Did my fish drink the "magical kool-aid?"

[cjldad]

Dang.. I've now lost 8 fish over a week span..

First started out after getting 3 pineapple swords. First was one of the pineapple a couple days after getting them. Thought he may had been lost due to travel shock to the lfs.

Next was an orange platy that had been in the tank for over a year which made me question what was going on..

Did a 60% water change, vac'd the rocks and did a wipe with my magnet on the glass and added the small green killing machine UV sterilizer. During all of the cleaning, another pineapple decided to die. Filled the tank back up, and a few of the platies were at the top looking for air and the others were just sitting on the bottom. No biggie, as I thought they were probably upset from the water change.. (Nothing looked out of the ordinary when doing a PWC)

Come back from two days of being away and I have 5 floaters. All platies. 5 Tetras, 3 ghost shrimp, and one left over pineapple sword doing well.. I check my water params and there was .25 ammonia (I'm guessing from the dead fish) and approx 10ppm Nitrates.. Ph and everything looked to be within spec as well.

I'm lost as to what happened.. Did the UV sterilizer upset something? Did my platies hate the pineapple sword so much they took their life? It is a mystery to me...

And yes, I made sure to dechlor my water......

 

[neilanh]

I don't think the UV did anything here. It sounds like you may have inadvertantly introduced some contaminants to the tank prior to the first death. Perhaps the new pineapples brought something in with them.

When you acquire new fish, after you acclimate do you introduce just the fish to the tank, or do you dump in the LFS water too?

 

[cjldad]

I scoop out of the bag, dab the net on a few folded up paper towels then place the net in the tank..

It was just a bummer because the ones that died last had been there from the beginning..

 

[BigJim]

That's a rough way to put your fish in the tank. I prefer drip acclimation, but at the very least, float the bag and add a little tank water to the bag to let the fish get used to the water parameters.

 

[cjldad]

That's not what was asked.. I was asked how I get the fish to the tank..
I acclimate my fish well..

 

[BigJim]

Sorry about that. I misread neilanh's question.

 

[cjldad]

No sweat!

However, two of my left over tetras have now passed as well.. One last night and one tonight.. I see no signs of stress or anything. Just come In and another will be dead..

My other tank is doing well, no loss there...

Water still tests good.. I'm soooo confused....