Lost some fish

[Nick]

This is my first post. I've had a couple pretty sucessful aquariums
since about 1996 or 1997. Right now I have a 10g and a 30g. I had 3
tetras in the 30g when I decided to take the tetras out of the 30g and
put them in the 10g.
Then I picked up 5 tiger barbs and an algae eater from the pet store
and put them in the 30g. Using the normal routine of letting them get
used to the water temp and not mixing any pet store water with my tank
water.

After a couple days, the fish looked stressed so I figured that maybe
I overloaded the tank and I did a 25% water change. After a couple
more days, they still looked stressed, by stressed, a couple hanging
behind the heater, a couple inside the log and none of them doing much
swimming. So I did another 25% water change. A couple days later, the
algae eater was dead. I did one more change and the next day I went to
the pet store for new test kits, mine expired in 1998 and I haven't
really had the need for them. The store didn't have the kits and when
I came home, I lost tiger barb, so by now I only had 4 barbs left. I
Over the next couple days I was able to got a PH kit and it came out
to 8.0 and a ammonia kit which showed 0 ammonia, the store did not
have nitirite. Since I didn't have all the kits, I rinsed the filter
sponge out in used tank water and put new carbon bags in.
It took me 3 stores to find a nitrite kit over the next couple days
and by then, I lost the rest of the fish. when I tested nitrite, that
was 0 also.

I'm running a whisper 3 filter on the back and the tank temp is 79
degrees.

Any ideas.

The tetras in the 10g tank are fine and both tanks use the same water,
etc. When I do water changes, I do it with well water from the tap at
the same temp as tank water and neutrailzed with Stress Coat, I also
put a couple tea spoons of fresh water salt in with each change.

I'm hoping someone will have some ideas because I'm stumped and the
tank is now sitting there empty.

[RedForeman ©®]

> This is my first post. I've had a couple pretty sucessful aquariums
> since about 1996 or 1997. Right now I have a 10g and a 30g. I had 3
> tetras in the 30g when I decided to take the tetras out of the 30g and
> put them in the 10g.
> Then I picked up 5 tiger barbs and an algae eater from the pet store
> and put them in the 30g. Using the normal routine of letting them get
> used to the water temp and not mixing any pet store water with my tank
> water.
>
> After a couple days, the fish looked stressed so I figured that maybe
> I overloaded the tank and I did a 25% water change. After a couple
> more days, they still looked stressed, by stressed, a couple hanging
> behind the heater, a couple inside the log and none of them doing much
> swimming. So I did another 25% water change. A couple days later, the
> algae eater was dead. I did one more change and the next day I went to
> the pet store for new test kits, mine expired in 1998 and I haven't
> really had the need for them. The store didn't have the kits and when
> I came home, I lost tiger barb, so by now I only had 4 barbs left. I
> Over the next couple days I was able to got a PH kit and it came out
> to 8.0 and a ammonia kit which showed 0 ammonia, the store did not
> have nitirite. Since I didn't have all the kits, I rinsed the filter
> sponge out in used tank water and put new carbon bags in.
> It took me 3 stores to find a nitrite kit over the next couple days
> and by then, I lost the rest of the fish. when I tested nitrite, that
> was 0 also.
>
> I'm running a whisper 3 filter on the back and the tank temp is 79
> degrees.
>
> Any ideas.
>
> The tetras in the 10g tank are fine and both tanks use the same water,
> etc. When I do water changes, I do it with well water from the tap at
> the same temp as tank water and neutrailzed with Stress Coat, I also
> put a couple tea spoons of fresh water salt in with each change.
>
> I'm hoping someone will have some ideas because I'm stumped and the
> tank is now sitting there empty.

My first guess would be maybe the water between your LFS and you are
different enough to cause an osmotic shock, or maybe they run CO2=lower pH
than yours, and your 8.0 pH sent them over the edge...

again, other than that, I'm just guessin'

....sorry....

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!! ==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
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is that better??

[Dinky]

"Nick" > wrote in message
om...
| to 8.0 and a ammonia kit which showed 0 ammonia, the store did not
| have nitirite. Since I didn't have all the kits, I rinsed the
filter


Things I'd think about:

1: 8.0 is pretty high for a freshwater community tank. Most fish can
become acclimated to it over time, but I doubt the place you bought
your fish had a PH of 8.0.

2: What's in the tank? Something is making that water very high in
ph, are your other tanks the same? Think about the decor in the tank,
could something be affecting water quality?

Sounds like you're doing most things right, hope you find the aswer.

billy

[Dick]

On 8 Apr 2004 12:00:57 -0700, (Nick) wrote:

>This is my first post. I've had a couple pretty sucessful aquariums
>since about 1996 or 1997. Right now I have a 10g and a 30g. I had 3
>tetras in the 30g when I decided to take the tetras out of the 30g and
>put them in the 10g.

A couple of questions: How long has the 30 gallon tank been set up
and why did you move the tetras?

>Then I picked up 5 tiger barbs and an algae eater from the pet store
>and put them in the 30g. Using the normal routine of letting them get
>used to the water temp and not mixing any pet store water with my tank
>water.
>
After moving the Tetras, did you change anything in the 30?

