Fish Dropping Off One By One

[Monstrous]

Hi everyone, had a browse about and this seemed like the best place to get my issues cleared up.

I've had a 60L tank (2ft x 1ft x 1ft) with sand bottom, running for about four or five weeks now which contains -

2 Weather Loaches
3 Golden Weather Loaches
3 Platies
2 Plecs
1 Siamese Fighter
3 Black Widows
2 Indian Gouramis
3 Red Finned Black Sharks (1 is an albino one)
2 Khuli Loaches

On wednesday one of my Plecs was dead, no symptoms on him at all, he looked perfectly healthy. Thursday, I found one of my Platies dead at the bottom so I decided to do a 20% water change. On friday I found another dead Platie and noticed he had a small white bit where his tail meets his body. It was very brightly white, almost looked like there was a blob of Tip-Ex on him sorta thing. I had a look over my fish and couldn't see any problems with them at all. They're all eating fine and there is no fighting in the tank. Saturday and Sunday, everything was fine - this morning I found another Plec dead, so I'm really starting to worry now and want this sorted ASAP.


1. Water parameters. (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, PH, temp', Hardness etc)
Will grab a test kit this evening, sorry. All I know is my temp is about 24.5.

2. A full description of the fishes symptoms.
None at all, all looked perfectly healthy except from one platy having a bright white bump where his tail meets his body.

3. How often you do water changes and how much.
About 10-20% every 4 or 5 days since it's a new tank.

4. Any chemicals and treatments you add to the water.
I've been using dechlorinator and some "biological filtration booster". I used it on day 1, 4, 7 and 14, as instructed on the bottle. Both come in a pack made by "API" I think.

5. What tank mates are in the tank.
2 Weather Loaches
3 Golden Weather Loaches
3 Platies (1 now)
2 Plecs (0 now)
3 Black Widows
2 Khuli Loaches
2 Indian Gouramis
2 Red Finned Black Sharks and 1 Albino Red Finned Black Shark

6. Tank size.
60l - 2ft * 1ft * 1ft

7. Finally Have you recently added any new fish?
The last fish I added was the Siamese fighter which was added about two weeks ago.


Very grateful if anyone could pinpoint my issue.
Thanks,
Darren

 

[fidjet2]

Well your tank isn't cycled
that bio filter boost is a waste of money
and you are very over stocked IMO

You need to read up on fish-in cycleing in the begginers section
IME i would say that fish are dyeing as there are ALOT of fish in there and the filter has no good bacteria to help. Your water parims are probably out of wac at the moment

 

[This Old Spouse]

+1

Way, way too many fish, and they're likely dying from ammonia poisoning. You should first do a large water change of probably 80% (I'd suggest even more but with all those fish they'd have nowhere to swim) and then read up in the beginner's resource, available in my sig below.

 

[fidjet2]

Bit of info on your fish aswell-

Weather loach: max size- About 12 inches. Min tank size- 20G/ 90L

Pleco(if they are common): max size- about 12-20 inches. Min tank size- 300L
Pleco(if Bristlenose): Max size- about 6 inches. Min tank size- 20G/90L

Black widow tetra- should be in a shoal of 8+ prefferably 10-15+

Khuli Loache: max size- 4inches.

Red Finned Black Shark: Max size- 6 inches. Min tank size- 180L

Other people probably know more and this is just a rough thing.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Thanks, Fidjet. This tank is a disaster waiting to happen, I think. I wish I could take the black widows off your hands and add them to mine, Monstrous! I only could get 5, and I really like them.

 

[fidjet2]

+1 and no probs

 

[fishyfeet]

best solution, re home your fish, ask a friend, phone the pet shop - buy a test kit, and dont add any fish until the readings are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and nitrates under 100 and less than 50 if possible. If thats not possible change 80% of water today, 50% tomorrow whilst testing to get the above readings, post readings here where im sure others can help you decided where to go from here. Ammonia which is the waste product of fish poisens and burns the insides of your fish, bacteria which builds up gradually in the sponges in your filter will convert the ammonia to nitrite etc etc.

Do dechlorinate any water you add to remove chlorine which kills bacteria.

Dont rinse sponges out of your filter in tap water remember it contains chlorine and will kill the helpful bacteria if you must rinse the sponges do it in old tank water during your water changes.

and expect to loose more fish, di

 

[Xander]

The sharks and gourami are very territorial, and it's a must to have the sharks in a bigger tank. I'm surprised those made it out okay. You did list a betta (siamese fighter) what happened to him? Him and the gourami most likely had it out quite often, as they both use a labyrinth and will fight for territory. Such surface dwellers don't work too well together. Sorry, I have a soft spot for bettas and I worry when they are in unfavorable conditions.
Otherwise Fishyfeet has the right advice on what the next step should be. Wish you luck!

 

[HayzH]

yes....wayyy to many fish...i had 3 mollies in my tank after only 5 days.....they all died in 2 days...you need to rehome these fish...straight away

 

[AdamBeat8]

Did you add fish too fast? I know i added to many fish at one time and they stressed and died. Then go only 5 fish at a time and they stopped!