KarlosFandango
Fish Fanatic
Our 80 gallon community tank has been up and running for nearly two years now, being run by 2 Fluval 304's and external thermometers. Everything has been hunky dory now for ages with only new fish being baby swordtails bred in the tank.
Nearly two weeks ago, I had a major sort out and took away all of the fast growing weed which the babies liked to hide in - this meant much more light was getting through to the bottom of the tank although there was less plant for the fish to swim amongst. However, there is still a lot of other plants, many vallis and java ferns, so don't think this should have caused too many problems. Also did a 25% water change with rain water (ph 7.5 and gh 3).
Last Thursday, we then decided to get some Angels - quite small, but only 6 which for the tank was nowhere near to be overstocked. Since then, three have died, with the tail ending up almost shrivelled and the dorsal fin being held flacidly, unlike the remaining three which have beautiful fins alround. I cannot say whether the angels were like that when we bought them as I cannot remember, and it only makes me wonder now if they were the start of the problems?
Tuesday we saw a lot of the swordtails swimming near to the surface as if gasping for oxygen. Thought this was strange so did some water tests - gh 12, ph 6, Ammonia and Nitrite 0-0.10. Didn't do a water change as we didn't want to stress them further, instead adding the correct amount of Waterlife 6.5 ph buffer and then leaving the fish to it.
Today my wife found 9 dead swordtails of varying sizes. On closer inspection, I found another 8, although the rest of the fish are looking good, feeding well and apparantely normal. So tonight we did another water parameter test - ph 6, gh 12 and ammonia and Nitrite 0-0.10 again. We then did a water change with rainwater again, which still had the ph 7.5 and gh 3.
The food has remained the same brand/type, amounts havent differed and no other things have been introduced or added. Our corys all seem fine, as do our clown loaches - the first fishes we would have expected to see become stressed or ill. It seems very strange that such hardy fish have died - does anyone have any idea what the cause could be? Why would the gh be so high but the ph low - and what can we do to alter that? Any idea or remedies more than welcomed.
Cheers, Karl
Nearly two weeks ago, I had a major sort out and took away all of the fast growing weed which the babies liked to hide in - this meant much more light was getting through to the bottom of the tank although there was less plant for the fish to swim amongst. However, there is still a lot of other plants, many vallis and java ferns, so don't think this should have caused too many problems. Also did a 25% water change with rain water (ph 7.5 and gh 3).
Last Thursday, we then decided to get some Angels - quite small, but only 6 which for the tank was nowhere near to be overstocked. Since then, three have died, with the tail ending up almost shrivelled and the dorsal fin being held flacidly, unlike the remaining three which have beautiful fins alround. I cannot say whether the angels were like that when we bought them as I cannot remember, and it only makes me wonder now if they were the start of the problems?
Tuesday we saw a lot of the swordtails swimming near to the surface as if gasping for oxygen. Thought this was strange so did some water tests - gh 12, ph 6, Ammonia and Nitrite 0-0.10. Didn't do a water change as we didn't want to stress them further, instead adding the correct amount of Waterlife 6.5 ph buffer and then leaving the fish to it.
Today my wife found 9 dead swordtails of varying sizes. On closer inspection, I found another 8, although the rest of the fish are looking good, feeding well and apparantely normal. So tonight we did another water parameter test - ph 6, gh 12 and ammonia and Nitrite 0-0.10 again. We then did a water change with rainwater again, which still had the ph 7.5 and gh 3.
The food has remained the same brand/type, amounts havent differed and no other things have been introduced or added. Our corys all seem fine, as do our clown loaches - the first fishes we would have expected to see become stressed or ill. It seems very strange that such hardy fish have died - does anyone have any idea what the cause could be? Why would the gh be so high but the ph low - and what can we do to alter that? Any idea or remedies more than welcomed.
Cheers, Karl
