Newbie: Danio Acting Strangely

[grant_folley]

Hi, I am new to the forum and new to fish keeping. I have been gifted an aquarium by a friend, who has helped me to set up my tank, using the previously established filter. After a couple of weeks and a set of water results (PH 8, Amonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5) I introduced 5 Danios (2 Zebra, 2 Leopard, 2 Pearl) unfortunatley I lost one of the Zebras on the first night. However after another week of stable water test results I introduced 8 Neon Tetra and 4 Peppered Corys. Again unfortunatley I lost two of the Tetras and one of the Corys over the first day. Following another week of stable water results I introduced a baby Bristlenose Plec, 4 Algae Shrimps and a couple of snails.

All has been well in the tank for almost a week, with water results as previously stated. However over the last couple of days one of my Danios (leopard) is looking unwell. It is not eating, staying at the bottom of the tank and for the last day has been swimming eratically and flicking it's body. There are no external signs of diesease on thie fish. All other fish are acting normally.... what should I do? Could the problems spread to other fish?

Also, as described above I have lost some fish, when I have introduced them into my tank. Am I doing something wrong, what should I be doing when I intoduce new fish to the tank?

For information I have a Juwel Rio 180 Aquarium with standard filter, heating and lighting.

Any help and advice will be very appreciated.

 

[waterdrop]

You may want to hit the emergency section and see if Wilder can quiz you on the symptomatic fish.

Are you using liquid based test kits?

You have probably been introducing too many fish too fast. Even with a mature filter, introductions should be small and a couple of weeks would be better than one week to let the bacteria catch up with the new fish loads between introductions.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[grant_folley]

You may want to hit the emergency section and see if Wilder can quiz you on the symptomatic fish.

Are you using liquid based test kits?

You have probably been introducing too many fish too fast. Even with a mature filter, introductions should be small and a couple of weeks would be better than one week to let the bacteria catch up with the new fish loads between introductions.

~~waterdrop~~

I have posted this in Fish Emergencies, thanks for the suggestion.

I am using a liquid based testing kit (nutrafin). Why do you ask, what type if kit would you recomend?

As I was using an established filter I didn't think there would be an issue introducing fish at the rate I have, especially as my water test results appeared to show that the filter was coping with the increased load!?

Thanks for your advice though, I will let the tank settle for a month or so, once zi have resolved my Danio issue!

 

[waterdrop]

You may want to hit the emergency section and see if Wilder can quiz you on the symptomatic fish.

Are you using liquid based test kits?

You have probably been introducing too many fish too fast. Even with a mature filter, introductions should be small and a couple of weeks would be better than one week to let the bacteria catch up with the new fish loads between introductions.

~~waterdrop~~

I have posted this in Fish Emergencies, thanks for the suggestion.

I am using a liquid based testing kit (nutrafin). Why do you ask, what type if kit would you recomend?

As I was using an established filter I didn't think there would be an issue introducing fish at the rate I have, especially as my water test results appeared to show that the filter was coping with the increased load!?

Thanks for your advice though, I will let the tank settle for a month or so, once zi have resolved my Danio issue!

The question was trying to establish whether the zeros for ammonia and nitrite might not have been reliable, but your liquid nutrafin kits should be fine.

You are correct that if the filter is established and a good test kit has established the zeros, adding fish becomes an option. The added loads were too large though, in my opinion, and the waiting periods between additions were too short. I would wait two weeks between adds. For each of those introductions, I would have tried to make the body mass added be half the size it was.

Your stocking sounds like a nice community selection. Good luck with the sick danio.

~~waterdrop~~