All Dead

[This Old Spouse]

No, because if you're using the same water supplier as the LFS it shouldn't be the water. Hardy fish, like what? If you're going to keep buying fish, please find someone that can donate some mature filter media to you. It's the only way that's safe to put fish in a new tank setup. If you can do this, then you also can put the plants in the tank with no worries. Otherwise just run a fishless cycle so you don't harm any more fish.

 

[Caprichoso]

My local fish shop suggested putting water only in tank, run up and then add two hardy fish.

This is to see if my water is causing the fish death. If they live then it was my gravel which was the contamination. The tank is 180 litres so assume that ammonia should not be an issue for a while.

Does this seem like a reasonable course of action.

I would opt for getting a water report from your water supplier and researching what the gravel is comprised of rather than use fish as a sacrificial lamb.

 

[Xraymark]

My gut feeling is to buy new gravel. Set up the tank and run a fish-less cycle. All or nothing.

If my fish die after that then I'm buggered. The tank may have to house a reptile. Any reptile forums LOL recommended.

 

[willowstwin]

The fact that you even consider putting fish in to see if they live or not states that fish keeping isn't for you... You should do everything you can to ensure that FISH DON'T DIE! Causing an animal to suffer needlessly (even if you think 6 hours isn't long) is just down right cruel. Asking that question means you obviously can't tell the difference between right and wrong with regards to fish welfare.

Yes, it's frustrating having an empty tank while you're doing a fishless cycle, but don't you think it's worth it when you have a tank full of healthy happy fish at the end?

You can make it quicker by getting some mature filter media (I did that and my tank was cycled in 2 weeks), by either getting some off a friend or asking on here for someone in your area to donate.

Seriously, your LFS will keep advising you to buy fish, knowing that if they die they can sell you more fish. And it's not just fish, they can reccommend this product and that product to try to combat the unknown problem... do you really have money to throw down the drain like that?

if you have bought aquarium specific gravel, then I'm pretty sure, so long as you rinsed it, that it is not the cause of your problem. The rock you got would only pose a problem if it was for a salt water tank (or not for an aquarium at all).

Get yourself a bottle of pure ammonia (make sure on the bottle it states ammonia and water ONLY as ingredients), use the calculator in the beginners section list as to how much to add to your aquarium. Post your water test results on here so we can guide you, and just have patience.

People on here are nice and friendly, and will help you in any way they can, but coming onto a site full of fish lovers, and stating that you're willing to keep risking fish's lives is not a way to gain help and support.

Also, while your tank is cycling, you can research what type of fish you want, and get help and advice on stocking levels.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Isn't there anybody out there in Belfast who could donate some nice mature filter media?

 

[Xraymark]

Thanks for the advice.

I have no friends who are into this hobby.

To be fair I am only taking advice from what I would consider experts I.e. My LFS. As well as using the Internet. I am only passing on what advice I've been given. I'm trying to identify the problem, which is not tied down yet and come up with an actionable solution.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I was actually putting out a call to anyone on this forum who lives in Belfast who might be able to donate some mature media to you. The experts are on this forum, not at your LFS, whose reason for being is to make money by selling you fish and supplies. We really are trying to help with your problem and get you going in the right direction! Stick with us and we really will try to help.

 

[Xraymark]

Cheers

 

[DD2510]

how is the tank going? are you any further forward with the cycling?

 

[dfield]

Hi

I had the exact same problem with fish dying, we were told that you should leave the tank cycling for just 48 hours before adding fish... we put in 3 neon tetras and 2 mollies and all bar 2 Tetras were dead within 24 hours.. it was pitiful watching them gasping for air and then dying.

The shop then advised that the water should be tested before adding anything and that they in fact had a test kit and if I had bought in a sample they would have tested it prior to me adding any fish. I was so angry with the fish shop for selling them to me without telling me about cycling the tank - or the free test!

Solution: we let the tank run for 3 weeks and I changed 20% of the water daily until it settled. I then tested the water and when the params were all normal we added 3 more Tetras since they had survived and then a week later we added 2 female mollies who then went off to have babies 2 days later!

We then bought a new tank complete with fish and had to go through the same thing all again.

Coming from a novice all I'd say is have patience, you can't rush things and if you do it just causes so much stress and its not nice watching fish get ill and die.

 

[Miles_hot]

1) just being in the same street doesn't mean that you've got the same water
2) do a fishless cycle - this will remove the possibility of toxicity from the ammonia etc - fish don't need much time to kill themselves. I measured the water which was in the bag which had been used to transport the fish for 20 mins then more than doubled in volume during the acclimatisation process and it was 0.25 - 0.5 for ammonia!
3) when you're acclimatising how much water are you adding every 10 mins?
4) What is the history of the tank? Is it a DIY one - could have been put together with non aquarium silicon?
5) Use Prime to de-chlorinate the water as this removes a lot of heavy metals etc
6) Try a different fish shop - he could be selling you deeply sick fish

Miles

 

[willowstwin]

+1 on Miles's number 6... I bought 6 Neon Tetras from an LFS and they all looked healthy in their tank... I got them home and within 3 days 4 were dead, with mouth sores, fin rot and general fungus. Of the remaining 2 (easily picked out from my original 4 tetras as they were way smaller), they both got extremely pale. One died on sunday, the other is in a seperate tank so he doesn't infect my other tetras. I think they all had neon tetra disease.

So pick another LFS to buy fish from, but please please please cycle your tank first.

Trust me when I say the experts are here!

 

[Xraymark]

I've just posted on the new freshwater forum.

Day 8 fishless cycling. Ammonia sitting around 4ppm. No sign of nitrites yet.

The tank is a new rio 180 so should be okay. My last batch of fish had died within 6 hours within 150 litres. Ammonia was zero on the API tester. Still not sure then if that could be the cause.

Have changed the substrate and cleaned out tank to be sure before cycling. Cross fingers. Will try a different LFS next time.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[dfield]

Were your fish looking like they were panting mine were and I was told it was new tank syndrome. Have now had the tank about 12 weeks and its working fantastically, all tests are perfect. But all mine died that way.. they just looked like they couldnt breathe.

 

[Xraymark]

I think they looked like they were panting. But as they were my first fish I couldn't recognise if they were acting strange.

In response to previous question I added about 40 mls of water to the fish bag at a time to acclimate evey 10 min.