I need help

[hjovel888]

I have a planted tank and all of the sudden my bottom dwellers have been dying, and then slowly all the rest die as well, water tests within normal limits, i dont know what else to look at besides bacteria, but how do you test for them?
What else can i look for or do to stop this besides doing a complete tear down and start over ?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

 

[Essjay]

Can you give us some more information, please.

Tank size
Fish - those which have died and those left alive - species and numbers of each
Test results in numbers, including hardness (GH) - if you don't have a tester does your water provider's website give this info
Symptoms - physical symptoms and any changes in behaviour before death. If possible photos.
How long has the tank been running
Maintenance routine - how often and how big water changes.
Decor - what is the substrate, are there any live plants, any rocks, wood, plastic decor
Did you add anything to the tank immediately before the deaths started


The more info you can give, the more likely we'll be able to find find a cause.

 

[emeraldking]

Maybe a template of your water parameters could be useful despite of the fact that you're claiming that the water tests were within normal limits. But maybe a virus, parasites or bacteria that may cause the death of those fish is in play. But in that case, the water should be tested under a microscope.

 

[hjovel888]

within the limits of the test that have the strips in the US, do you know who or where one would go to get the test done under a microscope

 

[Naughts]

within the limits of the test that have the strips in the US,

Please can we have the actual results in numbers and units for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and any others that you have?
And please can you provide responses for Essjay's questions in post #2?
Thanks

 

[hjovel888]

Can you give us some more information, please.

Tank size
Fish - those which have died and those left alive - species and numbers of each
Test results in numbers, including hardness (GH) - if you don't have a tester does your water provider's website give this info
Symptoms - physical symptoms and any changes in behaviour before death. If possible photos.
How long has the tank been running
Maintenance routine - how often and how big water changes.
Decor - what is the substrate, are there any live plants, any rocks, wood, plastic decor
Did you add anything to the tank immediately before the deaths started


The more info you can give, the more likely we'll be able to find find a cause.

i have loaches x3
small catfish both died
guppies X6
tetras X4
barbs X6

no symptoms just show up dead the next morning
i have had the tank for 2 years now/
Flourite Dark, is the substrate . has plants and 4 pieces of wood in it, 5 rocks
i change the water once every 10 days use filtered water, water in AZ is bad 5-10 gallons at a time, tank is 30 gallons

PH 6.4
CARBONATE 0
ALKINITY 0
HARDNESS 75
CL2 0
NITRITE 5
NITRATE 100
I will be doing a water change today based off these test results

my normal testing shows nitrites and nitrates within normal limits,

nothing added to say this was put in and they started dying

 

[emeraldking]

within the limits of the test that have the strips in the US, do you know who or where one would go to get the test done under a microscope

Test strips aren't that accurate. A good lfs would have a microscope.

 

[Naughts]

NITRATE 100

my normal testing shows nitrites and nitrates within normal limits,

100ppm nitrate is nowhere near normal limits, a good reading should be between 0-20ppm. The test strips cannot be relied upon to tell you what the range should be - you'll need to do your own research.
To bring this down, change water daily for a couple of weeks. Keep an eye on the pH daily to ensure it doesn't rise sharply.
Going forward I recommend changing water more frequently, 5-7 days at most. How do you filter the water?

 

[GaryE]

North American lfs, in my experience, don't have microscopes.

 

[hjovel888]

Can you give us some more information, please.

Tank size
Fish - those which have died and those left alive - species and numbers of each
Test results in numbers, including hardness (GH) - if you don't have a tester does your water provider's website give this info
Symptoms - physical symptoms and any changes in behaviour before death. If possible photos.
How long has the tank been running
Maintenance routine - how often and how big water changes.
Decor - what is the substrate, are there any live plants, any rocks, wood, plastic decor
Did you add anything to the tank immediately before the deaths started


The more info you can give, the more likely we'll be able to find find a cause.

just did a 10 gallon water change and levels are back within optimal range,

 

[hjovel888]

100ppm nitrate is nowhere near normal limits, a good reading should be between 0-20ppm. The test strips cannot be relied upon to tell you what the range should be - you'll need to do your own research.
To bring this down, change water daily for a couple of weeks. Keep an eye on the pH daily to ensure it doesn't rise sharply.
Going forward I recommend changing water more frequently, 5-7 days at most. How do you filter the water?

I just did a 10 gallon water change and nitrate back within normal levels, I have an in tank filter
question could plants bring something in that could have a neg affect on fish?

 

[Lcc86]

just did a 10 gallon water change and levels are back within optimal range,

What is "normal" range for your tank? One of your earlier posts mentions normal parameters but then you said nitrate was 100ppm which is too high, has it come down?

 

[Colin_T]

The high nitrates were from the nitrite reading.

Nitrate test kits read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false nitrate reading if there is nitrite in the water.

Having said this, you need to find out why there was nitrite in the water.

Need pictures of the fish.

What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often do you clean the filter?
How do you clean the filter?

Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?

How long have the fish been dying for?
Did you do anything different in the 2 weeks before this started?

 

[Essjay]

NITRITE 5

This is not within the normal range. The only acceptable levels for ammonia and nitrite are zero. However, if nitrite really is 5, I would have expected all the fish to have died.

small catfish both died

What species? Catfish covers many species of different types.

Flourite Dark, is the substrate

Several members have reported problems with catfish such as corydoras with this substrate. In these cases, the substrate granules eroded their barbels allowing infection to take hold. If your catfish were cories, did they show signs of such erosion before they died?

 

[hjovel888]

What is "normal" range for your tank? One of your earlier posts mentions normal parameters but then you said nitrate was 100ppm which is too high, has it come down?

Yes it has come down and based off of the info I have received on here ( and thank you for those who have responded) will be doing more water changes this week,
my normal testing has me within the limits of an optimal tank parameters. just cant seem to shake whatever is in the tank now