R.i.p.

[Fintastic!]

Guys, I don't know what's going on. Last week I lost a pepper cory. I bought a dwarf gourami on Saturday and on Monday he was dead. This evening another pepper cory has died. He was fine as far as I can tell earlier today.
I checked my water yesterday after the gourami died and readings were Ph-7.6, ammonia-0, nitrite-o and nitrate-20. I did a 50 percent water change.
I've just tested the water again after removing my cory and readings are Ph-7.6, ammonia-0, nitrite-o and nitrate-40.
Other tankmates are 3 pepper corys, 1 molly and 3 platys. my numbers are dwindling.
The tank is a 10 gal. It's been set up a long time as it used to belong to a friend of ours. Nothing out of the ordinary has been added.
One thing I did notice is a red mark, almost like a cut on the peppers underside. I have gravel substrate, maybe that's a factor? My poor fish.....

 

[HayzH]

Guys, I don't know what's going on. Last week I lost a pepper cory. I bought a dwarf gourami on Saturday and on Monday he was dead. This evening another pepper cory has died. He was fine as far as I can tell earlier today.
I checked my water yesterday after the gourami died and readings were Ph-7.6, ammonia-0, nitrite-o and nitrate-20. I did a 50 percent water change.
I've just tested the water again after removing my cory and readings are Ph-7.6, ammonia-0, nitrite-o and nitrate-40.
Other tankmates are 3 pepper corys, 1 molly and 3 platys. my numbers are dwindling.
The tank is a 10 gal. It's been set up a long time as it used to belong to a friend of ours. Nothing out of the ordinary has been added.
One thing I did notice is a red mark, almost like a cut on the peppers underside. I have gravel substrate, maybe that's a factor? My poor fish.....

red streaks can be a sign of Ammonia..but your reading suggest that the levels are fine...what test do you use?

 

[Fintastic!]

I use the api master kit HayzH. It was like a little cut. I might bring a sample of water to the lfs tomorrow and get it tested again.

 

[KittyKat]

Take some water to an LFS to be tested, just in case, and get them to write down the exact readings.

Have you used any aerosols/sprays anywhere within 5 metres of the aquarium or in the same room or hallway/rooms that one is connected to? No one has helpfully cleaned the glass on the outside? Is the tank in a kitchen? How did you acclimatise the fish and were they *ever* exposed to ammonia?

 

[Fintastic!]

No sprays near the tank KittyKat. I haven't had any of these fish long, the ones that died that is. One only a couple of weeks and two purchased on Saturday. I left the bag sit on the tanks water for a while then drained some of the water from the bag in the sink and then put the fish in the tank. As for cleaning the outside of the tank, I use the magnet though hubby cleaned it with glass/mirror cleaner a couple of times. Is that bad He was careful that none got near the top of the glass iykwim.

 

[KittyKat]

What sort of glass/mirror cleaner was that? What were the ingredients? It could be bad… it is safer to use some spirit vinegar to get any stains off.

Ah yes, I remember now that you've mentioned the acclimatisation method.. I posted a detailed description of what I consider to be the safest method on here a few time, you should see if you can find it.

 

[Fintastic!]

Yes, I read that KittyKat. I'll be acclimatising fish that way in future. As for the glass cleaner, it's just the regular household type but I'll get spirit vinegar and use that in future.

 

[KittyKat]

As for the glass cleaner, it's just the regular household type but I'll get spirit vinegar and use that in future.

Any other vinegar will also work fine, I just mentioned spirit as it's usually the cheapest

 

[Fintastic!]