2 Fish dead this morning

[Dutsey]

Hi, I brought 2 Lamprologus Occelatus (Tankanyikan Shell Dwellers) yesterday, but they both were lying on the sand bed dead this morning.

One was alive and trying to breath but was on side and perished when trying to assist. I tested the water with test strips and that came back ok. The only thing I did notice was the water was very warm set to 24 degrees on temperature but feels alot warmer than my Betta tank.

Could the hot tank kill the fish? I have done a 50% water change

 

[Colin_T]

Do the test strips test for ammonia?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
What is the GH, KH and pH of the water at the shop where the fish came from?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Have you got a thermometer in the betta tank?
If yes, put it in the cichlid tank and find out what the temperature is.

Is there aeration/ surface turbulence in the cichlid tank?

 

[Avel1896]

Hey there

Is it a pair Lamprologus ocellatus ? If not, as they are extremely aggressive, a fight that has badly endend is possibly the cause.

When did you fill your tank ?
Did you cycle it ?
Did you acclimate your fishes ? And how ?
Lamprologus ocellatus needs : temp. 23 to 27°C - pH 8 to 9.5 - hardness/alkalinity 6 to 15 - slow flow.

 

[Dutsey]

The tank has been up and running a couple of weeks. Tank cycled for two weeks was good to go. Water felt warm daughter mentioned it but didn’t register, I got a few pics when alive but not sure if these mean anything.

 

[Avel1896]

Cycle in two weeks...........
Could you answer other questions please ?

 

[Dutsey]

I did the normal 20 minutes in bag with adding tank water into back to help acclimatise.

 

[Avel1896]

Still a lack of answer...

 

[Dutsey]

Ok, over the weekend I have been out and brought an actual test kit instead of using the strips.

Ammonia is showing is as 0
Nitrite - 0.25
PH - 8

I did do a 50% water change after the fish died and the water is now cooler - last I looked the temperature is 25c

 

[Avel1896]

Nitrite - 0.25

Way too high.
Nitrite must be undetectable.