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Tetras randomly dying

3K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  kei0520 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey guys,

I've just started a new tank about 4 weeks ago, and I've run into a bit of a mystery...

It's a 29G fresh water tank, fitted with T5 high lighting, Flourite Black, water Wysteria, java moss, and dwarf baby tears. Temperature is at 75F/24C. I've got a hang on the back Aqueon filter with carbon media that's been running for 3 weeks, and the water has treated with dechlorinater at the recommended dosage. I introduced some neon tetras to the tank recently, and things got weird.

They're perfectly fine for the most part. Active, colorful, and hungry. But every once in a while, I'd observe one stranded fish stay near the surface, gasp for air for a couple of minutes, then finally freak out and die. The odd thing is, the school is not gasping for air on a regular basis. Most of them stay together toward the bottom half of the tank. It's been a few days, and I've lost 4 in this fashion.

What could be the cause of this? I mean, if the water is that toxic, shouldn't they all have died when I introduced them to the tank? It's been days, why be fine and then suddenly gasp for air and die?

Please halp!
 
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#2 ·
What are the water parameters? It sounds like the ammonia could be high... (ETA: ammonia poisoning wouldn't necessarily kill them all at once... it will take out the weakest ones first)

If they are new, sometimes they are just weak-- either from transport, or from the care at the petstore. Also, most places have some sort of a policy-- you can bring back your receipt, dead fish, and a water sample and they will replace them.
 
#3 ·
You were right for the most part. Turns out my tank was in the latter half of its cycling process, and nitrate + nitrite were pretty high, which means when the fish first went in, ammonia was still probably dangerously high. After a few water switches the tank seems to have stabilized. Haven't had a death since my post.
 
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