Help fish all dying ..

[Colin_T]

The peppered corydoras on the glass looks like it is covered in excess mucous (cream/ white film over the head, body and fins). This is normally caused by something in the water irritating the fish. A big water change is normally recommended, however since the neons are dying after water changes, do not do a water change for 2 weeks and see how they do.

It's possible the neons had only just come into the shop where you bought them from, and they were suffering from stress associated with handling and shipping. Then you took them home and they were caught, bagged up and moved into another tank with different water. This has put a lot of stress on the fish and they might just need time to recover.

Give them 2 weeks without water changes and see how they do during that time.

Maybe put some carbon in a filter and run that in the tank for a month. There might be something in the tap water that is stressing them.

Put a picture on the back of the tank to help them feel more secure.

Add some floating plants.

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Stress from tank lights coming on when the room is dark can be an issue. Fish don't have eyelids and don't tolerate going from complete dark to bright light (or vice versa) instantly.

In the morning open the curtains or turn the room light on at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the tank light on. This will reduce the stress on the fish and they won't go from a dark tank to a bright tank instantly.

At night turn the room light on and then turn the tank light off. Wait at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the room light out. This allows the fish to settle down for the night instead of going from a brightly lit tank to complete darkness instantly.

 

[Brendanpat]

The peppered corydoras on the glass looks like it is covered in excess mucous (cream/ white film over the head, body and fins). This is normally caused by something in the water irritating the fish. A big water change is normally recommended, however since the neons are dying after water changes, do not do a water change for 2 weeks and see how they do.

It's possible the neons had only just come into the shop where you bought them from, and they were suffering from stress associated with handling and shipping. Then you took them home and they were caught, bagged up and moved into another tank with different water. This has put a lot of stress on the fish and they might just need time to recover.

Give them 2 weeks without water changes and see how they do during that time.

Maybe put some carbon in a filter and run that in the tank for a month. There might be something in the tap water that is stressing them.

Put a picture on the back of the tank to help them feel more secure.

Add some floating plants.

------------------------
Stress from tank lights coming on when the room is dark can be an issue. Fish don't have eyelids and don't tolerate going from complete dark to bright light (or vice versa) instantly.

In the morning open the curtains or turn the room light on at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the tank light on. This will reduce the stress on the fish and they won't go from a dark tank to a bright tank instantly.

At night turn the room light on and then turn the tank light off. Wait at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the room light out. This allows the fish to settle down for the night instead of going from a brightly lit tank to complete darkness instantly.

Thanks . I'll look into a sticker and some floating plants . My curtains be opened in the morning and my light only comes on at 5 til 10 o clock in the evening. So dont think that was an issue . I lost one more corie over night . I haven't changed anything since. Just tested the water a few times and it reads all clear . Have 5 remaining cories and 6 neons as well as a few others ,who seem to have recovered well and everyone was eating at feeding time .so hopefully we are out of the woods . I think it had to have been the water contaminated from the first fish dying. Even though my test strips didn't pick it up . Think I need a more accurate test kit . Hopefully they'll all recover fully again . Thanks for all a help

 

[AilyNC]

Thanks . I'll look into a sticker and some floating plants . My curtains be opened in the morning and my light only comes on at 5 til 10 o clock in the evening. So dont think that was an issue . I lost one more corie over night . I haven't changed anything since. Just tested the water a few times and it reads all clear . Have 5 remaining cories and 6 neons as well as a few others ,who seem to have recovered well and everyone was eating at feeding time .so hopefully we are out of the woods . I think it had to have been the water contaminated from the first fish dying. Even though my test strips didn't pick it up . Think I need a more accurate test kit . Hopefully they'll all recover fully again . Thanks for all a help

Do your strips measure ammonia?

 

[Brendanpat]

Do your strips measure ammonia?

No . Never new about measuring it . Should I be checking it ?how would it get high ?

 

[AilyNC]

No . Never new about measuring it . Should I be checking it ?how would it get high ?

Yes ammonia & nitrite (both should be zero) are the big ones to watch and nitrate (should be below 20). I'd say you'd an ammonia spike. If you order API Master Test Kit on Amazon it's much better value that fish shop. Plus it lasts about 800 tests so cheaper per test than strips.

Someone else noted it looked like the tetra had ammonia burns. I'd say something from the new fish caused a death and that caused an ammonia spike which is toxic to all the other fish. Doing 75% water change should help over a few days.

 

[Essjay]

how would it get high ?

Ammonia is excreted by fish and uneaten food decomposes to ammonia. It is the first thing to appear in an uncycled tank or when something happens to damage the bacteria colonies.
When fish start to behave oddly or look sick we should always test for ammonia and nitrite.

 

[Brendanpat]

Yes ammonia & nitrite (both should be zero) are the big ones to watch and nitrate (should be below 20). I'd say you'd an ammonia spike. If you order API Master Test Kit on Amazon it's much better value that fish shop. Plus it lasts about 800 tests so cheaper per test than strips.

Someone else noted it looked like the tetra had ammonia burns. I'd say something from the new fish caused a death and that caused an ammonia spike which is toxic to all the other fish. Doing 75% water change should help over a few days.

Thanks that sounds like it because some of the small cories where red round gills aswell .. hope it hasn't done any lasting damage to the rest . Another lesson learned. I definitely order a kit from amazon thanks ...

 

[AilyNC]

Do another big water change. It'll only help to reduce the ammonia. Hopefully the other fish are ok. I've fish that lived through an un-cycled Ammonia mad tank. I lost a lot though.

 

[Brendanpat]

Do another big water change. It'll only help to reduce the ammonia. Hopefully the other fish are ok. I've fish that lived through an un-cycled Ammonia mad tank. I lost a lot though.

Will do

 

[FishGuest5123]

i can’t tell by the neon pics but they look swollen. If a fish dies due to being swollen as if they were pregnant, it could be a disease called droppsy. I had an episode with that many years ago. You can bring it to your tank from a newly purchased fish carrying the disease. Good luck

Dropsy isn’t contagious do all fish would not be affected. If you have 0 nitrates I suspect that your tank isn’t cycled. Do a 75% water change and test for Ammonia.. Let us know results.

 

[Brendanpat]

Dropsy isn’t contagious do all fish would not be affected. If you have 0 nitrates I suspect that your tank isn’t cycled. Do a 75% water change and test for Ammonia.. Let us know results.

Dont have the kit for ammonia yet but I'm looking it up now to order so I'll do the water changes an check it as soon as I get it

 

[Brendanpat]

Dropsy isn’t contagious do all fish would not be affected. If you have 0 nitrates I suspect that your tank isn’t cycled. Do a 75% water change and test for Ammonia.. Let us know results.

Taking nearly a week for delivery. I'll have to see wat the lfs has on Monday. I know it doesn't have the api master test kit anymore

 

[AilyNC]

Taking nearly a week for delivery. I'll have to see wat the lfs has on Monday. I know it doesn't have the api master test kit anymore

It's an absolute stinger to lose so many fish. If it was me I'd do daily big water changes for the week. By the time test kit arrives it should be resolved but you'll give current fish a good chance to recover.

 

[Brendanpat]

It's an absolute stinger to lose so many fish. If it was me I'd do daily big water changes for the week. By the time test kit arrives it should be resolved but you'll give current fish a good chance to recover.

Kiddies just away to bed . Gonna do one now

 

[AilyNC]

Kiddies just away to bed . Gonna do one now

Omg how?! My 2.5 yr old is still up. It's a struggle to bed him to bed by 10/10:30pm