Sterbai Death.

[TheRedDarren]

Hi, just found a second dead sterbai in, first one was 11 days ago and I put it down to being one of the new additions when I increased the shoal from 6 to 9, so I tested the water and all stats were 0 with nitrate at 40 ppm, temp at 24, did a 30% wc and all was good, the lfs even replaced the cory. Now I've had a second death stats are still good, so I need to know where to start looking for the cause, are they sensitive fish? What do they not like?
The only thing I can think is my ph is lower by my peat in the filter, from 7.8 to about 7.2 ish, could this have an effect?

 

[laura120381]

hi there,

sorry to hear of your loss. i am not entirely sure what is killing them. it could be your ph as i am sure they prefer slightly more acidic water (about 6.8). did you notice any strange behaviour? are there any signs of disease on the dead fish (reddining of gills, lesions, growths, fungus etc?) ?

L

ps do another large water change to be on the safe side. take out as much water as possible (i.e leave just enough for your fish to swim upright.) are you de-chlorinating and temp matching the new water at water changes??

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Any sign of slightly raised, transparent patches around their head?

 

[TheRedDarren]

The dead one looked perfectly normal, gills ok, colour ok. Behaviour of the others is as normal, going around like crazy things and feeding very well. The only possible thing I could see was slight bloatedness, but this would happen a few hours after death anyway.