Sudden Deaths

[ratfink]

Hi all,
We have a 25 litre tank which was working fine with me rotating 25% of the water every 2 weeks. the pump stopped and the water "greened" up - so I completely replaced the water, I used a water softner, let it run for a couple of hours and popped the fish back into a nice clean tank.
Everything was fine for 24hrs - the fish in there were.
1 x Albino Corydora
2 x Danio's
2 x goldfish
lots of snails...

We added 2 x blue neon tetra and 2 x yellow tuxedo guppies 24hrs later. When adding the fish I put a little of the water from the petshop in the tank (under half cup) and then the next day one of the yellow tuxedo guppies seemed to have lost some tissue from his tail (looking almost skeletal like) and was very listless, later that night the tuxedo died and oddly one of the long established fish also died (a danio)

Then to our horror the next night (last night) one of the neon blue tetra's had died and another one of the long established gold fish.
I have tested the PH, anmonia, nitrates etc with my usual kit and the levels are in the normal ranges. The lad in the shop put a little aloe vera in the water when we transported the 2 neon tetra and guppies back. a little of this water went in the tank.
All advice greatly appreciated.
Cheers.
Dave.

 

[scooterchick]

Sounds like your tank has went through a mini cycle due to teh pump stopping. I assume you filter sponge was kept wet, therefore it hasn't been a complete wipe out. However more than likely a lot of the good bacteria has died during the complete water change, couple that with adding new fish, your filter wasn't capable of supporting your bioload.

What test kit are you using and what exactly are normal parameters?

Hmmm, just reread your post. Is your tank heated? Gold fish are cold water fish and shouldn't be kept with tropical fish, they're also heavy., heavy polluters, no wonder your filter couldn't cope. Do you have anymore goldfish?

Back in a min.

 

[scooterchick]

Ok, just had to check something. Right you have a 5 gallon tank, you are vastly overtocked, too many fish in that tank. You're fish are dying because they're being poisoned, the fish you had already probably had adapted to poor conditions but teh new fish weren't, that's why they died so quickly.

I suggest you either rehome most of your remaining fish, especially the goldfish, or get a bigger tank asap. I know you probably love him but the goldfish has to go. Or get a bigger tank and keep the goldfish in the 5 gallon (which is probably still too small for him).

Sorry this is so bossy, you're obviously had really bad advice. Welcome to the forums, please keep posting, you obviously care about the welfare of the fish or you wouldn't be here.

 

[ratfink]

Hi Sorry they arent gold fish - they just look like them
Yes it is heated and in the green according to the thermo
The filter was still wet as the pump was still working although at a vastly reduced rate....
The kit I have is a Tetratest which shows 5 tests per strip

There are a lot of snails in the tank - although not the cause for the deaths is this healthy for a tank?
also I am concerned that although there are plants in there that there maybe a lack of oxygen in the tank?

Still unsure why 2 of the new fish have died taking 2 well established fish with them?

Thanks for your input - keep it coming

 

[scooterchick]

Hi,

Right it's probably golden barbs you have. Why you worried about oxygen? Got any fish hanging at the surface?

The test strips are rubbish I'm afraid, the liquid test kits are much more acurate. However, you have a lot of fish in a tiny space, the filter must have been struggling. The fish would have adapted over time to less than perfect conditions but the huge water change (kicking off a mini cycle) plus the introduction of new fish was too much for their already comprimised immune systems to deal with. For teh new fish, the water would have been toxic and they probably died of fright.

I'm not sure about the snails or what kind of impact they have on a bioload but you do need a bigger tank if you want to keep those fish, other wise take some back to your fish shop.

 

[WILDER]

The first goldfish alone needs a 20 gallon tank then 10 gallon for every other one added.They are massive waste producers and need very good filters twice the turn over of the tank.
They won't make it in that tank its way to small for them.If they are common goldfish find them a pond, or you will have to take them back to the lfs or rehome them.
Not one of those fish should be in that tank size.
Guppies are active fish no less than 10 gallons, same with the danios really need 20 gallons. Cory like a bigger tank too.
Tetra are a shoaling fish and no less than 6, plus they need room to swim in and the tanks to small.

 

[ratfink]

OK, thanks for your replies, overall it sounds like I tried to do to much to soon, by doing a complete water change then adding fish 24hrs later.
The 25litre tank had 5 finsh in, that went to 9 when I added the extra 4, some have die'd and were back down to 5 again. Will leave it at that for now.
Thanks for you input and time, I will look on here more often for info, ps. whats a mini cycle ?
pps. I will get a liquid testing kit if anyone can recommend one