Perplexed????

[Rozarious]

Hey,

I am at a loss, my tank set up is below, plus my stock. for the last week my fish, all diff species, have been dying at about 1 a day i have lost 5 fish, one juvy angel, 2 neon's, 1 BW tetra and 1 otto???

I have tested my water with my Master API chem kit 0 ammo, 0 nitrate, little high but acceptable nitrite.

320L tank
Eheim filter/heater combo
lights and air on timers
planted (live)
2 large rocks
rock cave
5 moss balls
large bogwood
some gravel as bay area the rest is black caribsea eco complete substrate

1 large female angel
4 golden barbs
2 cherry barbs
2 gouramies
4 BW Tetra
2 tiger barbs
8 neons
several yamatos

all of these have been living together for months, some years, no issues. I have made no changes to set up.

About a week ago i lost my adult large RTS :( he lodged himself under my large bogwood somehow and must of died of shock??? very sad...

A few days later i added 1 juvy male angel (as my large fem has been laying) and 3 ottos. within 2-3 days the angel died, then 2 neons, then 1 otto now today 1 BW Tetra. i have no clue why??

anyone have any ideas? me worried!

[DoubleDutch]

Did you possible mix up nitrates and nitrites? Nitrites shouldn't be there in a cycled tank, nitrates do !

[sheamurai]

Yes, there is no acceptable level of nitrites, tho low levels are not immediately toxic. But if you've had low levels of nitrites over a period of time, that may have slowly poisoned your fish. the dead fish may have been in there longer than you think, and started to decompose causing a spike? Or the fish you introduced brought some disease with them.

You'll want to get some of that water changed...when fish are dying, large water changes are always a good idea, regardless of whether or not you know what's causing the problem.

sorry to hear you are having difficulties after so long...it always comes as a surprise when things suddenly start to go wrong. You can never take tank health for granted!

[Rozarious]

mis typed, should read 0ppm ammo, 0ppm Nitrite, and to be specific its reading 20ppm nitrate.

HAve done a 30% change last night will do same tonight. Fish are def dying in the time frame im stating as im checking since the first died and im counting them each time so other than when im in work on weekdays (9-5) the fish have been taken straight out. So dont think its water parameters? I thought disease too because new fish went in from lfs last week, but i can understand the new fish dying quick as they would already be infected but my original stock i dying too, didnt think it would be that quick, the new ones only went in last Saturday?? However it has to be disease as dont see what else it could be, hmmmmm?? No visible signs though...will just have to ride it out with water changes dont see what else i can do. Dont have a tank big enough to decant them into.

[dutchy]

Do you quarantine the newly bought fish before placing them into your tank?

[talldutchie]

Disease shows symptoms. There's very few things that make a healthty fish keel over.

Poisoning maybe.

[Rozarious]

Do you quarantine the newly bought fish before placing them into your tank?

I don't, do you think it is vital to do so?

[Rozarious]

Disease shows symptoms. There's very few things that make a healthty fish keel over.

Poisoning maybe.

yeah, its so strange. I dont think disease as they are all fine all look as healthy as ever, active, colorful, eating etc. im testing the water every couple of hrs and readings are spot on every time. Ive done 2 water changes since Friday night. yesterday i got into the nooks and crannies of the rocks and wood,plants and sucked them out. Dont like to do that though as my yamatos like to live in these areas. also i have a few malasian trumpet snails and they are going about there business as usual and there not showing themselves in the day which i take to be a good indicator of the water quality as well. Today everyone seems fine no losses since yesterday afternoon so fingers crossed. I've checked everything, the only thing i havent done is take out my eheim and give that clean out, its not due yet though so dont know but i think i will open it up and see what it looks like.

Thanks all for the suggestions.

[dutchy]

I don't have a quarantine tank set up. I only have a 60g tropical community tank although recently in the last two weeks I have lost all 5 Congo tetras. They were added together 6 weeks ago. I have tested the water parameters and the PH is neutral (7) and the Nitrites are 0. I have had the tank set up for a couple of years and do regular changes between 40% - 20%.
I have 6 Black Widow Tetras, a large kissing gourami, and a Pleco about 25cm long that are doing great so I'm not sure why after a month I have lost my Congo Tetras one by one over the last 2 weeks. the last two days I have lost two of them :-(
I can't figure out the cause. I can only recall seeing one about a week ago looking pale the night it died but the others seemed to be eating.
Any Ideas?

How are the rest of your fish going?

Dutchy.

[Rozarious]

Feel your pain brother.

Mine are fine now thanks, haven't lost anymore and everyone looks good. Guess i wont ever really know what happened? I don't believe it was disease and my water has been stable throughout. Maybe my big angel got upset with the new additions and attacked? Do they even do that?? I will just chalk it up to experience.