What's Wrong With My Fish?

[fost123]

i have had this problem before but just introduced some guppy's to trop fish tank and the all the fish now are staying on the surfuce of the water and not moving anywhere else in the tank. the tank is fairly cloudy as well. last time this happened my fish died. What should i do?

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
How long has the tank been set up.

 

[fost123]

8 minot's for a month
2 algae eaters last week and
5 guppy's this morning.
Probably put them all in a bit quick but the store said ti woudl be okay.
Not sure on the nitrate etc levels as do not have a kit.
3 galloons at the most.
the tank has been set up for 7 weeks

Cheers!

 

[fost123]

How many gallons is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
How long has the tank been set up.

8 minot's for a month
2 algae eaters last week and
5 guppy's this morning.
Probably put them all in a bit quick but the store said ti woudl be okay.
Not sure on the nitrate etc levels as do not have a kit.
3 galloons at the most.
the tank has been set up for 7 weeks

Cheers!

 

[Cantbesaved]

The tank has been set up for 7 weeks, but were you cycling it during that time, or just have it sitting there? If you did not add ammonia it wont cycle, and only started the process when you added the 8 minots... The cloudiness is likely built up ammonia, and that is poisoning the fish do a giant water change to clear it up for now, but maybe rehome them while you get a test kit and test every other day until 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5-10 PPM nitrate! Best of luck.

 

[fost123]

The tank has been set up for 7 weeks, but were you cycling it during that time, or just have it sitting there? If you did not add ammonia it wont cycle, and only started the process when you added the 8 minots... The cloudiness is likely built up ammonia, and that is poisoning the fish do a giant water change to clear it up for now, but maybe rehome them while you get a test kit and test every other day until 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5-10 PPM nitrate! Best of luck.

Thanks for the quick response there. Shall i change 50% of the water? Have been changing 20% every week since set up. chnaged 20% this morning and a couple of hours later the problem started. New carbon filter popped in today.

 

[Syphoniera]

Hi, fost123,
just wondering, did you say the tank was '3 galloons at the most.'?
With 8 minnows for a month, 2 algae eaters last week and 5 guppies added this morning?

EditYou'll have to pardon my ignorance if minots was not a typo and means some type of aquatic life I'm not familiar with: there are an astonishing number...)

 

[Cantbesaved]

The tank has been set up for 7 weeks, but were you cycling it during that time, or just have it sitting there? If you did not add ammonia it wont cycle, and only started the process when you added the 8 minots... The cloudiness is likely built up ammonia, and that is poisoning the fish do a giant water change to clear it up for now, but maybe rehome them while you get a test kit and test every other day until 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5-10 PPM nitrate! Best of luck.

Thanks for the quick response there. Shall i change 50% of the water? Have been changing 20% every week since set up. chnaged 20% this morning and a couple of hours later the problem started. New carbon filter popped in today.

Do a 50% and see how that works. if it still has a lot of ammonia, do another 50% after an hour or so. Also, you said you put in a new carbon filter? Is that JUST carbon or did you replace everything? You should NOT replace the media that filters the crud out of the water. In fact, you never do unless you have a bio-wheel filter, and even then you don't have to

And I must have skipped past where you said you have a 3 gallon tank... You have overstocked it quite a bit. You should have 1 or MAYBE 2 very small hardy fish in there if you are not cycled and want to do a fish-in cycle... BUT THAT IS NOT RECOMMENDED!!!! You should do a fishless cycle. I did fish-in because I didn't have an option, as I already had my fish before I got my new tank. If you do this, keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite. if they get over 0.25ppm, water change!!!!

 

[saz326]

Cloudiness could be bacterial bloom.

Or - you said the cloudiness started after a water change, the cloudiness could be dust from the substrate being lifted up by the new water being added if it was poured in.

Can I ask: What substrate do you have? And did you wash it before it went in the tank?

If the cloudiness looks like it is dust in the water, turn your water flow down so that the dust can settle, then clean your gravel with a gravel cleaner.

 

[Syphoniera]

If I understand this correctly, with 15 fish in a 3 gallon tank, there shouldn't be room left for cloudy water...
But there may be some misunderstanding/typo.

 

[pippoodle]

i wouldnt keep those minnows in there as there isnt enough surface water for them
i been keeping minnow for years and they are a lot happier with a nice large amount of surface space cos thats where they spend most of their time in the top half of the tank
i havent kept minnows in anything less than 18 x 10 x 10
and then i only had 8