fish are dying

[jwelectric]

55 gallon tank that started out with 5 koi that all died after a few months due to high ammonia.
Cleaned tank as let run for 6 weeks until the water levels equaled out. About a month ago we introduced 6 rainbow, 6 kissing fish, 5 angle, and three cat bottom feeders.

Filter is Penguin bio wheel 350 with one filter alternated every month. Water test shows low to no levels of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and PH is around 6.

One angle and one rainbow and all three cats are still living. Fish have been in tank for about four weeks and are dying at the rate of two a day. The last angle is hovering around the top of the tank.

My experience with fish is that some of it tastes good at the local fish house.

What say you about my problem?

[Lady Hobbs]

Your tank appears to not be cycled. It is also overstocked with inadaquate filtering.

Do a large water change now.......like 75%. Assume you have high ammonia levels because you most likely do. Make sure you add your dechlorinator.

And stop changing out your filter cartridges!

Read cycling threads below.

[escamosa]

Agree with Lady Hobbs. Study up on the cycling, and you will stop losing your fishies!

[Azurescriber]

Couldn't agree more, do the research.

Also, please research the types of fish you are stocking. Your angel will likely harass or kill any other angels in the tank when it is an adult, unless you LUCK OUT and get a mated pair.

Good luck!

[jwelectric]

I do vacuum the gravel in the bottom at least once every 10 days removing at least ¼ of the water in the tank. We are on well water.

I test the water once a week and all the levels seem to be very low except the PH which is ~6

My tests are for nitrite, nitrate, PH, and ammonia.

I am now going to drain about ½ of the water out.


Any suggestions about the filter and how to set one up?

[CrunchyLeaf]

If all your levels "seem low" that doesn't mean that it is good. There should be zero ammonia and nitrite. 1 or 2 look like low numbers, but that's considered insanely high and could kill you fish very quickly. Unless those numbers are zero, you need to get the cycling down as Lady Hobbs said.

[Cermet]

Changing half the tank water will not lower a high ammonia and/or nitrite. You need a min of 75% like Lady Hobbs said. One or two 75% WC would be better. Remember, an ammonia reading of 0.5 ppm is bad and a 50% WC reduces that to only 0.25 ppm which is considered a max. Within hours the fish produce enough waste to bump that up. By the next day in a small tank that can well exceed 0.5 ppm and be toxic.

WC when ever fish are dying should always be a min of 75%. Ammonia and/or nitrites must be zero or the filter is not cycled.

keep changing the water and measuring the parameters.

By the way, running a filter without a source of ammonia to feed it, does not cycle the filter. If it had bacteria they would all starve. You need to read up on cycling.

Best of luck

[Lady Hobbs]

Check the pH out of the tap, as well. That low pH is possibly causing a problem with the tank cycling properly. However, constantly removing the bacteria from the already too small filter for the stock is constantly disrupting the growth of bacteria.

The fact that your koi died to ammonia, as well, is even more reason to have another filter on that tank. That size tank is just begging for a canister filter AND a power filter as well as your stocking list.

[Indian Woods Angels]

I have never felt that one penguin bio wheel 350 or any other HOT filter device was really enough for a 55 gallon tank. I have always had redundant filtration in the form of either an Under gravel filter, a small under tank external cannister or an internal cannister unit. I could just never really get a good stable bed of bacteria with just the one unit. Even just adding a sponge filter seemed to give the tank better stability.

[jwelectric]

Well I have installed a canister filter, cycled 50% of the water and treated the water for Ick and the remaining four fish are swimming around all happy like.

Thanks to all for the advice.

Does anyone have any comments on the following fish in a 55 gallon tank;
4 - Gold German Ram, 3 - Red Gold Honey Gourami, 3 - Boesemani Rainbow,
3 - Turquoise Rainbow, 5 - Celebes Rainbow, 4 - Blue German Ram, 4 - Dwarf Neon Rainbow

I can buy these as a package deal but was wondering if anyone had opinions.

Again thank you all