New fish are dying by abuse or sickness??

[hvc801]

Hey everyone, let me begin by stating I'm pretty experienced with fresh water aquariums and this tank has been up and running for years now.

I just don't know where to ask this question.. I recently decided to add some new fish to my 55gallon tank. I already have 3 silver dollars that are about 4"/5" in diameter (they're pretty large). I went to the fish store and purchased 6 small tiger barbs, they looked small, but not too small because they were in a small tank. When I put them into my 55gal I realized they were WAY small. I hoped that the silver dollars didn't bother them. And when watching them for the rest of the night, they didn't. Up until lights off and i went to sleep. The next morning not one was in the tank. I knew it, they had got eaten.

I figured, Let me purchase a couple clown loaches, again, long story short, they were found at the bottom of the tank dead the next morning. It's like my silver dollars are waiting for lights out to get evil.

So i figured these fish were too small and gotten bullied. That's when I went to a different fish store and purchased 6 new tiger barbs, much bigger in size. Again.....I wake up this morning....Dead.

My question is, is it these silver dollars?! or could there by another issue in the tank? I checked the water levels thoroughly and they're beautiful. The water is crystal clear and no signs of disease or bad bacteria. I'm just about ready to get rid of the silver dollars, but before I do. I want another opinion that all signs point to them.

Thanks for the time guys, any info or suggestions are highly appreciated.

[Tiari]

They could be dying from osmotic shock. Did you acclimate them to the water using a drip method?

[hvc801]

I put the bag in the water, then slowly added my tank water little by little. It's how I normally do it. And they're in the bag, in my aquarium for about 10-15 min (I do other things in between). Then once they're in the water, they're in there for hours (5-9 hours) normally before lights out and I get to bed. In that time, they're all fine, happy and healthy as anything. So I don't think that's the issue at hand here.

**edit**
I just read about this "drip-Method" and I could be wrong in how i'm doing the acclimation.. This COULD actually be my issue.. I didn't think so, because watching the fish when i put them in made me think they were fine.

**second edit**

Thanks for the insight Tiari, I'll be using this drip-method and take it more seriously. I do think this is the problem at hand here.. Thanks again! really appreciate it.

[wijnands]

Acclimatisation shock can take a few hours to kill but you'll see signs much earlier on, lack of colour, listless behaviour.

I'm not very familiar with silver dollars but I know most barb species. What does the tank look like?

[hvc801]

http://s13.postimage.org/sjp4phsgn/tank.jpg

it's 55gallon, river rock at the bottom.

Few other boulders and sea rock, 1 wood structure.

This is the best pic i had on me at the moment. I was taking a picture of the new shelving lol.

[ScottishFish]

Sure its silver dollars and not pirhana? :hmm3grin2orange:

[wijnands]

Thinking just that, those fish are huge and they look mean!

Some of those and no hiding places, that's not going to do well with the species you tried. My theory that they may chase and bother the new tankmates to death.

[bignellm]

Sure its silver dollars and not pirhana? :hmm3grin2orange:

Those sure be some large fish. thumbs2:

Sub-Adult Piranha:
http://www.piranha-info.com/images/hareball_007.jpg
Adult Piranha:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IekCEaRfn0w/TEjAnm_ltfI/AAAAAAAAAEA/pin9k_Ra8KM/s1600/piranha+deadliest.jpeg

Hope They just got ornery Silver Dollars

[Taurus]

Sure its silver dollars and not pirhana? :hmm3grin2orange:


Yeah, that was my first reaction too. Big fish do tend to eat little fish.

[Goes to 11!]

Some of those and no hiding places, that's not going to do well with the species you tried. My theory that they may chase and bother the new tankmates to death.+1

TOTALLY agree: Having more [or 'some' by the looks of it] cover would certainly improve the odds of survival for more than one night.

[Taurus]

Metynnis argenteus, even though classified as herbivore, will eat much smaller fish. They should be in a tank with other fish of the same size.

[ScottishFish]

When you clean the tank do they savagely try and amputate your digits? If so this could be an indication that you have pirhana . . . . . :hmm3grin2orange:

[hvc801]

I'm thinking about giving these silver dollars to the fish store along with some proper acclimation methods and I'll be good to go. I've had those silver dollars for about 2, maybe 3 years. It'll take away the pain i get when they die, it's so upsetting for me lol. I recently buried my Peacock bass i've had for a good 3 years.

Less the silver dollars and properly acclimating them will lead to sure fire survival lol. I've been wanting to put in smaller fish anyways.

I'm thinking about 7-9 tiger barbs
-1x clown loach
and i'm not sure what else? Any suggestions?

[ScottishFish]

Clowns grow to 12-14inches and require 6minimum as they are a schooling species. Maybe rethink your future stocking :22:

[hvc801]

When you clean the tank do they savagely try and amputate your digits? If so this could be an indication that you have pirhana . . . . . :hmm3grin2orange:

hahaha. nah, they're timid fish actually. and i've seen them eat smaller rosey red fish. but never took them to drive other fish to death.

