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]

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?

[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?

Those sure be some large fish.

Sub-Adult Piranha:

Adult Piranha:


Hope They just got ornery Silver Dollars

[Taurus]

Sure its silver dollars and not pirhana?

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.