Having Trouble With Platys

[Dave T]

Hi new to forum so hope i am posting this correct.

About a 6 weeks ago set up a new Tropical tank 125 litres , all natural plants substrate external filter heater at 26 27 degrees
let it settle for a few weeks
nitrate level between 0--10
nitro 0
general hardness around 10
kh level aroung 6
ph level around around 6.2
cl2 level 0

Introduced 4 platys all i believe to be males seemed to start of fine after the first week 1 become a bit anti social seemed to be hanging around the surface a lot following day unfortunatly he died then a second started to do the same i took some video footage hoping to get it to the petshop owner before he suffered the same fate unfortunatly i didnt act quick enough he died still took the footage to the pet shop he said it was probably just teething problems he did give me an general antibiotic which i flushed through the tank for about 3 days and now a thired seems to be following the same fate i am trying every thing to prevent this but i am really strugling

any help would be greatly appreciated

Cheers David

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Dave T

Welcome to the forum!

Your post is good, but I think you'll attract more help if I move your thread to the New To The Hobby Section. It would be very helpful if you could post the reading for Ammonia in the water too.

While you are waiting for a response, here's some reading to help explain the cycling process:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277264

 

[Harlequins]

Hi there and welcome

Has Inchworm says read up on cycling your tank,basically your fish are dying from possible ammonia/nitrite poisoning,first thing you need to do a big water change to save the fish,has you are in a fish in cycle situation.

Do you have a liquid test kit to test for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/ph? -these are the main readings needed to keep your tank going.

 

[craig855s]

U need to test for ammonia and nitrite, they are the most important stats in the tank! and test using a liquid test kit,not strips that u dip in. You are experiencing a fish in cycle this has killed/permanently harmed the fish that have been in the tank. What i recomend doing is removing all fish and following the instructions for a fishless cycle.It wont take long since ur ammonia reducing bacteria will already be doing quite well,and ur nitrite bacteria wont be too shabby either,so a couple of weeks dosing liquid ammonia up to 5PPM wil see you ready for full stocking.

 

[Dave T]

Hi there and welcome

Has Inchworm says read up on cycling your tank,basically your fish are dying from possible ammonia/nitrite poisoning,first thing you need to do a big water change to save the fish,has you are in a fish in cycle situation.

Do you have a liquid test kit to test for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/ph? -these are the main readings needed to keep your tank going.

Thanks so much for speedy response as i really want to get this sorted

I have the Tetra strips 6 in 1 which was recomended is there a big differance between these not a proble to get liquid 1

Now for the silly question when you say a big water change do i need to remove to an alternate tank to do this if so how long do they need to be out of there tank before i can put them back in as my alternate tank is only a twenty litre tank

also is it best if i get seperate test kits for each element ie for nitrite levels ph etc etc


really appreciate your help

 

[Dave T]

U need to test for ammonia and nitrite, they are the most important stats in the tank! and test using a liquid test kit,not strips that u dip in. You are experiencing a fish in cycle this has killed/permanently harmed the fish that have been in the tank. What i recomend doing is removing all fish and following the instructions for a fishless cycle.It wont take long since ur ammonia reducing bacteria will already be doing quite well,and ur nitrite bacteria wont be too shabby either,so a couple of weeks dosing liquid ammonia up to 5PPM wil see you ready for full stocking.

Thank you to for your reply

comforting factor is your both saying pritty much the same thing will be going tomorrow to liquid test kit
i am a little confused i was under the illusion i wanted to remove the ammonia from the tank not introduce it
also a little disheartend as have worked really hard to get thie right first time
and based on info from pet store thought i was

Your help is really appreciated

Hi Dave T

Welcome to the forum!

Your post is good, but I think you'll attract more help if I move your thread to the New To The Hobby Section. It would be very helpful if you could post the reading for Ammonia in the water too.

While you are waiting for a response, here's some reading to help explain the cycling process:

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277264"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277264[/URL]

Thanks very much

Got replies straight away thanks to you

Cheers

 

[Truck]

when you go to buy a liquid test, avoid API, I have tested them against other brands using lab results and saliferts came out on top, theyre 100% suitable for freshwater, and i suggest you use them too.