>After a couple days, the fish looked stressed so I figured that maybe
>I overloaded the tank and I did a 25% water change. After a couple
>more days, they still looked stressed, by stressed, a couple hanging
>behind the heater, a couple inside the log and none of them doing much
>swimming. So I did another 25% water change. A couple days later, the
>algae eater was dead. I did one more change and the next day I went to
>the pet store for new test kits, mine expired in 1998 and I haven't
>really had the need for them. The store didn't have the kits and when
>I came home, I lost tiger barb, so by now I only had 4 barbs left. I
>Over the next couple days I was able to got a PH kit and it came out
>to 8.0 and a ammonia kit which showed 0 ammonia, the store did not
>have nitirite. Since I didn't have all the kits, I rinsed the filter
>sponge out in used tank water and put new carbon bags in.
>It took me 3 stores to find a nitrite kit over the next couple days
>and by then, I lost the rest of the fish. when I tested nitrite, that
>was 0 also.
>
>I'm running a whisper 3 filter on the back and the tank temp is 79
>degrees.
>
>Any ideas.
>
>The tetras in the 10g tank are fine and both tanks use the same water,
>etc. When I do water changes, I do it with well water from the tap at
>the same temp as tank water and neutrailzed with Stress Coat, I also
>put a couple tea spoons of fresh water salt in with each change.
>
>I'm hoping someone will have some ideas because I'm stumped and the
>tank is now sitting there empty.

A sad tale to be sure. If the 30 gallon tank has been running fine
with the tetras and has been set up for months then I would imagine
the problem is with the LFS. Even though a PH of 8 is high, your
tetras had no problem with it (I am guessing). If the 30 has been up
for years then the "Old Tank Syndrome" might be the problem. I know
nothing about this condition that what I have read, but I gather that
over long periods of time a tank can become toxic, but the existing
fish have adapted.

I would switch to a different LFS to buy next fish and I would buy
something cheap and hardy like guppies to test the tank as it is
setup. If the new fish do ok, then I would work up to what you really
want.

Please let us know how things go, yours is a very scary tale as you
seem to have down the right things.

[Nick]

"Dinky" > wrote in message et>...
> "Nick" > wrote in message
> om...
> | to 8.0 and a ammonia kit which showed 0 ammonia, the store did not
> | have nitirite. Since I didn't have all the kits, I rinsed the
> filter
>
>
> Things I'd think about:
>
> 1: 8.0 is pretty high for a freshwater community tank. Most fish can
> become acclimated to it over time, but I doubt the place you bought
> your fish had a PH of 8.0.
>
> 2: What's in the tank? Something is making that water very high in
> ph, are your other tanks the same? Think about the decor in the tank,
> could something be affecting water quality?
>
> Sounds like you're doing most things right, hope you find the aswer.
>
> billy


There's nothing in the tank besides platic decorations. I have not
checked the PH in the other tank, but I assume it's the same. I'll
check it. I think I forgot to mention that I run off well water and
when I introduce fish, I spend extra time blending the water in the
bag a little at a time to try and not to shock the fish too bad.
I'll check the ph in the other tank and the ph from the faucet and see
if they are 8 also.
At this point, I'm pretty stumped other than maybe the barbs don't
like the ph level and the tetra's are ok with it. If I can't come up
with any other ideas (i'm going to talk to the guy at the LFS also,
it's the same store I buy all my fish from) I'm probably just going to
empty the tank and clean everything and start from scratch, and either
use a filter from teh 10g to start the tank or just start a whole new
cycle.

Thanks,
Nick

[Nick]

Dick > wrote in message >...
>
> A couple of questions: How long has the 30 gallon tank been set up
> and why did you move the tetras?
The tank has been setup since 1999. I moved the Tetras because I
thought the Tiger Barbs would be too aggressive towards them and kill
them.
>
> After moving the Tetras, did you change anything in the 30?

No, I didn't change anything
>
> A sad tale to be sure. If the 30 gallon tank has been running fine
> with the tetras and has been set up for months then I would imagine
> the problem is with the LFS. Even though a PH of 8 is high, your
> tetras had no problem with it (I am guessing). If the 30 has been up
> for years then the "Old Tank Syndrome" might be the problem. I know
> nothing about this condition that what I have read, but I gather that
> over long periods of time a tank can become toxic, but the existing
> fish have adapted.
I never heard of "Old Tank Syndrome" I'll have to check it out.
>
> I would switch to a different LFS to buy next fish and I would buy
> something cheap and hardy like guppies to test the tank as it is
> setup. If the new fish do ok, then I would work up to what you really
> want.
I agree

>
> Please let us know how things go, yours is a very scary tale as you
> seem to have down the right things.
That's what has me stumped, I thought I did all the right stuff.

[Nick]

I'm thinking since the tank has been without fish for a week or so and
I'm goig on vacation, I'll just start over when I come home. I'll
dismantle everything and give everything a thorough cleaning.
But, I have a filter question.
My 30g has a whisper 3 filter which has two foam filters in it, can I
take one of the foams out and put it behind the foam in my 10g tank
for a couple of weeks and then use it on the 30g when I set it back
up.

Would this keep me from having to recycle the tank. Since I should get
some growth from it running in the 10g tank?

Thanks,
Nick

[Dinky]

"Nick" > wrote in message
om...

|
| Would this keep me from having to recycle the tank. Since I should
get
| some growth from it running in the 10g tank?
|


Yep. Other than my newer sal****er tanks, I haven't had to do a full
cycle in a couple years. I just plop some filter media from the
filter I'm going to be using into an established filter for a week or
so. I usually get a mini cycle when I add fish, but it's much easier
and my fish endure much less stress.

billy