Fairly New Tank And Serious Problem

[MICHELLE1984]

HI
I AM NEW TO THIS SITE, AND NEW TO TROPICAL FISH. I BOUGHT A NEW TANK AROUND 4 WEEKS AGO, I HAVE ADDED FISH AND FOLLOWED ADVICE FROM THE STORE I BOUGHT THE FISH FROM. LAST SATURDAY I PURCHASED 2 SPECKLED MOLLIES, ONE OF WHICH WAS DEAD WITHIN 4 HOUR OF ME PUTTING IT INTO THE TANK, SINCE THIS 5 MORE OF MY FISH HAVE DIED INCLUDING 2 OF MY LARGE NEONS. I NOTICED THAT WHEN I TOOK OUT MY DEAD NEONS THAT THEY HAD TURNED A PALE GREYISH COLOUR. THE FISH ALL BECAME LISTLESS AND FLOATED AROUND BANGING INTO THINGS BEFORE THEY DIED AND WERE ALL DEAD WITHIN 24 HRS OF BECOMING LIKE THIS. I HAVE SEARCHED ON TROPICAL FISH DISEASES AND HAVE FOUND NOTHING HELPFUL... I HAVE TESTED THE WATER AND ALL THE LEVELS ARE CORRECT THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS THERE. PLEASE HELP, I AM WORRIED I MAY NOT HAVE ANY FISH LEFT AT THIS RATE. I HAVE 12 IN THERE NOW.
THANKS
SHEL

 

[mrtiddles]

No need to shout.

You didn't say what size the tank was, but keep the rule in mind that a fully stocked, mature tank seems to be about 1" of fish per gallon.

Also, you followed the instructions given by the pet store, which on this forum is generally shunned. No hard feelings, but it's likely you got bad information.

Twelve fish is a really large number to be keeping in any tank that's under 100g during startup. (this is an estimation, I'm not a pro). You probably are losing fish to over-crowdedness, ammonia poisoning, new tank syndrome, or any of the above.

Fish that lose their color tend to be stressed, from what I've read, so it sounds like one of the previous guesses.

Anyway, as I said, I'm not a pro, but after reading these forums for awhile and that seems to be a consensus. You may want to return some of the fish, and if you can get us the readings for each of your chemicals. I know you said they're 'normal' but on the off chance that the pet store guy told you that 4ppm on Ammonia is ok for fish or some other misinformation, it's best if we look at the hard data for you.

Welcome to the forums though, and good luck with your tank!

 

[MICHELLE1984]

THE TANK I HAVE IS A JEWEL120. IT HOLDS 125 LITRES OF WATER AND THE INFORMATION IN THE MANUAL SAYS THAT AS A ROUGH GUIDE IT WILL HOLD AT LEAST 100 FISH. I BOUGHT A TETRA WATER TESTING KIT AND ALL THE READINGS ARE FINE AND WELL WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. ARE THESE GOOD TO USE??

No need to shout.

You didn't say what size the tank was, but keep the rule in mind that a fully stocked, mature tank seems to be about 1" of fish per gallon.

Also, you followed the instructions given by the pet store, which on this forum is generally shunned. No hard feelings, but it's likely you got bad information.

Twelve fish is a really large number to be keeping in any tank that's under 100g during startup. (this is an estimation, I'm not a pro). You probably are losing fish to over-crowdedness, ammonia poisoning, new tank syndrome, or any of the above.

Fish that lose their color tend to be stressed, from what I've read, so it sounds like one of the previous guesses.

Anyway, as I said, I'm not a pro, but after reading these forums for awhile and that seems to be a consensus. You may want to return some of the fish, and if you can get us the readings for each of your chemicals. I know you said they're 'normal' but on the off chance that the pet store guy told you that 4ppm on Ammonia is ok for fish or some other misinformation, it's best if we look at the hard data for you.

Welcome to the forums though, and good luck with your tank!

 

[mrtiddles]

Ok that's roughly 33 gallons. Generally you want to have 2 fish in a 10 gallon if you're starting the cycle, so you may be overstocked for the newness of the tank.

Also, you say the levels are fine and in limits, does the test kit give you numbers? Like parts per million of each chemical you're testing for? These numbers would be helpful.

