7 Days And 5 Fish

[Daws1989]

Hello
World... Hopefully you people will be able to help me out...

I bought a new tank a few weeks ago, had it running, stats etc seemed fine so I bought some fish to go in it...

5 guppies
4 neon tetras
2 Plecos
2 clown loach
2 Angel fish
1 assasin snail.

After 7 days I have lost,

3 guppies
2 neon tetras

It's driving me insane, I never used to have this problem...

With a TETRA 6 in 1 test kit it all came back fine, I went to "TROPICAL WHOLESALE" in bethnal green who tested my water and said my nitrite was really high, I bought some "PRIME" and my levels balanced out after a few hours of it being in the tank... However...

The 2 neon tetras died on my filter (from what it seemed) so I'm guessing the filter was too powerful for the little fellers . Although it was a cheap flimsy built in one...
2 guppies sunk to the bottom, they were breathing but had no strength to swim... I took it to "TROPICAL WHOLESALE" who then tested the waters and said nitrate was high but although the fish wasn't swimming he looked fine, (no ich/felt etc) but he didn't make it home...

Saturday my two clown loach started showing WHITE SPOT I immediately treated the tank and monitored them all, after treatment the mrs Angel fish started acting strange. (Forgot how to swim, getting stuck on the filter, going with the wash of the water or simply just laying at the bottom of the tank...)

Sunday she was really bad, not even trying to eat... Laid in one spot on the bottom of the tank for over 3hours (still breathing)

Yesterday my partner decided that my Christmas present was going to be a bigger fishtank that was hopefully not cursed.
After returning with the new tank we noticed the Angel fish was laying upside down, breathing very slowly...

I set the new tank up. Filter/chemicals/heater all going as they should... And put all the fish in the new tank...
I woke up this morning and the angel fish looked like he was back to normal... Swimming/eating/pooing I was over the moon! (Not to mention how happy my gf was)

We went out to dinner tonight and upon our return I checked the tank...

Low and behold... The Angel fish is swimming fine...
But I'd lost a pregnant guppy FML!!!


I don't want to give up but I'm starting to think I have lost the nack... :'(

 

[Daws1989]

I also had some plants in the tank I bought from DOREEN'S pet shop (hackney) and have since read how bad the shop is, so the fish and the plants are no longer together,
But I've also read online if the water is bad then the plants will show the first signs... Is this true? If I leave them in the empty tank that's still setup will these grow back when the water is good?

 

[scotty]

your tank is not cycled,take fish back to the shop if you can and start a fishless cycle

 

[phoenixgsd]

you need a liquid based test kit, the API master kit is a good all rounder and i strongly suggest you buy one first thing tomorrow, this will tell you exactly what your dealing with although i would imagine all your problems stem from the fact you didnt cycle your tank, how big is your tank, you added alot of fish all at once and your filter, because its not cycled, cant cope with the amount of ammonia your fish produce, how often do you water change? i reccomend you change ASAP a massive amount of water with temperature matched dechlorinated water, prime is one of the best dechlorinators on the market IMO as it temporerily binds the toxins into a less harmful form so you can deal with it, have a read of the link in my signature on fish in cycling, any questions please ask

 

[Daws1989]

I done a cycle in the first tank that seemed to be eating all my fish, the 2nd tank I put the quick start in (to be able to immediately add fish) I obviously let it run through the for a few hours and made sure the temp was fine,

The new tank (is actually used, had healthy fish etc...)
I have done a few nitrite tests and they are 0.0-0.3

 

[sebn]

Please read the guides about cycling in the beginners resource centre if you want you fish to survive. It doesnt sound like you cycled your tank at all.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

If your filter isn't cycled (has a living colony of good bacteria to break down ammonia) then your tank isn't cycled no matter what products you put into the tank. Even if you use an old tank and old filter... if the filter sponge has dried out then there is nothing in there to maintain healthy water for your fish.

Read about cycling your tank here. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

If you are not going to return your tank, you need to start doing daily water changes, VERY BIG water changes... as much water as you can while leaving JUST enough room for your fish to swim. You are going to want to keep doing this (4-6 weeks daily) until your tests consistently read 0 for ammonia and nitrite and around 10ish for nitrate.

 

[the_lock_man]

With a TETRA 6 in 1 test kit it all came back fine, I went to "TROPICAL WHOLESALE" in bethnal green who tested my water and said my nitrite was really high

Tells you all you need to know about the test strips then, dunnit?

A lot of people have pointed you towards the Beginners Resource Centre, which is good, the part you really, really need to read is the specific section which is linked in my signature area.

Regarding the plants, they are actually marginally beneficial to you in your position, as they will use some of the ammonia and nitrite as fertiliser, slightly reducing the levels of those toxins in the water (it is actually possible to cycle a filter in a VERY heavily planted tank just with the ammonia produced by a small amount of fish, and with the plants using up most of the ammonia)