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Perfect parameters, Fish dying.

5K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  mangisda 
#1 ·
I have a planted 150 gal with atleast 50 neons, few corys, ottos ,snails, shrimps, SAE, cherry barbs, 1 big angel, and what used to be 6 small angels. Now that is out of the way, here is the situation. MY ANGELS ARE DYING at the rate of 1/day. I've had them for 3 weeks now. I'm thinking if there is something wrong with my water, the neons would go first. But the neons are perfectly fine. Still, I checked the ammonia and nitrates, both are zero. Temperature never changed. The only new thing I did before they started dying was add 6 Silver Mollies. Don't think they could physically do any harm to my angels.

Could anyone please tell me their thoughts on this. Thank you.
 
#2 ·
How long has the tank been set up for? Did you add all then angels at once or was the big one in there before the smaller ones were introduced? What type of test kit are you using to check your parameters? Are there any type of chemicals that you use other than water conditioner in this tank? Did you notice any unusal behavior from the angels before they died, or anything unusal with them when found dead?
 
#3 ·
The big angel I've had for 2 years now. He was from my 55gallon. He never showed aggression to any of his tank mates. The 150gal is up for almost a year now. The neons and the big angel were the first occupants of the 150. The 6 angels were added all at the same time. I use Aqueon water conditioner. Amonia, Nitrate and Nitrite Test kit is from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. PH is from Red Sea. They just looked weak right before they die. But few hours before they die, they eat like nothing is wrong. Fins are perfect, no ick, tear or anything weird.
 
#4 ·
I'm thinking along similar lines to what Barb alluded to I believe, and that is that your elder angel may be killing the others. Three weeks is about right if this is the case. It doesn't take actual physical attacks, it can be more "psychological." If the large angel considers the tank his home (which angels who have been in a given tank for a period of time frequently do), the presence of other angels will be seen by him as an invasion of his territory. The smaller angels can detect this "thinking" and be so stressed out that they die off. In the wild they would simply swim off to other areas, but that option is not available in the aquarium. And the chemical signals fish send out remain in the water. Have you noticed any interaction between the large angel and any of the others, however insignificant it might be? If they remain close together as a group, large and smaller, that would suggest they are compatible; but if not, well...

The above is one option. Another is that the new arrivals were diseased or have health problems. That does happen too.

Byron.
 
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#5 ·
You might be right Byron. They use to swim together and right after i read your reply i observed them and the remaining 2 little angels are staying at the corner of the tank. If those 2 dies I might get rid of the big one too.

Can anyone suggest any big fish that won't eat my neons? Biggest and most mellow is what im looking for.
 
#6 ·
It is not easy to find "big" fish that can be kept in relatively-small tanks with smaller fish. The limited (to the fish) tank space keeps the smaller fish like neons in the face of the larger fish, so they are more likely to go after them in some way.

Keyhole Cichlid might be one; certainly a single Bolivian Ram.
 
#9 ·
The chinese algae eater makes for a bad community fish. They have been known to suck the slime coat off of other fish in the tank, and the disc shape of the angelfish body will attract them. If he has not started going after the slime coat on the other fish yet, it is very probable that he will in the future. This can cause sores on your other fish and will eventually lead to death of the fish.
 
#11 ·
also one other thing i have read somewhere is that other fishes that produce a lot of waste
the waste becomes toxic to the angels

since u have a 150 it might not be being filtered properly
but ya know im still a noob so idk
 
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