[happy_nurse]

Hi

We would really appreciate some advice!

We recently purchased a 20 uk Gallon 80 Lt tank, we cycled it before adding fish using quick start stuff we bought at the fish shop, left it for a week then started adding fish over a period of 3 weeks with no problems.

The tank is a jewel and has a 4 stage filter, we tested the water before we added new fish and then every couple of days and all levels remained within normal range…

We ended up with:-

2 x Dwarf Gourami
2 x Platy’s
2 x Rainbow Fish
2 x Black Mollies
2 x Sword Tails
5 x Female Guppies
5 x Male Guppies

Total 20 small fish which we were advised would be fine in a tank this size.

Aprox a week after adding the last fish we fed them some live food for a treat (we bought the food from the local aquarium shop which has a good reputation.

Then it all went wrong…..

1 Gourami died 3 days later we tested the water and the ammonia had gone through the roof. We did daily water changes and 2 days later lost the other Gourami, I know this is because of the ammonia problem as I was told they are sensitive.

By then the water had sorted itself out and all levels were back to normal, then the guppies started dying for no obvious reason we have lost 1 a day since first all the females and today we lost a male. There is no obvious sign of illness although they act strangely swimming at the top of the tank and the next morning the fish is dead. None of the other fish in the tank are effected

Please Help

Lucy & Michelle

 

[happy_nurse]

Answers to your question

Hi

Thanks for the reply

Test Results:-

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 8

Nitrate 3

General Hardness > 16

Carbonate Hardness 6

PH 7.2

The fish that seems marked for death goes to the top of the tank and gulps air the night before he/she dies but none of the other fish do. The tank has a filter pump and I also have a separate air pump with 2 lines and air stones to assist with oxygenating the water.

The fish are fed once a day but literally a tiny bit at a time and only what they will eat.

We use a dechlorinator and let the water stand for a while before we add it to the tank

Regards

Lucy & Michelle

 

[happy_nurse]

Umm

Thanks for the reply Blue

Now we have a problem I have looked on the net and think I have identified the rainbow fish as

1 X Lake Kubutu Rainbow
1 X Banded Rainbow

The aquarium shop we bought them from was aware of the size of the tank we had and that we planned to stock with smallish fish both of these were aprox 3 cm when we got them.

We did plan to look for some more rainbow Fish to join our two but were adding stock slowly

Now we are a bit stuck as to what to do…….

On a brighter note I read test kit wrong and it was .8 but now has settled at 0

However we only have 1 guppie left and we are still quite worried about him and the other fish as we have no idea what killed them all

Any thoughts on our problems greatly appreciated

Lucy & Michelle

 

[happy_nurse]

Hi

We just wanted to say thanks for all your help

We ended up loosing all our guppies 8 in total but the other fish were fine

And yesterday we had our first babys our sword tail we managed to rescue 4 from being dinner for the other fish and they are now doing well in a breading trap

Water quality is now perfect so I guess the tank has sorted itself out.

As for the rainbow fish they are currently still small and we are trying to work out where we can put a bigger tank

Regards

Lucy & Michelle