Dead Fish

[ReverendShmoove]

I've had 2 fish die in less than a week. In my estimation, as a beginner, my tank has never looked healthier. Had cloudy water for several months but that went away & I was told that can be normal. My fish look good & happy. If I had 3 dogs & 2 popped off in a week I'd be worried. Do fish sometimes just die like that? You know what I mean.

 

[ComHam]

Is the tank cycled, what size is it, when did you last do a water change etc.

 

[ReverendShmoove]

Is the tank cycled, what size is it, when did you last do a water change etc.

The tank has been up for 4 months, water changed a week ago.

 

[Balloon Fish]

The tank has been up for 4 months, water changed a week ago.

so does that mean its cycled? and if fish are dying then that means your tank isn't that healthy and you have either too much stress in there or toxins causing your fish to die. Oh and also your like 15in overstocked, what does your nitrates usualy get up to before you do a water change? its probably not a problem yet but it could be later on.

 

[FroggyFox]

Yeah...it helps us to know if you've tested the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels and let us know what those are. Sometimes fish will die for no apparant reason, but if you have more than one die for no apparant reason I'd be pretty worried about the conditions of the tank. When was the last time you added a new fish to the tank?

I would agree that the tank seems to be very overstocked...this could lead to buildups of ammonia/nitrite or nitrate depending on how much could be lethal if you dont do very thorough, regular tank maintenance (gravel vac and big water change once a week).

 

[ReverendShmoove]

so does that mean its cycled? and if fish are dying then that means your tank isn't that healthy and you have either too much stress in there or toxins causing your fish to die. Oh and also your like 15in overstocked, what does your nitrates usualy get up to before you do a water change? its probably not a problem yet but it could be later on.

From what I've been led to believe you are allowed an inch per gallon. More than one pet store has told me that algae eating fish don't count against your inches, within reason. So the cat fish, the otos & the pleco all suck on the glass. Knife is 5", shark is 4", 3 corys @ 1 1/2" each is 4 1/2", 5 tetras @ 1" each is 5". If my math is correct thats 18 1/2" in a 21 gallon tank. Now if what I've been told about the algae eaters is wrong please tell me. Please do it quickly though, because I have 2 1/2" of fish to buy.

 

[ReverendShmoove]

so does that mean its cycled? and if fish are dying then that means your tank isn't that healthy and you have either too much stress in there or toxins causing your fish to die. Oh and also your like 15in overstocked, what does your nitrates usualy get up to before you do a water change? its probably not a problem yet but it could be later on.

Yes, it is cycled.

 

[Balloon Fish]

algae eaters count. they poop too.

 

[derajer]

Algae eaters definately count, the farlowella might now quite count in the same way because of their unique shape. When you say 21 "actual" gallons what is the "nomial" size and shape of your tank? 29? Also, what type of fish died? What did their bodies look like? What type(s) of filtration do you use?

 

[discus4everGrl]

all those that the pet store told you don't count most certainly count. Not only do they "poop too", but all fish excrete ammonia out their gills as waste products which one of the ways ammonia is introduced to the tank. The one inch per gallon rule has been greatly discounted my most serious aquarist. I can understand why some people just want a plain and simple way of know how many fish they can have. The formula that I have seen that makes the most actual sense goes like this

L x W divided by 27 for freshwater or divided by 47 for saltwater

This formula basically says that each inch of a freshwater fish needs 27 square inches of oxygenated water to grow properly. So a 30 inch by 12 inch aquarium should be able to hold 13 inches OF FULL GROWN FISH

However, for anyone here to get a good picture of whats going on in the tank you should test your water and post ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings. I suspect it is a water quality issue. Did your fish display any weird symptoms like loss of color or listlessness prior to their deaths?

 

[Timbo]

Get a test kit (4 or 5 in one ) Test for Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and pH, at least. It sounds like water quality is a problem.. As a n emergency measure do a 25% water change anyway. Is the filtration good. Usually the tanks are supplied with a filter which is "Adiquate" getting one that is one or two sizes bigger is never a bad idea, especially when the tank is quite well stocked.
My small tank came with a fluval 2+ included, It is "Understocked" and running a fluval 4+ at the moment and I would be happy to drink the water myself.

 

[ReverendShmoove]

Algae eaters definately count, the farlowella might now quite count in the same way because of their unique shape. When you say 21 "actual" gallons what is the "nomial" size and shape of your tank? 29? Also, what type of fish died? What did their bodies look like? What type(s) of filtration do you use?

An oto, which I had just purchased died & a peppered cory. Corpses were in fine shape, un eaten even. Biofilter, can recall the kind I'm not at home right now, Walmart purchase.

 

[Balloon Fish]

otos are weak fish to begin with and i wouldn't be suprised if some died, dont know about pepper corys though but since its a walmart purchase i think its cause of the stress

 

[ReverendShmoove]

otos are weak fish to begin with and i wouldn't be suprised if some died, dont know about pepper corys though but since its a walmart purchase i think its cause of the stress

Thought the only one stressed at walmart was me.

 

[discus4everGrl]

Walmart hasn't been shown to actually hire anyone for the pet department that knows about fish IMO