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My fish are dying.... Expand / Collapse
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kommander15
Posted 6/7/2008 9:45:44 AM


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over the last 3 months i have depleted my fish population in my 20 long.  I have killed off 3 swords, 2 black mollies, 2 platies, and 2 guppies. there are still 3 zebra danios, 3 baby platies, and one dwarf pleco.  the readings that i took pre-water change are: nitrate 20ppm(the label says this is safe but i don't know),nitrite 0ppm, hardness 300ppm(from the tap), Alkalinity/bufferingcapactiy(?) 270ppm, and ph 8.3. 

I will change about 10 gallons then get back to you guys....

GO CUBS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIVISION CHAMPS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post #148853
David Lass
Posted 6/7/2008 6:00:40 PM


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With your water -- that high in pH and hardness -- I suggest that you try keeping African cichlids. They will love your water, and make great tanks.

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Post #148869
Hailey
Posted 6/7/2008 7:46:07 PM
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Can you describe their deaths in detail? Also, try to remember if there had been any maintenance (like water changes) in the couple days before each death. And how large are the water changes you do, and how far apart? Can you test the kH and gH of both the tap and the tank? I have to wonder if there is some sort of shock going on, which is where a lot of these questions are leading.

.
Post #148883
kommander15
Posted 6/7/2008 8:01:55 PM


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the fish's activity level will decrease, eventually it will sit at the bottom barely moving then the next day they die, the deaths are not after water changes more like a week later, and i change 25% twice a month with a half dosage of aquarium salt

GO CUBS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIVISION CHAMPS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post #148885
Lumberjack
Posted 6/8/2008 4:46:25 AM


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Salt is for anchovies, unless your making a pizza cut it out.

"We are Starfleet officers, Weird is a part of the job" - Captain Janeway, USS Voyager
Post #148896
Hailey
Posted 6/8/2008 5:23:46 AM
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Normally I would agree with you, but in this case (because they are almost all livebearers that would live part of their lives in brackish to full seawater in the wild) the salt might ease stress.

.
Post #148899
David Lass
Posted 6/8/2008 4:18:50 PM


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On the other hand, if you are adding salt every time you do a water change, you may have been building up the salt in the tank. I agree with Lumberjack -- the general use of salt in an aquarium is really unnecessary -- and can cause problems.

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Post #148923
Glenda
Posted 6/16/2008 9:43:35 PM
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This is my first visit, and this caught my eye, as I have a 29 long tank, with 15 male fancy guppies, and now I am losing another one, to the same thing wrong with your fish. They hang around the top by themself, and finally end up on the bottom, and can't seem to move much and then they die. It could take up to a week also. It's sad.
Post #149358
Hailey
Posted 6/17/2008 6:17:06 AM
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Glenda, post your own topic about this in the emergency section and we'll help you from there. Also, when you do, post more specifics about your set up, especially the readings (in numbers) for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. You can have your local fish store test for you if you don't have the kits...just make sure you get the numbers.

.
Post #149371