Is My New Filter Killing My Fish

[b_uffy_summers]

I have a 25L tank with 4 guppies and a Plec (very small one as he is new) I got 2 of my  guppies and my plec a week ago.
 
They were all fine. However, my filter broke. It came with the tank a year ago and looked like this http/www.personalised-pet-products.co.uk/fish-tank-filter-tank-filter-filter-fish-filter-tropical-fish-tank-filter-tropical-fish-filter-aquarium-filter-internal-filter
 
Excpet, the "straw" was above the water and water would pour back into the tank for it. (I assume it is oxygenating the water)
 
The one I bought to replace it was http/www.petsathome.com/shop/stingray-5-10-and-15-underwater-filter-by-elite-25644
 
I did all the things it said before putting it into the tank (cleaning the sponges in some seperate fish tank water) and placed it under water.
 
I was afraid as this means there is no water getting pumped out and in etc.
 I put it in 24hrs ago and my plec is near enough dead. and I don't know if it just my imagination, but my other fish are spending alot of time close to the service of the water
 
 

 

[snazy]

Did you keep the media from the old filter?
If not, your tank is recycling itself again and has toxic ammounts of ammonia and nitrItes.
 
Test your water, do as big and as many water changes to bring down ammonia and nitrIte to 0 and keep it that way(daily) until the new filter grows beneficial bacteria that will eventually start processing these toxins.

 

[LeahMay]

did you use any of your old filter media?
if you didn't you have basically removed all your beneficial bacteria and begun the cycling process again. You need to do some biiiig water changes and check your parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrates) Let us know the results of those tests and we can help you further

 

[b_uffy_summers]

Shall I put the old sponge in the filter?

 

[attibones]

Aren't guppies a bit too active for that size tank? The pleco for sure needs to go back to the LFS immediately. Sounds like the fish are dying because the filter is immature and because of terrible stocking.

 

[TallTree01]

If it is a brand new filter with no media than you are experiencing a fish in cycle. You will need to do massive daily water changes to help your fish through this phase.

 

[attibones]

Your old sponge, if it hasn't been kept in moving water, is probably useless at this point, I would think.

 

[snazy]

Shall I put the old sponge in the filter?

 
Yes, do if it was kept in tank water, not dried out and not washed under the tap.

 

[Noahsfish]

I suggest you return all of your fish then spend a few days doing research on the basics of fish keeping, a pleco in a 6 gallon means you have a long way to go lol.

 

[b_uffy_summers]

I suggest you return all of your fish then spend a few days doing research on the basics of fish keeping, a pleco in a 6 gallon means you have a long way to go lol.

I asked the people at the fish store and also my friend who breeds and has hundreds of fish and I know I can only keep my plec for a short while, but I made sure he has somewhere good to go after he is too big. 

 

[fluttermoth]

OP, put the old sponge back in, if you have it; some of the bacteria might have survived.
 
Then do a large water change; drain the tank right down, leaving just enough water for the fish to swim upright (don't forget to switch your heater and filter off first!) before refilling with temperature matched, dechlorinated water.
 
Then do 50 or 60% every day until you can afford some test kits for ammonia and nitrite.
 
And try and return the plec; it really can't live in a six gallon tank.

 

[b_uffy_summers]

OP, put the old sponge back in, if you have it; some of the bacteria might have survived.
 
Then do a large water change; drain the tank right down, leaving just enough water for the fish to swim upright (don't forget to switch your heater and filter off first!) before refilling with temperature matched, dechlorinated water.
 
Then do 50 or 60% every day until you can afford some test kits for ammonia and nitrite.
 
And try and return the plec; it really can't live in a six gallon tank.

 
Thanks.I have done this now. Its realy difficult because of all the different things people tell you. When I got my tank from the pet store, the box said it could house upto like 15 fish!!! I thought this was incorrect, the store said about 10, some one else at the store said about 6 and then some people have said 3!!! 
 
I have had 5 fish living in it fine for almost 2 years, then over the past 4 months, 2 died so I replaced them and then also got a plec (which has now sadly died) 
 
Can a plec not live in a 25L tank at all??? Not even for the first 6 months of its life??
 
Any other good algae eater I could try

 

 

[techen]

Plecs are very hardy and insanely hard to kill. If you killed one then there is something very wrong with your tank.
 
I would say Min tank size for a plec is around 600Litres
 
Unless it's a birstlenose then 200Litres.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Can a plec not live in a 25L tank at all??? Not even for the first 6 months of its life??

 
Any other good algae eater I could try

 
The best algae eaters for a tank that size would be either nerite snails, ramshorn snails or some Amano Shrimp.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Please go get yourself a bigger tank. You'll have fairly constant issues with poor water quality and your current tank is really even too small for guppies.