[Lady Hobbs]

I've had SD and found them to be great fish. Never even heard of them attacking other fish much less eating all of them of every species. I would suspect toxins since these new fish died. Your SD may have grown used to the toxins so will not die so quickly as new ones.

No way do I think they killed these others. I would certainly do a water test before blaming what is always known as a total docile fish afraid of his own shadow.

[Lady Hobbs]

PS......What are those red blobs all over the SD? Ammonia burns? Nothing my Dollars ever had, for sure. Only red they get is throat area at breeding time not all over their body.




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/carolo/Tanks%20and%20plants/SilverDollars3-2009.jpg

[hvc801]

I've had SD and found them to be great fish. Never even heard of them attacking other fish much less eating all of them of every species. I would suspect toxins since these new fish died. Your SD may have grown used to the toxins so will not die so quickly as new ones.

No way do I think they killed these others. I would certainly do a water test before blaming what is always known as a total docile fish afraid of his own shadow.

The red blobs have been a part of them since i purchased them. There is no sign of bacterial infection or anything. And as I stated before, I tested the water parameters and everything came back beautifully.

I completely agree with you there that they are timid and wonderful fish, as they have NEVER been aggressive. Let alone even chase the other fish other then themselves. Which is why I'm thinking the fish were dead due from me not acclimating them properly. I would put the bag in the tank, and pour in a little water and then let them swim out.. After I read this article (http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/articles/97) is when I knew I had acclimated them wrong. I'm going to try again, but i'm only going to be able to afford 10 bucks worth of barbs, seeing as I'm already bust $70..... ::sigh::

[bignellm]

Hope the next try works out better for you.

[TheVoldevader]

When you clean the tank do they savagely try and amputate your digits? If so this could be an indication that you have pirhana . . . . . :hmm3grin2orange:

My angelfish does this :scry:

[hvc801]

Hope the next try works out better for you.

Thanks, I'll keep you guys posted.

[Danifins]

I'm thinking about 7-9 tiger barbs
-1x clown loach
and i'm not sure what else? Any suggestions?

If you want clown loaches, you need to get a school. Loaches of any type are schooling social fish and need that school to thrive!

The thing is that they get REALLY big, I've read around a foot long, and a group of those is way too many for a 55 gallon. See the pics of fully grown adults on this page:
Clown loaches - Loaches Online (http://www.loaches.com/species-index/clown-loach-chromobotia-macracanthus)

What about Kuhli loaches (http://www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-kuhlii)? Or Yo-yo loaches (http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae)? Both are very cute and active and don't really get bigger than 4-6 inches!

[wijnands]

Anyone even considering clown loaches should read this:

http://www.loaches.com/articles/images/downloadable-posters/ClownLoachPoster.JPG/image_large

[Trillianne]

You can help find out if its weak/ill stock or acclimation issues if you QT before adding to your main tank.

With as large of fish as you have in your established tank, I'd be pretty wary of what new inhabitants I added.

[Lady Hobbs]

I had 5 loaches in my 55 gallon, as well. I found a home for them with a lady who has an indoor big pond.

Well, don't know what those red spots are on those Silver Dollars but that is not normal and they should not have this. When spawning, they will get dark marks but not blood spots. Do you have a catfish in with them? If not, they have a parasite, a blood disease, something.........?

[Fishkeeper]

Just my two cents; in the wild, believe it or not, pirahna are actually rather timid creatures, as they do have natural enemies. Are you absolutely sure you don't have pirahna? Do they have sharp teeth?

[ScottishFish]

Just my two cents; in the wild, believe it or not, pirahna are actually rather timid creatures, as they do have natural enemies. Are you absolutely sure you don't have pirahna? Do they have sharp teeth?

Yup in the wild they also have a river full of space to run away from and stay in big packs. In a tank they are cornered and in fewer numbers. This makes them skittish and aggressive. If the guy had pirhana he would know :hmm3grin2orange: lack of fingers would tell him that

[bignellm]

Yup in the wild they also have a river full of space to run away from and stay in big packs. In a tank they are cornered and in fewer numbers. This makes them skittish and aggressive. If the guy had pirhana he would know :hmm3grin2orange: lack of fingers would tell him that


Oh yea!!! Would be hearing about his missing digits and not missing populations.

[Zander]

I've never kept them before but aren't silver dollar's supposed to be silver? I don't know for sure if that's a piranha but it sure doesn't look like a silver dollar. At least not the ones I have seen.

[Lady Hobbs]

Actually I was curious and did more searching. Some of the Red Hooks have red markings on them. There are several types. Poor guy wasn't even talking about that and I kept taking the conversation back to those SD but those spots bugged me.

Sorry hvc.

[Taurus]

LH, do you mean these?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myloplus_rubripinnis