 

[Dave T]

when you go to buy a liquid test, avoid API, I have tested them against other brands using lab results and saliferts came out on top, theyre 100% suitable for freshwater, and i suggest you use them too.

Cheers

Sorry saliferts is this a brand and i should use in line with what sorry if this seems a stupid question

Thanks

 

[Truck]

when you go to buy a liquid test, avoid API, I have tested them against other brands using lab results and saliferts came out on top, theyre 100% suitable for freshwater, and i suggest you use them too.

Cheers

Sorry saliferts is this a brand and i should use in line with what sorry if this seems a stupid question

Thanks

saliferts are a brand yes

you will need the following test kits:
ammonia
nitrite
nitrate
PH

 

[OldMan47]

Salifert is a brand well thought of but Truck is obsessed with it. Most of us use the API test that he doesn't like and have adequate results with our fish regardless of the actual accuracy involved.
There is no need to remove fish to do a large water change, just get out your siphon, unplug the heater and filter and drain most of the water from the tank to buckets for disposal. Once the new water, about the same temperature is drawn, dechlorinate it and add it back into the tank. When the tank is full again, plug in the heater and filter again and prime the filter if it is one that requires priming.
I set up my new water bucket like this so that I can use the siphon to refill the tank with minimal disturbance of the decor.

 

[Truck]

but seeing as saliferts can be picked for the same price as the API kits, surely it would be sensible to go with the more accurate test kit from the start?

 

[OldMan47]

Truck, I like the way you think about it but just did a quick search and found the ammonia 50 tests kit costs about what I paid for my whole API kit. If it was simply a brand choice I might actually go for a bit more accuracy, but it is a lot more than that. My API kit includes nitrite, nitrate and 2 separate pH tests to give a broad range as well as the Ammonia chemicals for 130 tests. In my mind the prices are not even close, much less the same.

I admire your determination and like that not everyone here has exactly the same ideas but I retain my own opinion on the need for extreme accuracy when the other works fine to guide my work with my fish. Please do not take this as a personal attack on you or your opinions. Is it OK that we don't completely match on our thoughts?

 

[LittleMick]

Hi Dave T, welcome to the forum, I'm relatively new to the fish keeping hobby as well and had problems before, except with Tetras. I got my aquarium at the beginning of May this year. I have a 300 litre tank with internal filter. I put 6 Platys in after 3 weeks. Then 6 Mollies 2 weeks after that then 16 Tetras in 2 weeks after that. the Tetras died. At the time I found I had an Amonia problem, here was the advice given to me by my local LFS.

WATER TEST KIT - I use the Hagen Nutrafin Master Test Kit, it was the only liquid test kit they did, probably something to do with Hagen sponsoring the LFS, lol. It includes Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, KH, GH, PH high, PH low, Calcium, Iron and Phosphate. I do my tests once a week, but I am paranoid, Alot of fish keepers I have spoken with only test if they have an unusual amount of deaths.

AMONIA - If it is the amonia that has killed you're fish, this is what I did, according to the Juwel guide you have to fill the tank with water through the filter even during water changes, but my LFS recommended pouring it straight into the tank because I MAY be knocking the filter bacteria out of the filter media, I was also feeding my fish twice a day, I was told that freshwater need only be fed once per day. Ever since then I have never had an amonia problem.

WATER CHANGES - When I had the Amonia problem I kept the fish in the tank, I did a 50% water change once per day until the amonia levels were down to 0. Given how hig my tank is it took about 3 days if I remember correctly. General water changes I do every 2 weeks at 20%. Which equates to 60 litres. I fill up 6 buckets, put some Tetra AquaSafe in each. While that is settling I syhon out 60 lites from my tank via 2 buckets. While the water is low I clean the gravel if it needs it and the glass of algae. Then using a 1 litre pitcher I pour the new 60 litres into the tank.

WATER TREAMENTS - Are yo using any water treatments? I used the Tetra products, AquaSafe (every water change), Easy balance (weekly) and Nitrate Minus (weekly). I did use to use the Hagen Nutrafin range but that was when I had my problems. I haven't actually tried running a tank without any treamtents so I'm guessing they are needed, lol.

AERATION - Are you aerating your tank? Although lack of oxygen probably didn't kill the fish it may have contributed to it. An overall bad water quality leading to your fish going to the surface for air. This was also told to me by my LFS, at the time of my amonia problem, I wasn't aerating my tank, so they said to turn my pump outlet flow pipe toward the surface to create bubbles. Then I invested in a dual air pump and 2 air stones.

