Overstocking? I don't know what i'm even doing wrong

[Slow Cheetah]

In my puny 9 USgal tank i used to have 2 clown loachs (still small 2-3 inch) , 3 platys, a female betta and 2 white clouds. I had a plant in my tank (real) and then it died off without any apparent reason. Then 1 of my loachs died. then about 1 month later one of my platys died. then again about a month later i lost a platy and my female betta, and again about a month and a half later i lost a white cloud. I know have 1 clown loach, 1 platy and 1 white cloud in the tank.

I dont know what is wrong. I thought it might hav been bullying the others out of food until they get weak and cant eat. then my mum suggested that maybe rocks i added from the beach did it. But i boiled them and added them. I dont think it was them because it would of killed all of my fish not one then another 1 month later etc.

maybe I need a real plant to help oxygen flow?
Maybe overstocking?
and by the way, i need sum1 to tell me sum good fish to add and how many so i dont put too many in plz.
HELP PLZ -.-

Thx Newbiedude

[xoolooxunny]

are you aerating the tank? How's the temp? The common problem with smaller tanks is that if the parameters start to go a little awry, it can have a devastating effect on its inhabitants... did you test for ammonia?

[jweintraub]

Definately do some water parameter test, Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia. That could be quite a bioload with that many wish in such a small aquarium. Are you do VERY regular water changes to keep the ammonia down?

[Cichlid_Man]

I agree here.
test your water, check the temp, etc. and let us know what you get.
Also, 8 fish in a 9 gallon tank is too much unless maybe if you had neons or something small like that.
Even if you went by the old "1 fish per gallon" rule, which isn't really fact, you have too many fish.

[Lady Hobbs]

I agree with the others. Your tank is not only overstocked but you have the wrong assortment in there. Either keep one betta in that sized tank or several small neons or cardinals as mentioned by above poster.

Water is very condensed in a small tank therefore ammonia and nitrites can take ahold and be lethal to fish.

[kimmers318]

All of the above is great information. Also, how long has this tank been set up? How did you cycle it? If these answers are "not long" and "what do you mean by cycling" then that may have been the cause of your problems. Adding fish to an uncycled tank is either a disaster waiting to happen, or a major PITA for the fish keeper to take care of while it cycles to keep the fish healthy. Read our articles in the aquarium ebook to help gain some knowledge, get your water test kit and give us the results, and we can get you thru the rest safely. Please do not add any fish until you straighten out the tank.
Another note, small clown loaches are very prone to internal parasites that are very hard to cure. They will be healthy for a couple of months and then just waste away and die. I have yet to have it spread to my other fish, but have lost a couple of small groups of clown loaches trying to find a way to keep them. The larger ones I have are doing fine, but I bought them large. Also, clown loaches regularly get to 7+ inches even in home aquariums with many exceeding and reaching 10-12 inches and are very deep bodied as adults making a very large tank necessary to properly house them.

[cocoa_pleco]

ditto with kimmers:4:

[Slow Cheetah]

what do you mean by aerating?
My temp in the tank is 27 deg C or 78 F
i perform weekly 25-35% water changes with water ager etc.

The thing is i have run out of ammonia testing and PH testing. I have been to the shops and seen only ammonia selling for $17 AUS money. Is there another name for Nitrite or Nitrate testing? because i never see them only PH and Ammonia.

I have actually had my tank running for about a year. i cycled it without fish for 7 days then added 2 white clouds and my favourite male betta ( who just passed away the other day 1 day after his 2nd birthday).

also is it possible to put around 4 neon tetras and a male betta? plz answer this question as i am struggling with right fish for this tank.

Thx in advance
Newbiedude

P.S i regards to kimmers. I swear to god i have fish that go against everything
that pro's tell me. My white cloud absolutly REFUSES to be in the same tank with another white cloud. How weird is that? he beats the crap out of them until they die!. Also my clown loach that i have now is tougher than all the supposed 'hardy' fish like my platys and betta and is still striving and dominating my tank. i seem to have the uncanny ability to pick 'special' fish.

[Chrona]

Test the pH. If you got those rocks from a beach, it is likely they contains carbonates or calcium that is raising you pH to very high levels.

Uncharacteristic aggression is usually a sign of overcrowding, though the particular fish's temperament also plays a role.

If you've had the tank running for a year, it should be very mature. What gravel are you using? Do you disturb it a lot with water changes?

I would not add anything until your conditions stabilize and you stop losing fish.

[William]

I would remove the rocks that you have taken from the beach. The stones might as described above affect the pH. This is easy to check but they can also release different metals in aquariums that are harmful to fish. Clown loaches are the most sensitive fish to metals in your aquarium and the fact that one of your clown loaches died early could be an indication that metals might be to blame. Clown loaches are however among to most sensitive of your fish for a number of other problems as well so no conclusive answer can be deducted from that.

There are nitrite and nitrate tests (at least in Europe) and I think you should be able to find one of these online.

There are as described in the other answers a large number of factors that can have caused or contributed to your problems but since you, if I understand you correctly, have been running this aquarium for a year know I would focus on the things you changes. I.e. test the stone and replace the plant. It can also be a good idea to add aeration (an airpump) to the aquarium as this will make it less sensitive to changes and make the biological filtration in the aquarium more effective. I would also try to remember if I had made any other changes in the aquarium or aquarium management before the problems began.

[Slow Cheetah]

Ok thx for the help. I will remove rocks and get new plant. I'l go to the fish store maybe nxt weekend and look into a air pump and testing gear.