Fish keep dying

[Michaela30]

Hi I'm in need to some advice I have a tropical fish tank I've had four fish die in the space of 2 days I've tested my water and the only thing that's low is the alkalinity I'm also struggling with my nitrate levels nitrite is fine but nitrate won't budge no matter what I do levels I change my water once a week but for some reason I keep getting the odd fish die but seems to have been a fair few in the last 2 weeks, I have neon tetras, platys and a bristlenose catfish and it only seems to be my platys which are dying can anyone offer advice at all please would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance ☺

 

[Oblio]

Welcome to TFF!

What are your actual numbers for water parameters, including hardness if you have it? You may be able to find your harness online.

You mentioned nitrate struggles, what is your tap water nitrate level?

Tank size?

Is your tank cycled?

Do you have live plants?

It seems that you have at least two species that have differing harness requirements (Platys/Tetras), others more versed in this can confirm or correct.

 

[Michaela30]

Welcome to TFF!

What are your actual numbers for water parameters, including hardness if you have it? You may be able to find your harness online.

You mentioned nitrate struggles, what is your tap water nitrate level?

Tank size?

Is your tank cycled?

Do you have live plants?

It seems that you have at least two species that have differing harness requirements (Platys/Tetras), others more versed in this can confirm or correct.

Hi

Thanks for your prompt response.
My pH level is 6.5 nitrite is 0 total alkalinity seems to be zero chlorine and chlorine is 0 and my general hardness is 250 and nitrate is between 50 and 100. According to my testing strips apart from.the alkalinity they are all within normal parameters.

My tap.water nitrates is zero according to my testing strips.

My tank is 250 litres, my tank was cycled when I brought it before I added new fish into it, I did have live plants but they kept dying so gave up on them.

 

[foxgirl158]

Hi

Thanks for your prompt response.
My pH level is 6.5 nitrite is 0 total alkalinity seems to be zero chlorine and chlorine is 0 and my general hardness is 250 and nitrate is between 50 and 100. According to my testing strips apart from.the alkalinity they are all within normal parameters.

My tap.water nitrates is zero according to my testing strips.

My tank is 250 litres, my tank was cycled when I brought it before I added new fish into it, I did have live plants but they kept dying so gave up on them.

Ammonia?
Also, your nitrate is waaay too high. Test your tap water for nitrates. If it’s low, do a big water change with dechlorinated tap water.

 

[Essjay]

You haven't mentioned ammonia, that is important. If it's not zero, that will be harming the fish.

It is very unusual to have zero KH (alkalinity) but GH of 250. They are usually high or low together. How are you testing, strips or liquid testers?


Of the things you have tested:
Nitrite is zero, which is good.
Nitrate is high, it needs to be under 20 ppm. If your tap nitrate is zero, either it's an inaccurate test or it's being made in the tank. With low tap nitrate, water changes should reduce the tank level then you need to stop it getting high again. Your water quality report on your water company's website should contain nitrate which will confirm or otherwise your nitrate tester.
Alkalinity/KH is not really important. All it does is stabilise pH. If it really is zero, it means your pH is likely to fall over a few days.
pH 6.5 - this suggests soft water, which conflicts with your hardness reading. Again, look on your water company's website for hardness - it won't be in the table of your water quality report but it should be available from the same page.
GH/hardness - 250 ppm is very hard, which conflicts with your KH and pH.

If you can't find your hardness or water quality report on your water company's website, tell us and we'll see if we can find them.



How long have you had the platies and did you get them all at the same time? If you did, it could have been an unhealthy batch.
Or there could be ammonia in the water, and if there is, and the hardness tester is wrong and you have soft water, that would make platies more susceptible to ammonia and/or illness.



Edited for typos

 

[Michaela30]

Ammonia?

My testing kit doesn't have ammonia I've just ordered a new one for that reason

 

[Oblio]

Also, your nitrate is waaay too high. Test your tap water for nitrates. If it’s low, do a big water change with dechlorinated tap water.

Since nitrates are that high, should she do several smaller changes (25% (3-4)x ) every 6 hours to reduce the chance of osmotic shock?

 

[Michaela30]

You haven't mentioned ammonia, that is important. If it's not zero, that will be harming the fish.

It is very unusual to have zero KH (alkalinity) but GH of 250. They are usually high or low together. How are you testing, strips or liquid testers?


