Hi Could Some One Help Please

[RedFox]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and are looking for some help, I have a 33g tank aprox (please note I'm Aussie and for some strange reason we don’t go off volume of water in the tank but the length of the tank, strange but true) and to put a long story short this week I have had a few fish die for no reason that I can find. the thank set up is gravel bottom, some large rocks a piece of driftwood, and a ceramic pot that’s been in fish tanks for over 2 years and the only plant growing is java moss and lots of it. (Seams to be the only thing I can grow, my light died)
The fish that are still living in the tank is 2 rams, a clown loach, a weather loach, a Lemon (yellow) cichlid and an algae sucker.
The fish that have died were my apple sail (I know it’s not a fish) my large alga sucker and my 1 half year old Angel fish.
I have not changed the water (other than last quarter water change 2 months earlier), I have done a ph level and it’s at 7.5, the hardness is correct, the filter was clean and wool was clean. Nothing new was put in the tank or near the tank, no sprays or any thing it has me stumped and I don’t really want to lose the rest of the fish.
Could some one please help, or is it just one of those strange things that just happen for no reason.
Please note that I only posted in this area due to not being able to post any were else.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Tolak]

Clown loachs are great snail eaters, I think that may explain the snail. If you haven't changed the water in 2 months your tank is suffering from what is known as old tank syndrome. For a lightly stocked tank you should be changing 25% of the water every two weeks, for a more heavily stocked tank 25% every week.

If you have a test kit, test for ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate, and post the numbers here. If you don't have these tests at home, have your local shop test them, have them write down the numbers, and post the numbers here. Often when a shop tells you your water is fine, it is not actually fine, often a shop giving you fish advice is like the kid at McDonalds giving you nutrition advice.

When you change filter media, the wool you are referring to, you should only change half at a time. This insures that your bio filtration is still working.

Check out the pinned topics in our beginners section, they are a wealth of information. The reason you can only post in this section is that you haven't priocessed your validation e-mail, this may be in the bulk section of your e-mail. Following those instructions should get you registered.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

 

[RedFox]

Oh ok thanks, I had not changed the water due to my tank leaking big time one night and in the morning having only around 15cm of water in the tank the pet shop guy told me to just fill the tank and leave it for 2 to 3 months because I had no other tank to half fill it back up, but only top the water up weekly. I had no clue that the tank could get that in such a short time, Thank you and I will go back to doing the 25% but this time every two weeks instead of monthly.
Thanks for the tip with the water tests, I only have the ph and hardness test, ill have to get the others.
Thank you so much it just looks like I got some really bad advise from that shop again I don’t think ill be going back their again. Thank you so much I feel a bit silly now, but thank you I changed the water and hope that the rest of the fish will be fine.
Thank you.

 

[Tolak]

You're very welcome. Don't feel silly, everyone here, including myself, started about where you are. Many shops give out bad advice, it is such a buyer beware sort of thing. When you do find a good shop that knows their stuff, send your money that way, they are totally worth it.