Fish dying within 24 hours

[Sdot]

Hello.
I need some help I am getting sick of killing fish. Twice I tried doing a fish in cycle with api quick start and my fish died with in 24 hours. After that I prepared to give it another shot. Here is what I did: two days ago I changed my water and added api stress coat to dechlorinate the water. 24 hours later (yesterday) I added tetra safe start plus. Then I acclimated the fish for 25 mins by leaving the bag in the fish tank water and then added the fish to the tank. Less then 12 hours later the fish was dead. Even after an hour of introducing the fish to the tank it seemed to be acting strange.

So I’ve failed 3 times.

After the fish died I tested the water:
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

I know the tank is not cycled but I am not understanding what is killing the fish so fast.

All three times I have used a platy to cycle and it seems each times they start to act strange within an hour of introducing them to the tank. They just hover and don’t swim or they glass surf.

 

[Benji k]

Hello.
I need some help I am getting sick of killing fish. Twice I tried doing a fish in cycle with api quick start and my fish died with in 24 hours. After that I prepared to give it another shot. Here is what I did: two days ago I changed my water and added api stress coat to dechlorinate the water. 24 hours later (yesterday) I added tetra safe start plus. Then I acclimated the fish for 25 mins by leaving the bag in the fish tank water and then added the fish to the tank. Less then 12 hours later the fish was dead. Even after an hour of introducing the fish to the tank it seemed to be acting strange.

So I’ve failed 3 times.

After the fish died I tested the water:
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

I know the tank is not cycled but I am not understanding what is killing the fish so fast.

All three times I have used a platy to cycle and it seems each times they start to act strange within an hour of introducing them to the tank. They just hover and don’t swim or they glass surf.

It could be the ph are you breeding them if you are I would just leave the in the tank with the adults.

 

[Sdot]

It could be the ph are you breeding them if you are I would just leave the in the tank with the adults.

Not breading. I’m just trying to cycle the tank. I just thought about the fact that we have a water softener system. That could be throwing something off. it’s just too many factors. Imma give it a couple more shots before I throw in the towel.

 

[Benji k]

Not breading. I’m just trying to cycle the tank. I just thought about the fact that we have a water softener system. That could be throwing something off. it’s just too many factors. Imma give it a couple more shots before I throw in the towel.

yeah, it's hard to tell the ph is really high and the nitrates are pretty high you could try putting plants in the tank.

 

[TNG]

Hello.
I need some help I am getting sick of killing fish. Twice I tried doing a fish in cycle with api quick start and my fish died with in 24 hours. After that I prepared to give it another shot. Here is what I did: two days ago I changed my water and added api stress coat to dechlorinate the water. 24 hours later (yesterday) I added tetra safe start plus. Then I acclimated the fish for 25 mins by leaving the bag in the fish tank water and then added the fish to the tank. Less then 12 hours later the fish was dead. Even after an hour of introducing the fish to the tank it seemed to be acting strange.

So I’ve failed 3 times.

After the fish died I tested the water:
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

I know the tank is not cycled but I am not understanding what is killing the fish so fast.

All three times I have used a platy to cycle and it seems each times they start to act strange within an hour of introducing them to the tank. They just hover and don’t swim or they glass surf.

By floating the bag in the tank, you're equalising the water temperature only. You may like to check the pH and GH of the water in the bag and compare that with the water in your tank before releasing the fish. If the difference in pH and/or GH is too great, the fish will not survive.
Search this forum for "acclimatization".

 

[Slaphppy7]

The Stress Coat is garbage, it contains aloe vera, not good for fish...use a good quality water conditioner, either Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water Conditioner

What kind of test kit are you using?

Let a sample of your tap water sit in a cup for 24 hours, then test the ph....but I do have a feeling the water softener may be causing issues

Fishless cycles are easier to accomplish (and less stress on the fish, and fishkeeper) than fish-in cycling

 

[Aqua67]

I agree that the pH is likely the issue. What kind of fish are you continuing to lose and are trying to keep in that tank? Different fish have different needs. You need to determine the water parameters necessary for that particular fish.

My well water also has high pH so I use RO water on my tanks and then I remineralize.

You might be able to use a combination of RO water and your well water but first you need to get a test kit (or test strips) to help you determine what your well water has right out of the tap. Pay attention to the pH, GH and KH. RO/DI water is generally void of all minerals and is “pure”. Find out what the pH, GH and KH parameters are in your tank, and separately out of your tap, and then get back to us.

 

[Aqua67]

yeah, it's hard to tell the ph is really high and the nitrates are pretty high you could try putting plants in the tank.

Nitrates are not “pretty high”, in my opinion, but you are correct about fast growing floating plants especially being helpful at keeping those values low. A nitrate reading of 20 and under does not require a water change and the water is considered safe for fish. Any reading of nitrites though could stress fish and of course it is normal for an uncycled tank to go through a rise in nitrites.

 

[Uberhoust]

Few things I gathered from the posts:
1. You have a water softening system. (you shouldn't use the water from this system but instead pull you water from a tap prior to the system).
2. Your water will be hard (you do have a softening system installed). If you are not going to use Reverse Osmosis system you need to pick hard water fish. I don't know Platys but I thought they were hard water fish.
3. Your water test shows 1 ppm of Nitrite, this will not typically kill a robust fish but it will definitely affect all fishes very negatively.
4. Fish placed in the tank without water chemistry acclimatization. This alone can kill some sensitive fish but for many fish it means a short term issue.

I would suggest that the nitrite in combination with the salts from the water softener is the most likely culprit in regard to your fish death.

I typically do fish in cycles but I introduce fish slowly over weeks building up to the final stocking usually weeks/months after starting the fish, and I am a strong believer that you do need plants to do this.

 

[Sdot]

Thank you all for the advise. I use the API test kit but that does not include GH and KH. Platy fish should be able to handle PH up to 8.5 but im sure the ph at the LFS is lower then 8.2 to accommodate other fish. I think it may be an acclimation issue based on your responses.

I am going to bypass the water softener and accilimate the fish for not only temp but for water chemistry as well.

 

[GaryE]

Bypass the softener. I tested the water in a platy habitat and the pH was 7.9. with a very high mineral content. It isn't the pH. But softened water has salt in it, and is not great for tanks.

Could it be unhealthy platys to begin with? Even in water that's off, they shouldn't be dying in 24 hours.