Lotus is dead

[hueandcry71]

That is Lotus the 6" shark in my tropical fish tank. That is now 6 fish in a week that have died. Its like bloody Pet Cemetry in our house. It is so bad that my toddlers actually think that the fish belong down the toilet and not in the tank.

[Furyous]

30% water change.

Now.

Then do a full chemo test to see what the Nitrite/Nitrate/Ammonia levels.

[hueandcry71]

Furyous said:

30% water change.

Now.

Then do a full chemo test to see what the Nitrite/Nitrate/Ammonia levels.

Only had the tank 3 weeks.

I will do the water change tonight and take the water to be tested tomorrow at the pet shop. Are the remaining fish ok in there whilst i change some of the water and put cold back in??

[Rosso Rebel]

try and get the new water as close as the tank water temperature as possible, don't forget to add some water conditioner / de-chlorinater, and stop / drastically reduce their food until the condition of the water improves

[Tyrant]

hueandcry71 said:

Only had the tank 3 weeks.

There lies your problem. The tank should have been left to cycle for that amount of time before adding any fish at all.

Here's a website setting out the basics.
http://www.fishlore.com/FirstTankSetup.htm

[hueandcry71]

Tyrant said:

hueandcry71 said:

Only had the tank 3 weeks.

There lies your problem. The tank should have been left to cycle for that amount of time before adding any fish at all.

Here's a website setting out the basics.
http://www.fishlore.com/FirstTankSetup.htm

The kit that i bought said 10 days so i waited 10 days then put the fish in. I have just done the 30% change as suggested above and put some drops in that i just found in the bloody box. Should have been using them from the start apparently. My fish are now swimming around like Amy Winehouse after a good night out cos they have that many chemicals in there with them. I knew i should have bought the kids a budgie instead.

[Tyrant]

How big is the tank? As a general rule the smaller the tank the harder you'll find it to maintain healthy levels of nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. Your problem sounds like a combination of overstocking (one inch of fish per gallon is the norm) and introducing fish too early and quickly. It's likely that the hardier fish will survive but that doesn't mean your water will be good. I'd ask my fish store (not pets at home!) for the best course of action based on the results of the tests. It will inevitably involve lots of partial water changes though.

[hueandcry71]

Tyrant said:

How big is the tank? As a general rule the smaller the tank the harder you'll find it to maintain healthy levels of nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. Your problem sounds like a combination of overstocking (one inch of fish per gallon is the norm) and introducing fish too early and quickly. It's likely that the hardier fish will survive but that doesn't mean your water will be good. I'd ask my fish store (not pets at home!) for the best course of action based on the results of the tests. It will inevitably involve lots of partial water changes though.

Its a 60 litre tank that i bought from............pets at home. Bought all my fish there as well apart from the shark. Had 11 now got 5 with one showing suicidal tendencies. They all keep going to the same place in the tank to die. Its as if they are part of some religious cult.
When i had a tank as a kid they all floated to the top when they died. Not one has floated so far. Whats that all about??

[Tyrant]

It's a cult that many Pets at Home fish are a part of I'm afraid!
There are a few Maidenhead Aquatic stores in the northwest. They always offer good advice and healthy fish. If you have one not too far away they'll be a far better bet than Pets at Home.

http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/

[hueandcry71]

Tyrant said:

It's a cult that many Pets at Home fish are a part of I'm afraid!
There are a few Maidenhead Aquatic stores in the northwest. They always offer good advice and healthy fish. If you have one not too far away they'll be a far better bet than Pets at Home.

http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/

Thanks for the advice.

[Furyous]

Beaten to it really, sounds a classic case of new tank syndrome.

Dont know what filtration you are using, but most rely heavily on a natural bacteria in the filter to break down nasties.

These bacteria take time to colonise the filter.

As has been said, follw the links and read up.You may end up having to change the water evry other day if the tank is overstocked.

Any q's, mail us, Ive been keeping trops for 15 years.

F

[hueandcry71]

Furyous said:

Beaten to it really, sounds a classic case of new tank syndrome.

Dont know what filtration you are using, but most rely heavily on a natural bacteria in the filter to break down nasties.

These bacteria take time to colonise the filter.

As has been said, follw the links and read up.You may end up having to change the water evry other day if the tank is overstocked.

Any q's, mail us, Ive been keeping trops for 15 years.

F

Ont thing that i am concerned about is the lack of bubbles in the tank. The filter/pump thing doesnt throw any bubbles out. The fish keep going up and down to the top of the surface which is an obvious symptom. The pet shop reckon the pump is fine though??

[Furyous]

What size tank,filtration, quantity, size of fish.etc etc etc.....

[hueandcry71]

Furyous said:

What size tank,filtration, quantity, size of fish.etc etc etc.....

60 litre, Elite filtration,5 very small fish although there was 11 (not sure what they are called cos they were gifts for the kids from grandparents).
The ones that have died have been livebearers and a shark.

• my apologies to everyone who doesnt have the slightest interest in fish unless they are with chips and mushy peas.

[Furyous]

60 litres isnt very big, specially for a 6 inch shark.

Is the tank rectangular ?

Elite filtration ????
Is that undergravel, intrenal, external ????

My own tank is a 4 " 210 litre, and I would only reckon on keeping 1 fish that size.

See here for stock density...
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/sh...

[hueandcry71]

Furyous said:

60 litres isnt very big, specially for a 6 inch shark.

Is the tank rectangular ?

Elite filtration ????
Is that undergravel, intrenal, external ????

My own tank is a 4 " 210 litre, and I would only reckon on keeping 1 fish that size.

See here for stock density...
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/sh...

60 litres is 2 foot long by approx 1 foot deep.
The filtration is under water but above the gravel. It is stuck to the inside of the tank.
The pet shop reckoned 10/11 fish would be fine.

[Furyous]

hueandcry71 said:

The pet shop reckoned 10/11 inches of fish would be fine.

Would be more correct I reckon.

[siwil1]

As Already stated above too many fish in the tank and all far too early.

What gets me with these pets at home stores are that its obvious its a new tank and still sell you the Fish!

I take it your filter is a bacterial one in which case it needs to be "cycled" which takes about a month.

Remember when you change the water to use tap safe or an equivalent which removes the chlorine and calms the fish a bit. At this early stage do not clean the filters and when you do only use the removed water. After some initial hard work it will become a pleasure and easy to keep.

My red tailed black shark is called "LIZ" !

Good luck and stay away from pets at home at all costs, your local fish shop will be a much better source of info.

[Gooby]

hueandcry71 said:

Tyrant said:

hueandcry71 said:

Only had the tank 3 weeks.

There lies your problem. The tank should have been left to cycle for that amount of time before adding any fish at all.

Here's a website setting out the basics.
http://www.fishlore.com/FirstTankSetup.htm

The kit that i bought said 10 days so i waited 10 days then put the fish in. I have just done the 30% change as suggested above and put some drops in that i just found in the bloody box. Should have been using them from the start apparently. My fish are now swimming around like Amy Winehouse after a good night out cos they have that many chemicals in there with them. I knew i should have bought the kids a budgie instead.

There is the problem. You should have put in one or two fish to begin the nitrite cycle then in a week put a couple more fish. What water are you using? If it is tap water, then you have another problem. Use RO water then add minerals etc in a controlled manner, a good shop will provide the correct minerals etc for the aquarium. Also on a start up, ask someone with an established tank for some water, less than 10% is enough to get the basic "goodness". See if they will swap a small amount of filter media also (as long as you have a decent filter not some air powered box in the corner of the tank)

[Gooby]