Help

[a kelly]

hello im new to this site. i started my aquarium about 3 weeks ago everything was fine until i bought fish 3 days ago.i bought 2 guppies and 1 cory.the next day i noticed one guppy with its tail in tatters later that day it was dead. i was shocked.now the other guppy is dead.i watched the cory chase him and nip his tail.he tore it to shreds.so please help what do i do now.i thought corys were peaceful?

[a kelly]

just found out its a clown loach not a cory does this make a difference.

[Cermet]

Welcome.
I have a question for you - Are you aware that your tank is cycling and ammonia levels could be toxic? If you do not know what this is - read the Beginners section on a fish based cycling. Maybe the fish are stressed due to the ammonia and/or nitrites.

use this link: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=36492

If you have questions post here and ask.

Good luck

:hmm3grin2orange:

[a kelly]

yes i tested for ammonia about 2 days ago and it was fine? i havent tested for nitrites though.would this cause the loach to attack the guppies? i have used media from another tank that is about 1 year old because ive read it helps the cycle.hope the loach doesnt die now that would be awful.

cheers

[Cermet]

Excellent move to use pre-seeded bio-material from an old filter - you were far ahead of me when I started my discus tank!

As you know corys and guppies are very peaceful but clown loaches are active fish - you may not be able to get the two to live in peace; could try isolation of the loach (this has worked for me - I float a small "breeder plastic box" - vented - in the tank and put the mis-behaving fish in only when it mis-behaves. Hold it for a day or so and then put it back into the tank. If it acts up again, then back in and so on. Believe it or not, it works and I known this has been done by others with success.)You need a nitrite, and nitrate kit as well as pH. This with an ammonia kit is a fairly standard combo kit and available at most LFS; walmart sells a complete unit cheap on line.

[a kelly]

Thanks for that i wont put any more fish in till im sure the enviroment is suitable. Dont want the little fellas dying. Hopefully my current fish will survive.

[Cermet]

I don't know - many a few extra guppies (8-10 total) will allow some to have a break and help wear the loach down ... guppies do like company. Just avoid mixing females/males in your you may end up with more guppies than you expect!:hmm3grin2orange:

[Stlouisfish]

I've read that if your tank is not fully cycled yet, live bearing fish are amongst the hardier fish (to deal with ammonia/nitrites)- however, from what I've read here, using media from an established tank won't instantly cycle the tank - it merely kickstarts it. You won't know whether your tank is cycled unless you test for ammonia, nitrites & nitrates and your readings are: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites & 20 or less nitrates - but I'm assuming you know this already : )