My Entire Population Has Died.....

[keithbrown53]

There should always be a trace if nitrates if your tank is properly cycled. Always. Are you sure you did the tests properly?

Yes, I'm sure.

 

[mattlee]

what test kit are you using?

if its the test strips then i wouldnt go 100% on what they say as they can be very inaccurate. if its a liquid based kit like the API masterkit then when testing for nitrates give bottle 2 a real good shake so all of the liquid in the bottle has chance to mix. if its not shaken enough you can get false readings

also if you are keeping the same tank then research the fish you buy as mollys get way too big for that tank size and rummynose tetras are way too active for a tank that small. i would look at micro fish and shrimp as the tank is quite small.

 

[keithbrown53]

what test kit are you using?

if its the test strips then i wouldnt go 100% on what they say as they can be very inaccurate. if its a liquid based kit like the API masterkit then when testing for nitrates give bottle 2 a real good shake so all of the liquid in the bottle has chance to mix. if its not shaken enough you can get false readings

also if you are keeping the same tank then research the fish you buy as mollys get way too big for that tank size and rummynose tetras are way too active for a tank that small. i would look at micro fish and shrimp as the tank is quite small.

Hi Matt

Thanks for the reply.

It's the API master kit. I may not have shaken the bottle hard enough, or indeed at all.

Given that I added 3 new neons, and then everything went badly wrong shortly afterwards, I think it was likely to be a disease problem, which caused my issues. The fish in the tank before I got the neons, had been in there for many months previously, with no issues, so the tank must have been cycled, and the water in reasonable condition.

Anyway, I take your point about buying smaller, less active fish. What types would you term to be a micro fish?

Cheers,

Keith.

 

[WILDER]

Your tanks was abit on the over stocked side.

Rummy nosed tetra need at least 15 to 20 gallon tanks.

Did the fish also show any of these signs.
Darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing, gasping, excess mucas, looking pale.
Could any chemicals gotten into the tank.

If the red stripe area wasn't bleached out, or a milky substance on the red stripe area it dosn't sound like ntd.
I doubt ntd will kill all the fish in the tank that fast.

What your tap nitrate reading.
Is the test kit out of date.

 

[WILDER]

How long did it take to lose the entire tank full of fish?

To lose a whole tank of fish really fast it could be any of these.
Toxins, bad water quality, stray voltage.

 

[keithbrown53]

Your tanks was abit on the over stocked side.

Rummy nosed tetra need at least 15 to 20 gallon tanks.

Did the fish also show any of these signs.
Darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing, gasping, excess mucas, looking pale.
Could any chemicals gotten into the tank.

If the red stripe area wasn't bleached out, or a milky substance on the red stripe area it dosn't sound like ntd.
I doubt ntd will kill all the fish in the tank that fast.

What your tap nitrate reading.
Is the test kit out of date.

Hello

There was definately some gasping going on, followed by some upside-down swimming, followed by death.

I don't think it was NTD: the symptoms don't sound like what these fish experienced.

Tap nitrate reading is zero.

Test kit is about 18 months old.

I suppose something *could* have gotten into the tank and killed the fish, but I don't know what. I was using the same buckets / jugs / net / etc that I always use when cleaning the tank out.

The whole tank went from looking OK when I added the neons, to being all dead, in about 3 or 4 days, roughly.

Whilst you are on, which breeds of fish would you think are suitable for a BiUbe?

Cheers,

Keith.

 

[the biffster]

i think they have been treating the mains
after some work as been done somewhere
and the water change that you made was
just bad timing i have done a very similar thing
in the past

 

[keithbrown53]

i think they have been treating the mains
after some work as been done somewhere
and the water change that you made was
just bad timing i have done a very similar thing
in the past

Hi there

That's possible.

I'm going to start the cycling process next week anyway with a new filter, sterilised gravel / ornaments, etc....hopefully in 4 or 5 weeks, I'll have a nice stable aquarium again, and I can start adding some fish.

Cheers,

Keith.

 

[WILDER]

Was there plenty of aeration in the tank?

The symtoms they were showing can points towards lack of 02, toxins, ph shock, bad water quality, bacterial, parasites.


Bless them.
R.I.P.

 

[the biffster]

good luck with the new start Keith. hope
all goes well for you

 

[keithbrown53]

Was there plenty of aeration in the tank?

The symtoms they were showing can points towards lack of 02, toxins, ph shock, bad water quality, bacterial, parasites.


Bless them.
R.I.P.

The aeration in the tank comes from a pump, which leads to an air stone, which fires bubbles up a long plastic bubble tube inside the aquarium; the bubbles then break on the surface of the water.

The bubble flow looked to be just the same as always.

The biube can be seen here: http/www.reef-one.com/biUbe

I know that biubes have certain limitations, and if I had my time again I'd probably choose something more conventional.

However, everything was nice and stable prior to me adding 3 neons a few days prior to it all going wrong, so I was thinking more along the lines of a disease being introduced. Pollution due to a toxin is also possible though....

Cheers,

Keith.

good luck with the new start Keith. hope
all goes well for you

Thanks!

 

[bassbonediva]

Microfish include galaxy rasbora (a.k.a.-celestial pearl danios), microrasbora, endler livebearers, sparkling gourami, or a single male or female betta (if you go with the betta, they should be the only thing in the tank, unless you decide to get some shrimp).