Also, is the test kit a liquid kit or a test-strip kit?

Also Also, do you have a heater and filter on the tank? What brand/size/watts of each?

 

[MICHELLE1984]

the filter is the one which came with the tank an internal one. I have an air stone to oxygenate the water and the heater is the one which came with the tank, as is the light in the lid!
the test is a strip test: the reading were as follows:
chlorine: ok
ph - 7.2
kh - 6*d
gh - 8*d
no2 - 0
no3 - 0

Does that make sense.
Thanks for the help.
Shel

Ok that's roughly 33 gallons. Generally you want to have 2 fish in a 10 gallon if you're starting the cycle, so you may be overstocked for the newness of the tank.

Also, you say the levels are fine and in limits, does the test kit give you numbers? Like parts per million of each chemical you're testing for? These numbers would be helpful.

Also, is the test kit a liquid kit or a test-strip kit?

Also Also, do you have a heater and filter on the tank? What brand/size/watts of each?

 

[mrtiddles]

Hm, those levels don't look too bad. I'd make sure you have the heater set at a decent temp for tropical fish, 76-82 seems to be good.

Also, are you doing anything to acclimate your fish to the new tank before dropping them in? Do you have plants etc in the tank for fish to hide in?

 

[MICHELLE1984]

i am leaving them in the bags frim the pet shop and floating them on the top of the tank for 30 minutes. also i have a large hollow log 2 coral shels and a large rock with plants, as well as 2 floating plants.

Hm, those levels don't look too bad. I'd make sure you have the heater set at a decent temp for tropical fish, 76-82 seems to be good.

Also, are you doing anything to acclimate your fish to the new tank before dropping them in? Do you have plants etc in the tank for fish to hide in?

 

[mrtiddles]

Make sure that every 10 minutes or so you add a cup or so of tank water to the bag, until the bag is almost full. This gives the fish a chance to get acclimated to the water in the tank, not just the temperature. Fish can stress out and die if the water is chemically significantly different, so try this method. It should take almost an hour to get your fish into the tank.

The plants sound great. Honestly, unless the acclimation is the problem, I fear the issue may be beyond my rather limited expertise.

 

[rabbut]

Sounds like new tank syndrome to me. Test strips are notoriously inaccurate, often giving both false highs and lows. Yes the levels look normal, but there is no test for ammonia which is probibly raised, and I always treat strip results as suspect.

Any chance you can get to the LFS (local fish store) to have them test the water with a liquid based kit?

For the time being, I'd surgest twice daily 50% waterchanges untill you can get the results from the LFS. While there, collecting a liquid based kit would be advisable. Have a read of the links below to see why I'm recomending the waterchanges.

http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/22...ish-in-Cycling/

http/www.fishforums.net/content/Tropical...-Tank-Syndrome/

And general "beginner" advise for you to look through at lesure ;

http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ease-Read-Here/

Hope you found that useful (HTH)

to TFF BTW
Rabbut

 

[MICHELLE1984]

thanks very much for the advice....i thought this would be a relaxing hobby!! thanks again you've been great.

Make sure that every 10 minutes or so you add a cup or so of tank water to the bag, until the bag is almost full. This gives the fish a chance to get acclimated to the water in the tank, not just the temperature. Fish can stress out and die if the water is chemically significantly different, so try this method. It should take almost an hour to get your fish into the tank.

The plants sound great. Honestly, unless the acclimation is the problem, I fear the issue may be beyond my rather limited expertise.

 

[Mystil]

the test is a strip test:

Test strips are very easily misleading....they do not give very accurate results....I would be tempted to go out and buy the master test kits that use liquid...more expensive but way more accurate.

4 weeks is not very long to have the tank set up...maybe try to get the local pets shop (LPS) to take some of the fish back...and mollies need slightly brackish water to have a long and healthy life so I am not suprised that they did not make it.

I would not go back to the same shop for more advice...sounds like they do not have a clue what they are talking about...

I am afraid that it sounds like you have got your work cut out of you with frequent water changers needed weekly to keep the ammonia from being too high for you fish...

sorry to be the bearer of bad news....

Also fish are REALLY relaxing it just takes at least 6 months for everything to become settled and things to sort themselves out...but it is all worth it in the end...