New Plecs Keep On Mysteriously Dying

[Kirantheklepto]

Hello there everybody, I've created a profile so I could get help with my problem.

My mum and I have been keeping a tropical aquarium together for about 6 years now. However, over the last year or so we've been having problems with new plecs that we try and introduce into the tank.

Currently I have:
3 Silver Dollars (1 male and 2 females)
1 Rainbow Shark
1 Upside-down Catfish
1 Hyplosternum
2 Bronze Cories
1 unknown tetra

Gradually our smaller fish have died and the larger ones (as you can see) have survived.
Over the last year, we have tried to introduce some more algae-eating fish such as algae-eaters and plecs. The odd thing is is that they all have died within 2 weeks or so, and the other fish have remained ok. They have all been small as buying them fully grown is expensive. We have also tried replacing our two clown loaches with juveniles but they have met the same fate.

We really need algae eating fish as the tank is exposed to a lot of light during the day, but so far we are having no luck in keeping them alive.
So far, I can only think of two possible reasons why this has been happening:
1. Ammonia levels are too high and only the algae-eaters have been affected thus far
2. There is a type of alga growing in the tank that is toxic to algae-eating fish.

If anybody could give me some advice I would be very grateful as I will be off to uni next week and won't be able to help for a while.
Thank s in advance

 

[howard_hopkinson]

I suggest you test your water chemistry for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate and let us know the results.

 

[tropic_john]

Plecs/Loaches don't live off algae, most are carnivourous or need meaty foods to live. It's annoying when lfs' sell plecs as ''a way to stop algae in a tank of any size'' even though the plec is the common variety and grows over 12''. Sorry for droning on

 

[River Dog]

I suggest you test your water chemistry for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate and let us know the results.

Absolutely, A test kit is the single most important weaponary in you fish keeping kit. It can tell you so much about what is going on in your tank. Please buy one and test your water, then post the results in this thread, and we will do our best to help you.


Off topic sorry, but howard_hopkinson, can I just say that tank in your sig is lovely.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Kirantheklepto

Welcome to the forum!

Whenever I see that someone is having a problem introducing new fish into an older tank, I give them this link to check out. Please try to rule Old Tank Syndrome out before looking further.

http/www.bestfish.com/oldtank.html

If you don't have the necessary test kits, it would be will worth your while to pick them up at the lfs. Or, take a jar of water there and ask them to test it for you. Be sure they give you the readings in numbers, not just tell you if they are OK or not. Perhaps that will help us to help you.

BTW, how big is your tank and what temperature do you keep the water at?

 

[typhoon]

check the plec when you buy dont ecpect them to be health make sure they have a nice belly and not caved in. sounds silly and it does sound like a water perams prob if it "keeps " happening but u never no

 

[Kirantheklepto]

Plecs/Loaches don't live off algae, most are carnivourous or need meaty foods to live. It's annoying when lfs' sell plecs as ''a way to stop algae in a tank of any size'' even though the plec is the common variety and grows over 12''. Sorry for droning on

That isn't a problem as we feed the fish a mixture of daphnia and bloodworms twice a week.
I looks like it is worth getting the water tested. Thanks, I'll post further as soon as I know the results.

 

[Kirantheklepto]

Plecs/Loaches don't live off algae, most are carnivourous or need meaty foods to live. It's annoying when lfs' sell plecs as ''a way to stop algae in a tank of any size'' even though the plec is the common variety and grows over 12''. Sorry for droning on

That isn't a problem as we feed the fish a mixture of daphnia and bloodworms twice a week.
I looks like it is worth getting the water tested. Thanks, I'll post further as soon as I know the results.

Annoyingly, I just tried my kit and the reagents for Ammonia and Nitrites appear to have expired as they are not producing any results. I need to buy a new kit by the looks of things.

 

[Kirantheklepto]

Plecs/Loaches don't live off algae, most are carnivourous or need meaty foods to live. It's annoying when lfs' sell plecs as ''a way to stop algae in a tank of any size'' even though the plec is the common variety and grows over 12''. Sorry for droning on

That isn't a problem as we feed the fish a mixture of daphnia and bloodworms twice a week.
I looks like it is worth getting the water tested. Thanks, I'll post further as soon as I know the results.

Annoyingly, I just tried my kit and the reagents for Ammonia and Nitrites appear to have expired as they are not producing any results. I need to buy a new kit by the looks of things.

Ok, I've bought some new reagents, and here are the results:
Ammonia- 0 mg/l
Nitrite- 2 mg/l
Nitrate- 10mg/l
pH- 6.5

Looks like high level of nitrites might be the problem.