Dying Fish!

[joolsb]

I've set my new tank up, ot a couple of plants in it and done all the cycling. The water checked out OK I think the only reading I was a bit confused at was Nitrite and Nitrate reading were zero, is this correct? Anyway I bought some neon tetras and a couple of dalmation mollies and 3 guppies to get started. The neons and mollies have died and the guppies are just fine. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Tayne]

I've set my new tank up, ot a couple of plants in it and done all the cycling. The water checked out OK I think the only reading I was a bit confused at was Nitrite and Nitrate reading were zero, is this correct? Anyway I bought some neon tetras and a couple of dalmation mollies and 3 guppies to get started. The neons and mollies have died and the guppies are just fine. Anyone have any ideas?

yes hello i started off with 5 neon tetra and they all died instead of 2 of them, and i have still got them now, they have gone through all sorts, the only problem i can think of for you is that its just a shock thing, moast of the fish you have usually die

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

tetras arent as hardy as guppies (as i've been told) so that's probably why they died off.

edit: spelling mistake.

 

[missyintx_99]

Even in a cycled tank, once you add new fish, especially if you add several at one time, you can set off a mini-cycle because of the increased bio-load. The only preventative to this is to do a small water change within a day or two and watch your parameters carefully. Neons are very sensitive fish when it comes to any changes in the water chemistry, so it doesn't surprise me that you lost them. Generally mollies are hardier, so that leads me to believe that a mini-cycle was the culprit.

 

[Neo8223]

Funnily enough, my first ever fish i ever had were neons. They all died within 2 days. I cried my eyes out! (i was 9) They died of neon tetra disease. (the guy said)
Nitrite readings should be low along with amonia levels. To keep them low, you need to do water changes. Guppies are extremily hardy (in general) Neons are not too hardy and i've know neons to die within 15 mins if you introduce them to a tank with a slight temperature varience (basically caused from not floating the bag for long enough, as my cousin found out), and in my oppinion, mollies arent reccommended for beginners as some need bracish (salty) water in the lon run. (which neons hate!)

I'm no expert, but my advice is to keep the fish you have in the tank and dont add anymore for a good few days Do another check on Nitrite and ammona levels and a day before you add some more fish, do a 15% water change or so, adding aqua safe or other suppliments to get rid of chlorine levels in the tap water.

 

[newtotropical]

You overstocked the tank. you need to add a couple at a time.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

you said you'd done all the cycling.... do you mean you fishless cycled? cos if so your supposed to be able to fully stock afterwards.

however i don;t think this is the case as you shouldn't have had a nitrate reading of 0, this leads me to believe the tank wasn't cycled so started when you added the fish, which then killed them.

 

[bobbicus]

how long did you cycle the tank for and have you had NH4 and NO2 spikes???

some mollies prefer brackish conditions - so other than this it may not be the ideal conditions

IF your tank has not cycled then agree with miss wiggle above me.

 

[thegnu]

hi,
if your tank isn't showing nitrates OR nitrites then it will be showing ammonia which even in small amounts is a killer. i would cut right back on feeding, 4 flakes per day, buy some filter start (its bacteria and will state how to use it on the package) right away and if you loose your guppies don't replace them but still feed the flakes. i would do 50% water changes for the next 4 days. in a week test for nitrites which you WANT to see and 2 weeks after that you should have nitrates beginning to show. when you've got no nitrites but have nitrates then your tank is cycled and you dilute these with water changes.
good luck and sorry for your losses

 

[bobbicus]

i'm wondering about these filter starts..............wonder if there is any actually living bacteria- living in a sealed bottle on a shelf that need oxygen and a NH4 source to survive and multiply........hmmmm

it appears you are now cycling with fish if your NO3 is "0"

take a look here.........................http/www.bestfish.com/newtank3.html

this guides you through it - if you went through this "cycle" - does not explain why NO3 is "0"

dont add anymore fish........maybe feed once every 2 days?

 

[TerraDreamer]

I hope this isn't another sad case of the lfs telling him to run his tank for two days with a few squirts of Miracle Juice and then he's good to go.

OP: Just how DID you cycle? You really weren't clear on how you did this. Also, a tank and filter description always helps.