Anyway, feel free to ignore any of that, I'm not sure how much you already know and the guys who have already posted certainly have more experience than I, but every little helps.

Regards
Mick

 

[Dave T]

Salifert is a brand well thought of but Truck is obsessed with it. Most of us use the API test that he doesn't like and have adequate results with our fish regardless of the actual accuracy involved.
There is no need to remove fish to do a large water change, just get out your siphon, unplug the heater and filter and drain most of the water from the tank to buckets for disposal. Once the new water, about the same temperature is drawn, dechlorinate it and add it back into the tank. When the tank is full again, plug in the heater and filter again and prime the filter if it is one that requires priming.
I set up my new water bucket like this so that I can use the siphon to refill the tank with minimal disturbance of the decor.

Hi

This is a great idea thanks very much would not have thougt of it

Cheers

 

[Dave T]

Hi Dave T, welcome to the forum, I'm relatively new to the fish keeping hobby as well and had problems before, except with Tetras. I got my aquarium at the beginning of May this year. I have a 300 litre tank with internal filter. I put 6 Platys in after 3 weeks. Then 6 Mollies 2 weeks after that then 16 Tetras in 2 weeks after that. the Tetras died. At the time I found I had an Amonia problem, here was the advice given to me by my local LFS.

WATER TEST KIT - I use the Hagen Nutrafin Master Test Kit, it was the only liquid test kit they did, probably something to do with Hagen sponsoring the LFS, lol. It includes Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, KH, GH, PH high, PH low, Calcium, Iron and Phosphate. I do my tests once a week, but I am paranoid, Alot of fish keepers I have spoken with only test if they have an unusual amount of deaths.

AMONIA - If it is the amonia that has killed you're fish, this is what I did, according to the Juwel guide you have to fill the tank with water through the filter even during water changes, but my LFS recommended pouring it straight into the tank because I MAY be knocking the filter bacteria out of the filter media, I was also feeding my fish twice a day, I was told that freshwater need only be fed once per day. Ever since then I have never had an amonia problem.

WATER CHANGES - When I had the Amonia problem I kept the fish in the tank, I did a 50% water change once per day until the amonia levels were down to 0. Given how hig my tank is it took about 3 days if I remember correctly. General water changes I do every 2 weeks at 20%. Which equates to 60 litres. I fill up 6 buckets, put some Tetra AquaSafe in each. While that is settling I syhon out 60 lites from my tank via 2 buckets. While the water is low I clean the gravel if it needs it and the glass of algae. Then using a 1 litre pitcher I pour the new 60 litres into the tank.

WATER TREAMENTS - Are yo using any water treatments? I used the Tetra products, AquaSafe (every water change), Easy balance (weekly) and Nitrate Minus (weekly). I did use to use the Hagen Nutrafin range but that was when I had my problems. I haven't actually tried running a tank without any treamtents so I'm guessing they are needed, lol.

AERATION - Are you aerating your tank? Although lack of oxygen probably didn't kill the fish it may have contributed to it. An overall bad water quality leading to your fish going to the surface for air. This was also told to me by my LFS, at the time of my amonia problem, I wasn't aerating my tank, so they said to turn my pump outlet flow pipe toward the surface to create bubbles. Then I invested in a dual air pump and 2 air stones.

Anyway, feel free to ignore any of that, I'm not sure how much you already know and the guys who have already posted certainly have more experience than I, but every little helps.

Regards
Mick

Hi

Thanks for such a detailed reply and judging by what you have said and every one else its sounding like its going to be an ammonia problem of which i will be getting new test kit for today.I have been using Nutrafin Aqua plus and also Nutrafin cycle i will see if i can get Tetra products as so much of what you have said seems very similer to my own problem at presant . With regards to Aeration of the tank i went with real plants to generate its own oxygen i have ten plants a grass bed and moss in the tank all of which appear to be growing fine and the water is aggravated by the in flow of the filter system do you not think this would be enough .
and finally should i check the ammonia level before changing the water in case its somthing else or should i change the water anyway changed 20% last weekend .

any further advice would be great greatly appreciated