Tank size: 38 Gallons
pH: 7.1
ammonia: around .7 ppm to 1.6 ppm
nitrite: ???
nitrate: Very low
Water Hardness: Hard
tank temp: approx. 78.5 degrees
I'm relatively new to this site, and I've come here because the last two of my swordtails born from one of my now ceased female swordtails had suddenly died overnight. It was very alarming for me because I did not anticipate it at all. Looking back, however, I can go into details about the fact that they've been in thier new tank for about 2 to 3 weeks and were doing perfectly fine until a few days back, when the two started to seclude themselves from the others in the swordtail group (4 black with some natural green sheen and one was a sister which was white with some red). One of the sisters would swim with her body partially sideways, normally in the corner near the heater. If she wasn't there, she would normally hide in the main decoration in the tank, which is a fake tree trunk with mushrooms. She did eat, so I didn't figure she was sick, and I assumed the swimming issue was merely a little swim bladder problem, which I'm not too sure you can fix anyways. The swimming didn't concern me, though I did find it peculiar that the sisters started to hide more and more often. I know this can be associated with them having problems, but I just didn't see it coming. I also noticed that my male swordtail had a tendency to chase these two as well. Two days ago, I added the rest of the live plants from thier old tank, a ten gallon, into thier new tank. Lastly, I took a close look at thier bodies where they were. The last time I fed the fish at all was that night, hours before it happened, which was some fish pellets for (temporary fish) my sisters malawi catfish to eat, which they did as routine. I also put some in assuming the two sisters would nibble at them like they always did, since they didn't eat earlier that day. Like I said when I was looking at them, I noticed the lighter colored sister appeared to have died with her mouth open, as if she choked to death. I could preassume that as the cause of death, but I'm puzzled as it could possible happen to two fish, both sisters, overnight??? The poor things were 14 months old. Were they too old? Coincidence? Could the PH be the killer? I don't know, but I hope someone could help on the topic, maybe giving me possible answers to this sad story. I still have 3 other swordtails, and I don't want them to have the same fate...
pH: 7.1
ammonia: around .7 ppm to 1.6 ppm
nitrite: ???
nitrate: Very low
Water Hardness: Hard
tank temp: approx. 78.5 degrees
I'm relatively new to this site, and I've come here because the last two of my swordtails born from one of my now ceased female swordtails had suddenly died overnight. It was very alarming for me because I did not anticipate it at all. Looking back, however, I can go into details about the fact that they've been in thier new tank for about 2 to 3 weeks and were doing perfectly fine until a few days back, when the two started to seclude themselves from the others in the swordtail group (4 black with some natural green sheen and one was a sister which was white with some red). One of the sisters would swim with her body partially sideways, normally in the corner near the heater. If she wasn't there, she would normally hide in the main decoration in the tank, which is a fake tree trunk with mushrooms. She did eat, so I didn't figure she was sick, and I assumed the swimming issue was merely a little swim bladder problem, which I'm not too sure you can fix anyways. The swimming didn't concern me, though I did find it peculiar that the sisters started to hide more and more often. I know this can be associated with them having problems, but I just didn't see it coming. I also noticed that my male swordtail had a tendency to chase these two as well. Two days ago, I added the rest of the live plants from thier old tank, a ten gallon, into thier new tank. Lastly, I took a close look at thier bodies where they were. The last time I fed the fish at all was that night, hours before it happened, which was some fish pellets for (temporary fish) my sisters malawi catfish to eat, which they did as routine. I also put some in assuming the two sisters would nibble at them like they always did, since they didn't eat earlier that day. Like I said when I was looking at them, I noticed the lighter colored sister appeared to have died with her mouth open, as if she choked to death. I could preassume that as the cause of death, but I'm puzzled as it could possible happen to two fish, both sisters, overnight??? The poor things were 14 months old. Were they too old? Coincidence? Could the PH be the killer? I don't know, but I hope someone could help on the topic, maybe giving me possible answers to this sad story. I still have 3 other swordtails, and I don't want them to have the same fate...
