Oh No! One Down, Others At Risk?

[Liquidshokk]

One of our new fish died today

We have had 4 platies for around 4 weeks and last weekend we went to buy our next lot of fish. We bought:

2 Catfish
2 Guppies
and two of the fish shown in the photo (not sure of the name) It is one of these that died today.

I dont know why it died, Firstly Ill give you my details;

Tank size: 96 litres /20 gallons
pH: OK
ammonia: OK
nitrite: Could be better but within safe levels
nitrate:Could be better but within safe levels
tank temp: Around 26oC

Fish Symptoms: I thought the fish were acting a bit strangely as of yesterday... occassionally all the fish line up facing the pump flow and this morning the one that died and its pair kept swimming around the surface opening and closing their mouths like they were looking for food but they werent interested in the food that went by...were they gasping for air?? if so, why arent they anymore as they all seem fine now???

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 30% once a week

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: stress zyme and stress coat once a week with water change

Tank inhabitants: Only fish mentioned above

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): added 4 new plants along with the new fish

Exposure to chemicals:

Digital photo (include if possible):

Im worried that there is something going on in the tank and that I may lose the other one or one of the other breeds...

Please help!

Thanks

 

[Liquidshokk]

btw I was given 3 lots of different foods for our fish... the orignal platties eat flakes, was told to give the catfish catfish pellets and the one that died some red pellet type food, yet the one that died and his pair have seemed to eat any of it!! they dont eat off the surface and havent seen them eating off the floor either....

is it possible they have been starving?? if so how do i get the other one to eat!?!?!

 

[kpintheshed]

when my fish kept swimming to the top of the tank it was because of the small amount of oxygen. im not a expert but maybe theres not enough because they would go down but not all the way and then back up. so if u get that maybe theres not enough oxygen.


do u have a air pump?

 

[Liquidshokk]

when my fish kept swimming to the top of the tank it was because of the small amount of oxygen. im not a expert but maybe theres not enough because they would go down but not all the way and then back up. so if u get that maybe theres not enough oxygen.


do u have a air pump?

Thanks, I believe it s filter pump as it doesnt give out bubbles, it is part of an all in one box which has heater, pump and filters in...

 

[Liquidshokk]

when my fish kept swimming to the top of the tank it was because of the small amount of oxygen. im not a expert but maybe theres not enough because they would go down but not all the way and then back up. so if u get that maybe theres not enough oxygen.


do u have a air pump?

Thanks, I believe it s filter pump as it doesnt give out bubbles, it is part of an all in one box which has heater, pump and filters in...

Just checked it, doesnt feel like there is a great deal of pressure coming out of the pump...not even sure if there should be!?!?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What kind of filter do you have?
There is no such thing as safe nitrite levels, nitrates are fine as long as they are 40 or under. Your tank is cycling if its only bee set up for 4 weeks and there is nitrites in it, you should definately read this article on avoiding and treating new tank syndrome- the majority of fish deaths come down to either desease or water quality problems or both;

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

I would advise doing a 40% water change right now with dechlorinator- you should do a small to medium sized water change with dechlorinator whenever you either nitrites or ammonia in levels above 0, but preferably don't take out more than 60% of tank water a day maximum.
The gasping could come down to either;
a. The water quality problems in the tank.
b. Lack of oxygen.
c. Things like unwanted chemicals in the tank (room spray, soap, deodrant etc).

It is mostly the above two since your tank is still cycling (and will be for quite a while yet). Adding an air stone/bubble machine will help ease the fishes condition during the cycle by improving the oxygen content of the water.

 

[WILDER]

Do a water change to add some 02 to the water.
For now lower the tank water level so the filter airnates the water more.
I would invest in an airpump and airstone.


Sorry tokis didn't see you there.

 

[Liquidshokk]

Do a water change to add some 02 to the water.
For now lower the tank water level so the filter airnates the water more.
I would invest in an airpump and airstone.


Sorry tokis didn't see you there.

Thanks for great replies. Im guessing i cant actually do a water change right now as the water hasnt been left for 24 hours, right???


The filters i have are blue sponges, green nitrate sponge and black carbon one (took this one out today after reading so many posts advising so)

Would i replace the filter pump with an airpump or have both the box in the tank is made for the pump that comes with it so dont know how i would fit another pump in the tank?!?! (black box in 2nd photo)

am i right in saying the airstone attaches to the pump?!? or is it a standalone thing?

Thanks

btw, does anyone know what type of fish the one that died is?

 

[WILDER]

As long as you add declorinator to the water the water change should be fine.
Squeeze the green sponge onto the blue sponges to get the muck out of it, and take it out you don't need it.
There not proven if the nitrate sponges work, need to change them with the black carbon every six weeks so they turn out to be expensive.
Remove the black carbon as well don't need that that just slowing the cycle down.
Yes use the airpump along with your filter.

Look under airstones as well.
When the tank has been cycled for a while you will be able to replace the green sponge with a new blue sponge.
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/listsecti...=322&rets=X

 

[Liquidshokk]

As long as you add declorinator to the water the water change should be fine.
Squeeze the green sponge onto the blue sponges to get the muck out of it, and take it out you don't need it.
There not proven if the nitrate sponges work, need to change them with the black carbon every six weeks so they turn out to be expensive.
Remove the black carbon as well don't need that that just slowing the cycle down.
Yes use the airpump along with your filter.

Will any airpump fit in place of the one i have at the moment though?? its made for the tank and attaches to the boxing....

 

[WILDER]

Its juwel tank by the sounds of it, the filter in the box is a powerhead leave that in the box you need that.
The airpump goes on the outside of the tank, you attach a plastic tube to it with an airstone which can go in the centre of the tank.
Tell the lfs you want a back up flow valve and a gang valve so you can turn the flow up and down.

http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...accessories.asp

Guppys and most fish will love that airpump they will play in the bubbles.

 

[Liquidshokk]

Its juwel tank by the sounds of it, the filter in the box is a powerhead leave that in the box you need that.
The airpump goes on the outside of the tank, you attach a plastic tube to it with an airstone which can go in the centre of the tank.
Tell the lfs you want a back up flow valve and a gang valve so you can turn the flow up and down.

http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...accessories.asp

Guppys and most fish will love that airpump they will play in the bubbles.

so this powerhead...

isnt actually a pump at all really then??? And with the filters being stacked up below the powerhead, surely they all need to be in there (blue, green and black) sorry, not sure how the filters and powerhead work together...

Im surprised I dont have a proper pump in there for a tank that size and quality...

 

[WILDER]

Have the same one the tank is it a rekord 120.
Leave that in the box.
It's a power head not an air pump.

Juwel just want to make money out of you every six weeks on the nitrate green sponge, and the black carbon.
Only time you need black carbon is for removing meds from the tank.

 

[Marshall..]

If it is a new tank then the nitrites could bounce back up causing problems.
I had a friend who was overfeeding his fish and had a lot of rotting bloodworm in the gravel,his fish were all gasping for oxygen at the surface
we cleaned the gravel and did a 50% water change and the improvement was amazing.
Are you overfeeding?

 

[Liquidshokk]

It is a jewel compact 96 tank. it uses the middle powerhead in the pic above.

It is possible I am overfeeding... We were originally told to feed every other day for the first two weeks, after that we have gradually increased to a feed in the morning and one in the evening but im guessing now i should only be doing one. i make sure all the food is eaten or netted out.

I have just done a 40% water change. how long do you all leave it before testing the water, surely the water needs to settle?

What do i do if there is still nitrites/nitrate when i test tonight??