Platy's all died

[trickey280]

Once a week we take our water in to be tested at the LFS. This is a good store, our tank was 3 days old and we tried to buy fish. We knew nothing of cycling and only a few fish at a time. We asked for fish and they asked right away how long our tank was up and running. We told them and they said they couldn't sell us any fish because it was too soon. We were told come in, in a week week and a half with a water sample. any we did all that and slowly introduced 3 platys, 5 neon tetras and 2 other kind of tetra, they are pinkish.

Well within 3 days all of our play's died. One had been going up into the corner and just sitting there, he also lost color but was normal size. The other 2 were females, which I thought were pregnant. I woke up one day and a female was dead no warning. then the male died, then today the other female. The females I thought were pregnant they were a little larger but swimming good and not losing color. All other fish are fine.

Does anyone know what it could be? Thanks.

 

[TAL]

Ammonia is my first guess.

ETA: cycling should take between 4-6 weeks and you can test it yourself

 

[trickey280]

would that affect the platy's only? We are getting a test kit this weekend. Too overwhelming looking at all the meds and water stuff.

 

[TAL]

would that affect the platy's only? We are getting a test kit this weekend. Too overwhelming looking at all the meds and water stuff.

Some fish can be more sensitive than others....but desease could play a part which is why there is a whoile routine recommended for adding in new fish.

Others wil likely have more thorough info for you but if you hang around and read you will learn a TON!

What are the stats on the system you have?

 

[unwritten law]

The tank cant get cycled if you don't add ammonia some how.. like by having fish, or by adding pure ammonia, from like a grocery store. With out ammonia, the good bacteria you need cant grow, and can't deal with the ammonia found in fish sh*t. I'm guessing that you just still dont have a cycled tank and you added too many fish at once. Maybe the tetras will make it but get a master test kit and test regularly... daily 10-15% water changes may be needed.

 

[sombunya]

Maybe the tetras will make it but get a master test kit and test regularly... daily 10-15% water changes may be needed.

Agree. A test kit is much easier (and probably cheaper in the long run) than going to the LFS.

I've never done a fish-less cycle, rather I buy the good bacteria in a bottle and then do water changes, keeping the tank in question lightly stocked and lightly fed. I think the highest the Nitrites went was to .5 ppm. Ammonia also stayed low. It was there, but very low.

 

[brian1973]

The tank cant get cycled if you don't add ammonia some how.. like by having fish, or by adding pure ammonia, from like a grocery store. With out ammonia, the good bacteria you need cant grow, and can't deal with the ammonia found in fish sh*t. I'm guessing that you just still dont have a cycled tank and you added too many fish at once. Maybe the tetras will make it but get a master test kit and test regularly... daily 10-15% water changes may be needed.

unwritten law has got it

...when u took the water sample in it showed up good because the cycle hadn't begun because it did have a catalyst..you added fish and they pooped and that started your tank cycling. Read the stickies in the beginners forum to give u guidance on getting through this..or take a water sample to your pet store with the fish and explain that your tank wasnt cycled as you thought and u would like to return them until your tank is properly cycled. You may have to explain what you learned here...just FYI a fully cycled tank will show normally show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 to 40 NITRATE, with 40 being the highest you ever really want it to go. Well good luck.

WELCOME TO THE TANK.

Dont be afraid to ask questions most of us have made many of the same mistakes you have or will make..lol

 

[trickey280]

Yeah I will be getting my own test kit. What should the levels be at? I have the tetras and I forgot I have a pleco, he's only 2 inches long. I have a 29/30 gal tank, what else would be good to go in there? Also I have been reading other post and it says the filter has the bacteria that needed in it so how do I go about changing my filter? Thanks.

 

[TAL]

What kind of system do you have?

Im kinda new to all this but what I basically learned was that....

put fish in water.....poop and extra food breaks down into ammonia.

Some nice bacteria developes that turns the ammonia into nitrites.

SOme other nice bactyeria develops that turns nitrites into nitrates.

A properly cycled tank will have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites and about 5-40 ppm of nitrates that you get rid of through water exchanges.

So my guess is on your fish you added them in, the ammonia built up but the nice bacteria had not developed yet and the ammonia built up and killed some of your fish. SOme fish can withstand the cycle process, some cannot.

There are other things to test for but the API mater kit (or any other) and the test kit will tell you what the acceptable ranges are.

 

[unwritten law]

you dont want to change your entire filter at once, usually there are 2, 3 or more parts, which bacteria can grow on... along with all the other decoration/surfaces in your tank. To clean it just take out the first part, give it a good washing, then like in two weeks, do the other part.

You dont want to clean your gravel/substrate the same time you clean your filter tho cause it can stir up alot of ammonia and bad stuff and your filter needs the bacteria on it to take car of it.

 

[MissFishy]

Before you go any farther, please take the time to read either the sticky cycling thread or the cycling article on my website linked below. You will save yourself lots of money and heartache by understanding this process before you go any farther.

 

[TAL]

Before you go any farther, please take the time to read either the sticky cycling thread or the cycling article on my website linked below. You will save yourself lots of money and heartache by understanding this process before you go any farther.

Good point by the Fishy.

When I read them the first time I was a bit overloaded with how much I did not know or understand about fishkeeping but it won;t take long for it all to make decent sense.

 

[trickey280]

Thanks for everything, I am trying to take it all in (the beginners guide). I asked my husband if he had done anything tot he tank and he said he used our new vacuum on it and he rinsed the filters along with a water change. So I am thinking it was too much for the platy's. All the other fish are fine. The tank seems empty without my big gold platy's. the neon's are so small that I hardly see them unless they are in a group and the pink ones like to hide together so if you look at the tank it looks empty.

We have a 29/ 30 gal tank. We are just using the whisper filter and aerator and heater. I want to get the hang of it before we invest big time.

 

[Surprise_Clown_Loach]

...and he rinsed the filters along with a water change. ..

Was tap water used to clean out the filters, if so, most likely ALL your bacteria was killed, (clorine in tap water kills "good" bacteria") and your tank went though another cycle, causing an ammonia spike, and killed off some fish.

Sorry for the loss.

When you rince filters, always use the old tank water. Never use untreated tap water on your filters you plan to reuse. (unless you want to kill off the bacteria.. which would be

 

[sombunya]

Dont be afraid to ask questions most of us have made many of the same mistakes you have or will make..lol

I know I have!