Fish Problem Help?

[Messonaldo]

The filter is unlikely to have been the problem. I would suspect either the fish had problems already, or there was something in the acclimation. And here, by acclimation I mean the water parameters, water condition, how the fish were caught/netted/bagged/released. I know some of this has been discussed previously, but it is still a possible. And I would check with the state of the fish in the store--tell them your three have died, see if their fish are doing similar.

Another aspect is how long the fish have been in the store. Fish arriving from the fish farm/breeder are under extreme stress, and if we then buy them within a few days, we are subjecting them to more severe stress. There are delicate species that I insist remain in the store at least a week, sometimes longer, before I will acquire them. I'd rather they either died in the store or settled down fairly well, before they are subjected to additional stress.

Ok,I'll visit my LFS tomorrow and ask them about the neons.If everything seems fine at the LFS.Should I add more fish after I've checked my water parameters.

 

[Byron]

Ok,I'll visit my LFS tomorrow and ask them about the neons.If everything seems fine at the LFS.Should I add more fish after I've checked my water parameters.

Follow my suggestions in post #13. Obviously, if the store neons are dying, don't get them. I don't know what was the issue here; I am still inclined to think it was/is not a cycling issue. Maybe the store will credit you for the losses, and see if they will "hold" a group of 7-8 to allow your tank time to establish.

Cycle and establish are two very different things. Cycling is the establishment of the nitrifying bacteria, and I think you have no issues here. Establishment is the biological "settling down" once cycling is done, to stabilize the tank's biology. Obviously, the presence of fish is part of this, but if the tank is stable when the fish are added, it helps, especially with sensitive fish.