New Tetras keep dying..

**pjaldave** · 05-02-2012, 07:47 PM

So I purchased 15 "Orange Von Rio Tetra" last week which i researched to be flame tetras and we're supposedly hardy fish.

So i did put them into the 10G QT and of course acclimated them. I have been monitoring the water parameters every other day and there seems to be no fluctuation at all, no ammonia and nitrites and 10ppm of nitrates, pH of 7.6 the same as every tank i have.

Sunday, 3 of them died, went back to Petland and got replacements. Monday 2 died, didn't go back, but on Tuesday 3 of them died again! Went back for replacement again. Today, found 5 dead, yet again...

I don't know anymore... Might it be the fish stock from the beginning? In my point of view I ain't doing nothing wrong though.

It seems though that they all died during the night (the ones that died), because when I get back from work, I usually don't see any dead fish, I only see bodies when I wake up in the morning. Why is this?

**escamosa** · 05-02-2012, 08:01 PM

What else have you got in the tank? Sounds like it could be aggression related.

**Cermet** · 05-02-2012, 08:06 PM

So you have a cycled filter on the ten gallon but could it handle that many fish? Before the bacteria kicked in and removed the ammonia buildup, could have had a mini-spike of ammonia or nitrite. That could kill weak fish.

Then another possiblity would be weak stock.

**Cliff** · 05-02-2012, 08:15 PM

My only guess would be a low oxygen level in the water or already weakened fish (bad stock) from the store.

Just a wild guess tho

**pjoo1120** · 05-02-2012, 08:16 PM

Do all the fish look fine before they die? Sorry to hear about your troubles. Sounds like bad stock. Are they all from the same shipment from the store you're getting them from?

**escamosa** · 05-02-2012, 08:26 PM

Sorry, are they dying in the QT tank, or after you move them?

**pjaldave** · 05-02-2012, 09:25 PM

They are still in the QT and they are all dying in there. I don't plan in moving them anytime soon. Maybe after 3 weeks if they will survive that long.

Low oxygen might have done them in, but then, i have lots of water agitation from my 2 cycled HOBs.

@cermet - I put prime when i did put them in. plus i tested 8 hours after (because i had to work) I put them in and there's no ammonia and nitrites. after that, i tested every other day and i see nothing..

@pjoo - i think they are all from the same shipment as pet stores in here, may it be petland or petsmart, gets their stock every wednesday afternoon. and yes, they look fine before i see the bodies.

**ScottishFish** · 05-02-2012, 10:16 PM

As someone said maybe aggression related? How about just keep this lot in QT for 3 weeks, then add them to tank, then QT some more to make the final numbers up? Prevents you having 15 fish all in a 10g QT

**pjaldave** · 05-03-2012, 01:45 AM

there's no other specie in the QT than them. How would this be aggression related?

**escamosa** · 05-03-2012, 02:31 AM

There is a possibility that there might be a fair amount of aggression between them. 15 fish in a 10g tank is quite a lot. Yes, they're a schooling species, and yes, they're only tetras, but even though it may not look like the tank is overly crowded and the fish are regarded as being quite placid, you put that many of any species in a confined space, and there'll be aggression. Even with tetras, a higher female to male ratio is probably still the way to go, if you can tell them apart. I think that the aggression is more times than not overlooked in tetras, because they're usually in a large school, in a large tank, where the school can break up here and there, if two or three of them start to get nippy towards the others. Maybe next time, you might like to think of introducing 6 tetras, then a further 7 or 8 - or the other way around.