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Is it the fish or the filter?

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  leifthebunny 
#1 ·
Hey I currently have a 15 gal tank and cycling it with 5 large goldfishes, since they give out a lot of waste = faster cycling. I accidently bought an aquaclear 50, which is ment for a 20-50gal instead of a aquaclear 30. So I'm running the filter at the lowest setting possible. Currently I'm halfway done with cycling, the nitrites are spiking.

Now the problem is that ever since the ammonias have fallen that every morning i find one fish dead. The my main concern is how they died. I know that the ammonia levels and nitrite levels are leathal but every fish that has died has died in a different way.

1) Died, found stuck to the filter
2) Died, found at the bottom, i thought fishes were belly up
3) Died, found on top of the tank
4) Died, found stuck to the filter also.

There is one alive, and i might call him Darwin after this whole cycling but anyways.

Many questions were brought up by me.
1) Did my filter suck in my fish and that's how my fish died? This could be a possiblilty because i bought a stronger filter.

2) Did my fish just die and the filter somehow draged it over to it? S

3) Why did the fish that sank to the bottom instead of floating on top.

4) Why didn't the fish that was on top and bottom not get sucked in by the filter if the other two were sucked in? (Maybe distance of death from the filter?)

I was thinking of playing it safe and making some kind of protective shield so the fishes wouldn't get close to the filter but...i couldn't find one. I might have to just decorated it so the fish can't get near it.

What are your guys opinion on this?
 
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#2 ·
When my fish have died they have always either been sucked up towards the filter or settled somewhere on the ground. When the fish dies it will float round until it settles somewhere, but if it gets caught in the current from the filter, no matter how weak the filter is it'll probably "stick" to the side of the filter.

My guess is that they died of ammonia poisoning. Goldfish produce a lot of waste and in a tank so small I would think they wouldn't have lived very long.
 
#3 ·
Welcome to Fishforum.com.:wave:

I agree with Julie's statement. 5 goldfish=75 gallons required

What test kit do you use? In a 15 gallons, I recommend smaller fishes only but not until the tank has finished cycling. Danios or male platies are good to start with as both prove to be very hardy. The reason why I refuse to recommend females is the fact that platies can produce several fry and this will seriously coverload the tank.

Good luck.
 
#4 ·
Well i know that i overloaded the tank with fishes but that was because i thougth that if it put a lot of fishes in there that the ammonia levels would go up quicker. These were my cycling fishes, never considered keeping them after the cycling.

I use 3 test at the moment, API's Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates. The water is condition with Prime.

I'm just worried about the filter, and if it will suck/kill the fish i really want to put in.
 
#6 ·
AznAirLines said:
Well i know that i overloaded the tank with fishes but that was because i thougth that if it put a lot of fishes in there that the ammonia levels would go up quicker. These were my cycling fishes, never considered keeping them after the cycling.
The more fish you put in, the faster the ammonia will spike, but cycling is still cycling and by overloading the tank, it will be more harmful for the fish. If you want to cycle faster, use something like biospira or nitromax to help convert the ammonia, not increase ammonia production. The nitrifying bacteria only grows so fast. Doing a fish cycle should be done very carefully as it is a cruel way for a fish to die. The ammonia burns their gills and causes them other problems. This method of cycling should never be intentionally done.
 
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