My Fish Are Dieing

[Robris]

Hi,

I have recently bought a tank and added fish, and as being a complete newb and idiot, i added fish after a day because i didnt know about the "nitrogen" cycle, i only learnt once i got the fish and started googling about it.

Anyways, After 1 day of letting the filter run I added 4 fish to my 27L Tank, they are 4 cichlids, 2 electric yellows and 2 cobalt blues. After 8 days of the fish being in the tank and looking fine, i suddenly came home from work today and noticed that my two electric yellows are barely moving, 1 of them is inside my cave ornament while the other is barely moving from the bottom corner of my tank. Both of them look like they are breathing very heavily, the front part of their bodys is puffing in and out, as well as their mouths opening and closing. They are also a bit groggy and are moving a little sideways. My 2 Blue Cobalts are also staying still at the bottom of the tank and are not moving to much or well, although I havent noticed really heavy breathing like the yellows are.

My Water temp has been at a constant 25-26 degrees.

Does anyone know what could be the cause? and also if there is anything that could possibly save them? the yellows look like they are going to die.

All help is much appreciated.


Friday 25/05/07

Setup my 27L (7.5 G) tank, including 3 plastic planets, heater and thermometer

Sat 26/05/07

Added 2 Electric Yellows
Added 2 Cobalt Blues

Thursday 31/05/07

Did my first 25% water change
Bought a Master Test Kit, my results were:

pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 5.0

Saturday 02/06/07

Ammonia: 2.0
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 5.0

Sunday 03/06/07 (today)

pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 2.0
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 5.0

 

[lilfishie]

tthe ammonia and nitrite should be 0 that would be what is causing the problem, all i can reccommend is completing the cycle with the fish in there, have a read though THIS

 

[Robris]

Is there a thread that explains how to cycle your tank and get it to 0 am and 0 nitrites once you have already added fish from the start?

 

[lilfishie]

sorry posted the wrong link, THIS is the one i meant

 

[dwarfgourami]

The usual way to save fish from the effects of ammonia and nitrite poisoning is to dilute these chemicals by frequent water changes. I have to warn you though that there is no way you can keep these particular fish in a 7.5 gallon tank, they need more like 55 gallons. By the time they start feeling better, they'll probably kill each other in such a confined space. They need space for active swimming and territories. Suitable inhabitants for your tank would be:

one single betta/Siamese fighter fish
or
African dwarf frogs
or
small school of ember tetras
or
small school of microrasboras
or
group of heterandria formosa

 

[Robris]

I just did a 40% water change and within minutes the fish are starting to swim around, although they are still puffing.

I do plan on getting a new tank once they outgrow this small tank, Im looking at a 120 litre AR620T. Could someone tell me roughly how quick do they grow? I bought them as juvs about 4cm long

 

[rsands]

Do daily water changes. if not do even two 25% approx changes every day. It will lower the ammonia and nitrites to a safer level.

 

[rdd1952]

There isn't a thread that I'm aware of that specifically deals with cycling with fish. The only way to get through it though is by doing lots of water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite as low as possible. I would keep the WCs smaller, say 20% or so, and just do them more often, twice a day if neccessary to try to keep the ammonia and nitrite as close to zero as possible. It will probably take 3 or 4 weeks for the tank to finish cycling.

As mentioned, the tank you have is too small for those fish. Minimum tank size for labs and cobalts is 50 gallon as they are very territorial and need to be able to find their space. The list dwarfgourami gave you is about it for your tank.

 

[Robris]

My fish are still staying in the bottom of the tank and look like they are suffocating, its been over 48hrs now. Are they going to be in this kind of shape for weeks until the water is cycled? If this is the case i doubt they will survive. I have been doing daily partial water changes and they still look like bad shape.

 

[1ncubu5]

what sort of filter do you have in the tank? do u have an airstone? they might be getting starved of oxygen

 

[Robris]

what sort of filter do you have in the tank? do u have an airstone? they might be getting starved of oxygen

Aqua One Clear View hang on filter, came with my tank. Its a small one, pumps 300litres an hour i think. I dont have any kind of air in my tank. Only the small bubbles (not many) that are created when the filter shoots the water back in the tank

 

[Lorna]

what sort of filter do you have in the tank? do u have an airstone? they might be getting starved of oxygen

That was my thoughts as well.

I am in the same situation that you are in, I didn't cycle my tank either. Even though the tank is still far from finished my fish do appear to be happy and OK. Are you dechlorinating the H2O beforehand?

 

[Robris]

Yeah I was using the water cnoditioner i got with the tank and am now using Safe Start Crystals, same thing but its in solid form not liquid. It could be lack of oxygen. Lorna do you have an air pump in your tank?

Also is there a difference in a Air stone and air pump?

 

[Lorna]

Yeah I was using the water cnoditioner i got with the tank and am now using Safe Start Crystals, same thing but its in solid form not liquid. It could be lack of oxygen. Lorna do you have an air pump in your tank?

Also is there a difference in a Air stone and air pump?

I used some crystals with my first goldfish I had about 5 months ago, They died within a month, I would seriously stay clear from those. I suggest using stress coat or aqua plus to dechorinate the water, they are a bit more expensive then the crystals but worth it. I have an air pump, its a tetratec, I got free with the tank. I always think the they are the best way in my experience to add O2 to water. The airstone goes on the end of the line from your airpump they make the bubbles more finer and can be decorative. Make sure you get an air pump that is suitable to your tank size. I would suggest getting one.

I was reading your description of your fish again and I saw a similarity between my first gold fish and your fish. Did they start to go funny after you used the crystals in your tank?

 

[dthoffsett]

I just did a 40% water change and within minutes the fish are starting to swim around, although they are still puffing.

I do plan on getting a new tank once they outgrow this small tank, Im looking at a 120 litre AR620T. Could someone tell me roughly how quick do they grow? I bought them as juvs about 4cm long

If it's a lack of oxygen, they'd be gasping at the surface. What you are seeing is a reaction to the ammonia and nitrite, cichlids aren't a good fish to cycle with. If your LFS will let you, I highly suggest returning all of the fish and fishless cycle, or at the very least see if they will exchange for a more suitable fish for your tank size.

A 120 litre tank will still not be large enough, you need at least 180 litres or more, preferably over 200 litres. Yellow labs (labidochromis caeruleus) http/www.fishforums.net/Electric-Yellow-t34733.html, are slow growers, but I wouldn't even use anything smaller than 10 gal for a fry grow-out tank. Cobalt Blues (metriaclima callainos) http/www.fishforums.net/Metriaclima-Callainos-t183020.html, grow a little faster, but can be aggressive as juveniles. Even short term, your tank isn't suitable for the fish.