Of the things you have tested:
Nitrite is zero, which is good.
Nitrate is high, it needs to be under 20 ppm. If your tap nitrate is zero, either it's an inaccurate test or it's being made in the tank. With low tap nitrate, water changes should reduce the tank level h=then you need to stop it getting high again. Your water quality report on your water company's webiste should contain nitrate which will confirm or otherwise your nitrate tester.
Alkalinity/KH is not really important. All it does is stabilise pH. If it really is zero, it means your pH is likely to fall over a few days.
pH 6.5 - this suggests soft water, which conflicts with your hardness reading. Again, loom on your water company's website for hardness - it won't be in the table of your water quality report but it should be available from the same page.
GH/hardness - 250 ppm is very hard, which conflicts with your KH and pH.

If you can't find your hardness or water quality report on your water company's website, tell us and we'll see if we can find them.



How long have you had the platies and did you get them all at the same time? If you did, it could have been an unhealthy batch.
Or there could be ammonia in the water, and if there is, and the hardness tester is wrong and you have soft water, that would make platies more susceptible to ammonia and/or illness.

Ah I didn't realise all of these things I've been using testing strips which seem to be rubbish so I've just ordered a new testing kit the liquid ones to make sure I'm.getting the right readings thanks for tour advice I will check those now and get back to you also the readings I'm getting are all measured in mg/L in my testing strips.

I've had them all.at different times i got 6 in the beginning and they bred like anything and then had loads of fry however they all just died of.

If my problem.is ammonia is there a way of fixing this?

My testing strips must be completely wrong I will retest when my new kit comes as I've checked the website and none of the numbers match up especially pH and nitrates etc thanks for your info

 

[Colin_T]

Pictures of the fish and plants you tried?

What symptoms did the fish have?
How long did you have them for before they died?
Did you add anything in the 2 weeks before this started?

My pH level is 6.5 nitrite is 0 total alkalinity seems to be zero chlorine and chlorine is 0 and my general hardness is 250 and nitrate is between 50 and 100.

Is that correct, because you want nitrates as low as possible, the closer to 0ppm the better.

 

[Oblio]

My testing strips must be completely wrong I will retest when my new kit comes as I've checked the website and none of the numbers match up especially pH and nitrates etc thanks for your info

What was the nitrate tap level? Make sure it is the actual level and not the max allowable.

 

[Essjay]

My tap.water nitrates is zero according to my testing strips.

That's why I've suggested looking in the water quality report to get a more accurate level. Though if the strips are reading 0 in tap water and 50 to 100 in tank water, it does suggest a lot of nitrate being made in the tank and/or not being removed by water changes.

@Michaela30 How often do you do water changes, and how much do you change each time?

 

[Essjay]

Forgot to mention - when the liquid test kit arrives, follow the nitrate tester instructions carefully. Nitrate testers have 2 or sometimes 3 bottles, and one of them has a reagent which settles on the bottom of the bottle. The instructions will tell you to shake this bottle before using it, and then the test tube once drops have been added. This shaking is necessary to get that reagent back into the liquid, or the reading will be inaccurate.

 

[Michaela30]

Pictures of the fish and plants you tried?

What symptoms did the fish have?
How long did you have them for before they died?
Did you add anything in the 2 weeks before this started?


Is that correct, because you want nitrates as low as possible, the closer to 0ppm the better.

Hi i don't have any pictures of the plants but the fish I've had are guppys platies and neon tetras that's it the plants were for beginners on the website. My fish had no symptoms I'm just finding them dead that's it and no this has been happening on and of since the beginning of September time but everything seemed fine in December water parameters etc so I brought 6 more fish 4 of which have died

 

[Michaela30]

That's why I've suggested looking in the water quality report to get a more accurate level. Though if the strips are reading 0 in tap water and 50 to 100 in tank water, it does suggest a lot of nitrate being made in the tank and/or not being removed by water changes.

@Michaela30 How often do you do water changes, and how much do you change each time?

I do my water changes once a week and I do around 25% each time

 

[Michaela30]

Perfect will do this thank you

Forgot to mention - when the liquid test kit arrives, follow the nitrate tester instructions carefully. Nitrate testers have 2 or sometimes 3 bottles, and one of them has a reagent which settles on the bottom of the bottle. The instructions will tell you to shake this bottle before using it, and then the test tube once drops have been added. This shaking is necessary to get that reagent back into the liquid, or the reading will be inaccurate.