New Fish Dying

[Geordiehc]

Ive had my 3ft tank set up for about 2 months now and when we add new fish the majority of them get wiped out

I have

1 x Gibbicus plec
3 x Harelquin
5 x Tetra

After being advised to get more of the harlequins and tetras, yesterday we bought 6 new harlequins to build the shoal up little by little, so far 2 have died.
We havnt got a tester kit yet, but my friend regularly tests my water for me and the parametrs have always been ok and we do regular water changes (about 30% per week)

Is it normal to have losses when adding new fish? Or are we doing something wrong, we acclimitise properly etc.

 

[Crossfire]

Ive had my 3ft tank set up for about 2 months now and when we add new fish the majority of them get wiped out

I have

1 x Gibbicus plec
3 x Harelquin
5 x Tetra

After being advised to get more of the harlequins and tetras, yesterday we bought 6 new harlequins to build the shoal up little by little, so far 2 have died.
We havnt got a tester kit yet, but my friend regularly tests my water for me and the parametrs have always been ok and we do regular water changes (about 30% per week)

Is it normal to have losses when adding new fish? Or are we doing something wrong, we acclimitise properly etc.

How did you acclimate the fish? Best way to do it is to float the baggie for 15 minutes in the tank, then add some tank water, then let it float for another 15 minutes, and then add the fish (but not the baggie water)

 

[webbie]

Did you cycle your tank before you started adding fish or are you doing a fish in cycle?

 

[angel308]

Hi Geordiehc,

I'm pretty new to this too but one thing you need definitly is your own test kit. I lost fish to start with due to high ammonia levels, which are only now starting to come down (after 6weeks). You need to test your water daily at the start to check your not killing fish with dangerous Ammonia and nitrite. If your feidn is only doing it occassionally high levels may well be whats killing the fish. Other more experienced user might have more suggestions. hope you get it sorted xx

 

[Geordiehc]

Ive had my 3ft tank set up for about 2 months now and when we add new fish the majority of them get wiped out

I have

1 x Gibbicus plec
3 x Harelquin
5 x Tetra

After being advised to get more of the harlequins and tetras, yesterday we bought 6 new harlequins to build the shoal up little by little, so far 2 have died.
We havnt got a tester kit yet, but my friend regularly tests my water for me and the parametrs have always been ok and we do regular water changes (about 30% per week)

Is it normal to have losses when adding new fish? Or are we doing something wrong, we acclimitise properly etc.

How did you acclimate the fish? Best way to do it is to float the baggie for 15 minutes in the tank, then add some tank water, then let it float for another 15 minutes, and then add the fish (but not the baggie water)

Did you cycle your tank before you started adding fish or are you doing a fish in cycle?

Hi Geordiehc,

I'm pretty new to this too but one thing you need definitly is your own test kit. I lost fish to start with due to high ammonia levels, which are only now starting to come down (after 6weeks). You need to test your water daily at the start to check your not killing fish with dangerous Ammonia and nitrite. If your feidn is only doing it occassionally high levels may well be whats killing the fish. Other more experienced user might have more suggestions. hope you get it sorted xx

I acclimitised this way yes,

I cycled without fish in

We will be getting a test kit asap, when we find a good 1, if the tank wasnt properly cycled could it still be affecting the tank after all this time?

 

[webbie]

The API test kit is probably the best one around cost you around £20,so how did you do your fishless cycle, with ammonia?,doesnt sound like an acclimatisation problem ,sounds more like your tank isnt fully cycled to me

 

[Geordiehc]

The API test kit is probably the best one around cost you around £20,so how did you do your fishless cycle, with ammonia?,doesnt sound like an acclimatisation problem ,sounds more like your tank isnt fully cycled to me

no i left the tank for 2 weeks with jsut the filter going etc no fish in, and then got harelquins when i read up about the nitrogen cycle etc, as they are suypposed to be a vary ahrdy fish that could survive until the bacteria built up and then i got tetras after that, thinking i was done, am i not done? lol

 

[jenjen_82]

The API test kit is probably the best one around cost you around £20,so how did you do your fishless cycle, with ammonia?,doesnt sound like an acclimatisation problem ,sounds more like your tank isnt fully cycled to me

no i left the tank for 2 weeks with jsut the filter going etc no fish in, and then got harelquins when i read up about the nitrogen cycle etc, as they are suypposed to be a vary ahrdy fish that could survive until the bacteria built up and then i got tetras after that, thinking i was done, am i not done? lol

What you have done is a fish in cycle. A tank can cycle without a source of ammonia so even thou u left it 2 weeks before adding anything it will have been of no benefit.

How long have u had the fish in?

 

[Geordiehc]

The API test kit is probably the best one around cost you around £20,so how did you do your fishless cycle, with ammonia?,doesnt sound like an acclimatisation problem ,sounds more like your tank isnt fully cycled to me

no i left the tank for 2 weeks with jsut the filter going etc no fish in, and then got harelquins when i read up about the nitrogen cycle etc, as they are suypposed to be a vary ahrdy fish that could survive until the bacteria built up and then i got tetras after that, thinking i was done, am i not done? lol

What you have done is a fish in cycle. A tank can cycle without a source of ammonia so even thou u left it 2 weeks before adding anything it will have been of no benefit.

How long have u had the fish in?

At least 2 months

 

[webbie]

Theres your problem for your fish dying then, your tank isnt cycled,not enough bacteria in your filter system to deal with the fish wastes,ideally you need to return the fish to your LFS ,then do a fishless cycle using ammonia,or beg borrow or steal some filter material from an established tank,where abouts in the west mids are you?,or get yourself a bottle of Seachem Stability which I have used in the past for a fish in cycle

 

[slimeneo]

I doubt the LFS will take the fish back after 2 months, if you're going to do a fish-in cycle, be sure to read about it in the beginner's section. It's a lot of water changes, but you have to do them so you don't harm your fish even more. You can always ask your LFS for some of their mature filter media, just a little piece will at least help. good luck.

 

[Geordiehc]

Theres your problem for your fish dying then, your tank isnt cycled,not enough bacteria in your filter system to deal with the fish wastes,ideally you need to return the fish to your LFS ,then do a fishless cycle using ammonia,or beg borrow or steal some filter material from an established tank,where abouts in the west mids are you?,or get yourself a bottle of Seachem Stability which I have used in the past for a fish in cycle

Redditch, my m8 lives aroundf the corner like and hes got a big cichilid tank so il ask himf or some, hes just gone on holiday though >< lol
What exactly is filter material, and what should i do to clean out the filter?

 

[slimeneo]

Filter media is just the sponge that the bacteria grows on. you don't clean the filter, only to get the large pieces of crap out you can take it out and put it in dirty tank water (during water changes) and clean it in the tank water, but remember never to let it touch tap water because then the bacteria will die

 

[webbie]

Geordiehc you are going to have to do water changes every day until your mate gets back and you can get some filter material off him,you need to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down,how big is your tank and what sort of filter have you got?

 

[Geordiehc]

ok thanks slimeneo
and webbie i will do that, but as i said he does water tests for me and hes never said they were a problem before...

Its a 3ft- 90litre tank, couldnt tell u the filter type sorry as i got it second hand witht he fish tank