if they are guppy or other compatible small fish) than in a smaller tank based on the same rule, if you provide suitable filtration and you cycle your tank first. I honestly think that 70 guppies will live just fine in this tank if it was really cycled and regular maintenance done. The problem is they'll breed quite fast and from 70 you will end up with 700 pretty soon. With that amount of fish you want to be doing 50% water changes once a week once the tank is cycled.

As for nitrItes, if you only have guppies, add 1 tablespoon of salt per every 5gallons of water, dissolved first of course in some tank water. This will neutralize most of the toxic nitrites and help the fish pass this stage unaffected(if not too late) Guppies and even bettas won't mind that on temporary basis and it will help them survice the nitrIte stage. Keep ammonia and nitrIte as close to 0 as possible via water changes any way, and add just the amount of salt needed for the new water. Once cycled(ammonia and nitrItes at constant 0), then don't add any salt when you do your weekly water changes and it will be gradually removed.

 

[cueball0904]

Your a star! Thanks very much for the advice!