Diamond Head Neons Not Doing So Well

[Rochiie]

iv recently vanished from the forum for a while due to a problem with my internet, so thanks to all for the help provided before about the questions i had before getting fish. So heres my update on the tank... But i need MORE help. Gosh its never ending!!

So i got my water tested again on sunday, PH was 7.3 and i was told the water was ready for a few fish, everything was clear as they shown me the results also. (i said in one of my previous topics that my water was perfect quite quickly, i didnt add fish but waited just over a week for a second opinion)

So it was recommended that i got some small fish, neons and such, so i got 6 diamond head neons, 6 glass blood fin tetras and a female BN plec. My plec is doing great (i had quite abit of algea building up on rocks, plants and some of the glass + also bought some algea flakes for her) My blood fins are doing amazing, swimming well, eating well, no signs of sluggishness.... My neons also seem healthy and happy, darting about, hiding in the plants, chasing one another.. But im left with 3 out of my original 6, 3 of them were alot fatter than my other 3, someone said they may be pregnant... another said its just because their females but their the only ones to die, my other 3 seem quite happy and healthy. Can anyone suggest why the three have passed so quickly with no signs of ill health?

 

[fluttermoth]

Did you do a fishless cycle on this tank, OP? How long has it been set up? Did you get the water tested for anything other than pH, and if so, do you know the actual numbers?

 

[the_lock_man]

Having read through a few of your older posts, I think, by waiting that week with an empty tank, you've lost whatever filter bacteria you'd kept when you got the tank from your friends. Whatever bacteria are left will have been overwhelmed by the fish that you've added. You said on 20th Nov that you know not to add too many at once, but then you've added 13 fish in one hit, including one fish which produces more than its fair share of waste.

In order to get you out of this mess, you need to do 3 things
1) Read the information in the link in my signature area
2) Buy your own liquid test kit
3) Re-read the information in the link in my signature area, and ensure you understand why it gives those instructions.

 

[Rochiie]

I got the water tested for nitrates (i never remember if its nitrates or nitrites you dont want) and that was clear and the same with amonia. All the water that was tested was clear with no tinge of colour at all, i got it tested twice with the same results at two different places so i was confident to add a few fish.

The guy i bought the fish from assured me that by adding two schools of small fish would be absolutely fine, he seems to know his stuff and has given me a ton of helpful advice, even though i did say that i was a little worried it was too much at once. I left the tank running for almost 4 weeks before hand, i used the gravel that was given to me and the filter, everything was set up again within two or so hours after it being emptied and arriving at mine, i included the tank water they gave me also. I have ordered a liquid testing kit saturday night so just waiting for it to arrive any day now. Getting the water tested by a friend who has a liquid testing kit tomorrow to see if theres a spike in the water, surely if there was itd effect my other fish too?

 

[Tuxyu3]

Did you add anything to the tank (ammonia-wise) and check it was being processed? I can go get some water from the tap, dechlorinate it and put it in a tank with an uncycled filter, the water will have no ammonia, nitrate or nitrite in it but that does not mean it is ok to add fish to. Leaving a tank running for 4 weeks with no fish in will not keep it cycled, the bacteria will have no food and so will die off.

I also feel inclined to mention that 'hiding in the plants' and some of the other things are by no means necessarily a sign of good general health.

 

[the_lock_man]

I've just re-read your thread entitled "Yay! Water Is Ready For Fish!"

THIS LINK HERE

You received a bucket-full of excellent advice on there, and it's unfortunate that you didn't understand and act upon that advice - otherwise you would have understood why the water tests showed those results, and why you shouldn't have added so many fish (or indeed any fish at all).

So. let's move forward, let's get you sorted.

First, as I think has now been proven, this forum gives better advice than the man at the fish shop, so please please please listen to what's being said, make sure you understand it, and if you don't understand, ask whatever questions you need to ask. The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked. We were all beginners once, we all remember what it was like, and I suspect we've all suffered dodgy advice from someone who's trying to make a profit from us. You are not the first, and you won't be the last!!

You are in a "Fish-In Cycling" situation.

As I said before, read the article that is in the link in my signature area. Since you don't yet have your test kit, you need to err on the side of caution, so I would suggest changing virtually all of the water in your aquarium every day - just leave enough for the fish to swim upright in. Make sure that the clean water is temperature matched, and has been dechlorinated, using a chemical dechlorinator.

When you get your test kit, you can then understand more about what's going on in your aquarium - if you see 1ppm nitrite, for example, you know that changing 90% of the water will get you back into the safe zone, whilst changing 50% of the water will not.

 

[sebn]

Seriously, in this thread http/www.fishforum...20#entry3453466 you posted:

Whats the point in seeking advice if your going to ignore it? that must be pretty annoying spending time helping someone for them to not even acknowledge the advice given.

and then you go against that and ignore advice anyway?