Help!

[McJizzy]

I got home from work this evening to find one of my Cherry Barbs dead. It looked perfectly fine that morning. Nothing looks wrong with it. Water parameters read as:

pH 7.2
Nitrate 5
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0

All 5 of the others look perfectly normal and healthy. The only other fish in the tank are the 5 other Cherry Barbs. I don't know what went wrong. Any ideas?

McJizzy

[bushwhacker]

it happens .... your params are fine it could have been a weak fish. Your going to lose fish. it happens to all of us some we never know why it just happens... now if you start to lose the rest then we got a problem..

[lowlight]

I am with bushwhacker, it just happens sometimes. I used to go into panic mode and triple check everything when I first started out and a fish died.

[Mith]

I'm going to pile on with the above! Fish dying is just a art of the hobby. It really sucks too because its frustrating that after we take all the time to do our homework (like coming to AC and reading all the threads) and we STILL lose fish!

I have a nice community tank that's been running for at least a year! It just seems that you end up going through a few fish before you get a stable tank....and even THEN you can lose fish.

As was mentioned above, if you start losing multiple fish, then you need to start looking for answers.

Keep doing what you're doing, you know how to check your water parameters and that's key to knowing that your tank is balanced.

Good luck!

[gadget228]

I have a hard time keeping Cherry Barbs and I really like them, I keep a small school of 8 in a ten gallon and have had 6 of them die one a day till only two are left. Been a week since the last died and have my fingers crossed that the last two will be fine.

I have high pH of 8.2 and tank is fully cycled with normal parameters so why some die and others don't I don't know, just makes me feel bad when they do. :scry:

[McJizzy]

I do think that there is something wrong. I found another dead this morning. It looked normal just like the other one. Parameters tested the same as yesterday. Could it be that they were both just weak fish?

[lowlight]

When did you add the fish? If it has only been a couple of days then they might have just been week fish and if it has been a couple of weeks then I would start thinking about any changes you might have made.

[McJizzy]

When did you add the fish? If it has only been a couple of days then they might have just been week fish and if it has been a couple of weeks then I would start thinking about any changes you might have made.

I added the fish to the tank about two weeks ago. The only change I can think of is the addition of a shipwreck ornament.

[Rhaethe]

Could it be some sort of paint or chemical on the ornament that is leeching into the water?

[lowlight]

As stated above, is the ornament tank safe? What kind of dechlorinater do you use?

[McJizzy]

Could it be some sort of paint or chemical on the ornament that is leeching into the water?
As stated above, is the ornament tank safe? What kind of dechlorinater do you use?

I think the ornament is "aquarium safe". On the tag that was attached to it, it said it was "aquarium safe".

I use Seachem Prime for a dechlorinater. Is there a different type that would be better to use?

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[Rhaethe]

Prime is excellent. I loves it.

[lowlight]

I use NovAqua+ with good results. I think what you use is just a personal preference. I'll bet SeaChem Prime and NovAqua+ do the same thing. Next time your at the LFS compare the two of them and see. Other than that maybe it is something else in the tank that is slowly poisoning them. I would just keep checking parameters and do your water changes and see what happens. What else is in your tank decor wise, what kind of gravel are you using?

[McJizzy]

I use NovAqua+ with good results. I think what you use is just a personal preference. I'll bet SeaChem Prime and NovAqua+ do the same thing. Next time your at the LFS compare the two of them and see. Other than that maybe it is something else in the tank that is slowly poisoning them. I would just keep checking parameters and do your water changes and see what happens. What else is in your tank decor wise, what kind of gravel are you using?

The other decorations are fake plants, a piece of fake wood, some flowerpots and a fake coral decoration. The substrate is flourite (Made the tank very cloudy for the first week).

Just tested the water again and everything is the same as before. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5, nitrate and 7.2 pH. I will keep testing everyday for the next week or so.

[lowlight]

I can't see anything wrong as long as you decor is aquarium safe and your parameters are good. Just keep doing what your doing and see what happens. Your tank will eventually establish itself. I hope you don't lose any more fish. You might want to try some plants like Java fern, Anubius and crypts they are easy to care for and don't require much light. I have these plants in my 55 with .6 watts a gallon, hence the name lowlight.

[McJizzy]

I can't see anything wrong as long as you decor is aquarium safe and your parameters are good. Just keep doing what your doing and see what happens. Your tank will eventually establish itself. I hope you don't lose any more fish. You might want to try some plants like Java fern, Anubius and crypts they are easy to care for and don't require much light. I have these plants in my 55 with .6 watts a gallon, hence the name lowlight.

Would I need anything to get anything for live plants other then what I currently have? Are there any nocturnal plants that can grow under moonlights? I've always wanted moonlights. I think their cool.

[lowlight]

I have never tried or heard of nocturnal plants so I couldn't help ya there. I don't do anything special with the plants I have listed. I just stick the Crypts in the gravel and the Anubius and Java fern I just tied to some DW, eventually they attach themselves. The substrate you are using is made for plants if I am not mistaken. Have a look in the photo gallery at some of the planted tanks in there. My tank is in the member gallery section in case you want to have a look.