Need help

[Officefish03]

I currently have a 29 gallon freshwater fish tank, and I’ve had guppy and tetras (separate times) in there who lasted a while. We had a power outage recently where our Tetras all died. And now we’re trying to restock it but every time I’ve put fish in, they only last about 24 hours. I’ve done a 100% water change, added beneficial bacteria my tank, and it’s been cycling for about two weeks now, but every time I add new fish they only last about 24 hours. What can I do to help stock up my tank and what am I doing wrong? Thank you

 

[BabyGuppie]

What are your parameters? PH nitrate levels all that good stuff? As well as water temps. Where are you getting your new fish from? Do they look healthy when u buy them? Keep in mind transfering fish is normally when they die due to added stress. Add Cycle if you have not as well careful to read how much to add!

 

[BabyGuppie]

 

[Officefish03]

What are your parameters? PH nitrate levels all that good stuff? As well as water temps. Where are you getting your new fish from? Do they look healthy when u buy them? Keep in mind transfering fish is normally when they die due to added stress. Add Cycle if you have not as well careful to read how much to add!

As far as I know my parameters are all perfect. I’ve tested them multiple times throughout the month. And I get my fish from Petsmart but I’ve always gotten from Petsmart and they all did well. The fish are all perfect and energetic when I get them and put them in my tank but within the next 24 hours they all die. I’ve added beneficial bacteria balls, aqua start and I’ve been cycling it through for about two weeks now. I acclimate the fish for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes before putting them in the new tank. I’ve done everything I can think of.

 

[BabyGuppie]

I'd like to know your parameters great that you tested and they sound great to you but something is off. Could be the ph or water temp. Lest see that posted ya.

Things to look for is dead fish at the bottom of the sellers tank or not normal movement. Don't be afraid to ask there parameters. So you can match the Ph and heat.

Do you have plant life? Take some pictures of your filtration system and setup. More information you provide the more users on here can help you find out whats going on. ^_-

 

[GaryE]

What fish are involved?

 

[Naughts]

I’ve been cycling it through for about two weeks

Can you explain how you have been cycling? If you haven't used an ammonia source you will not be developing the beneficial bacteria required.

Add Cycle if you have not a

There are only 2 products thought to assist cycling, unfortunately this is not one of them. Dr Tim's One and Only or Tetra Safe Start have the correct bacteria.

 

[Yellow]

It'll REALLY help to see all water test results.

 

[BabyGuppie]

Can you explain how you have been cycling? If you haven't used an ammonia source you will not be developing the beneficial bacteria required.

There are only 2 products thought to assist cycling, unfortunately this is not one of them. Dr Tim's One and Only or Tetra Safe Start have the correct bacteria.

Can you provide your research information on this. I'd love to know where u get your information from in this regard!

 

[Naughts]

Not my research but readily provided on the forum by @TwoTankAmin
Some products have the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite (which may or may not work depending on storage) but only those two have nitrospira, the correct bacteria to convert nitrite to nitrate.

"Years back I read a paper which basically tested a starter product in Europe. The paper was from 2001 which was the same year as Dr. Hovane's 3rd paper identifying the ammonia bacteria in tanks was published. His 1998 paper discovered the nitrospira and probes for detecting them.

At any rate you can read the paper here An improved nitrifying enrichment to remove ammonium and nitrite from freshwater aquaria systems. "

 

[Byron]

This excerpt from an article I wrote several years ago may be of interest, in addition to Naughts post. We are all on the same page here.

Nitrification is the oxidation of ammonia/ammonium to nitrite and then the subsequent oxidation of nitrite to nitrate; this is performed by two groups of bacteria known collectively as nitrifying bacteria or nitrifiers. True nitrifying bacteria are autotrophs; they use chemosynthesis to manufacture their energy by using oxygen plus nitrogenous waste (ammonia or nitrite) and carbon (from CO2). There are several different bacterium species involved, all in the family Nitrobacteraceae, that carry out this function in soil, and it used to be thought that these, particularly Nitrosomonas europa and Nitrobacter, were the nitrification bacteria in freshwater. But Dr. Timothy Hovanec led the team of scientists that proved this to be a mistaken assumption. Ammonia is converted to nitrite by bacteria of the Nitrosonomas marina-like strain [2] and nitrite is converted to nitrate by bacteria closely related to Nitrospira moscoviensis and Nitrospira marina. [3] With several subsequent scientific studies by other scientists on wastewater nitrifying bacteria this data is now accepted.

[2] Paul C. Burrell, Carol M. Phalen, and Timothy A. Hovanec, “Identification of Bacteria Responsible for Ammonia Oxidation in Freshwater Aquaria,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2001, pp. 5791-5800.
[3] Hovanec, T. A., L. T. Taylor, A. Blakis and E. F. DeLong (1998), “Nitrospira- Like Bacteria Associated with Nitrite Oxidation in Freshwater Aquaria,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 258-264.

As Naughts said, only two products contain these bacteria, because the process is patented and no one else can use them [may not be saying this correctly, but you get the idea]. Dr. Hovanec's formula is in these two products and no others.

 

[Officefish03]

What are your parameters? PH nitrate levels all that good stuff? As well as water temps. Where are you getting your new fish from? Do they look healthy when u buy them? Keep in mind transfering fish is normally when they die due to added stress. Add Cycle if you have not as well careful to read how much to add!

 

[Officefish03]

Can you explain how you have been cycling? If you haven't used an ammonia source you will not be developing the beneficial bacteria required.

There are only 2 products thought to assist cycling, unfortunately this is not one of them. Dr Tim's One and Only or Tetra Safe Start have the correct bacteria.

I’ve used the tetra safe start. And I’ve just had my tank running for two weeks with nothing it. I had mollies, tetras, and a blue Gourami (not all at once).

 

[Byron]

The test strip does not include ammonia (if I am reading it correctly), and this might be the issue.

Ignore this next sentence, I saw the photo after I posted. [Do you have live plants, and if yes, which and how many--this question could be easily answered with a photo of the entire tak.]

 

[Naughts]

I’ve used the tetra safe start. And I’ve just had my tank running for two weeks with nothing it. I had mollies, tetras, and a blue Gourami (not all at once).

I suspect the tank isn't cycled. You will need to get an ammonia test to confirm. Tetra safe start is recommended and will hopefully cut down cycling time.

---

The test strip shows soft water so I recommend you rehome the mollies which are a hard water species.

Do a large 75% water change asap. If you find you have ammonia, test the water every day and do a large water change any time the ammonia is above zero. Cut feeding down to a couple of times a week and add live plants, especially floating ones.