NEED HELP FAST FISH ARE DIEING!!!!!

[Polaris_Rider]

i have a 55 gal aqaurium and i recently bought 2 bala sharks, 2 id sharks, 1 colubia shark, and 2 golden dojo loaches and then recently the colubia shark died about a week ago and yesterday the two loaches died and just hour ago i found 1 bala shark dead what is going on???? they just got ick to yesterday so im treating that right now i also have 2 small plecos and 1 very large pleco king about 14 inches long and do you think the pleco is killing the fish??? i've noticed that the dead fish had there fins all torn apart but i don't know what caused it!! the temp is set at 74 - 76 which should be perfect.i feed them the water in the tank is very clean what's the problem?????

 

[Devilishturtles]

How did you acclimate them? Was your tank cycled? What are the water parameters? How are you treating for ich? How are the other fish looking?

 

[Zagz]

If you are using meds to treat the ich, the meds may be killing the fish. Answer DT's questions so we can help you more.

 

[MattAquaBio]

Meds arent good for plecos. What are your levels like? it could be one of your levels spiking that is killing the fish. Did you add all of those fish at once? Plecos wouldnt kill your other fish, its more likely that the fish nipped at it after it was dead.

 

[Polaris_Rider]

ok im using regular ick medicine i got from the lfs says to put i drop per gallon. the other fish look healthy except for the ick on them. i put the ick med in after those other fish died.
and what do you mean by levels? and also im to familiar with "Devilishturtles" questions what do you mena by:How did you acclimate them? Was your tank cycled? What are the water parameters???

 

[SCFatz]

I see you are online so I'll suggest this before anything else.

Do a large water change.50% 0r 60%.Be sure to match the temp and declorinate the water.

 

[MattAquaBio]

Okay, acclimation means slowly adjusting the fish to the temperature. Usually done by floating a bag with the fish in it in the tank until the water IN the bag is teh same temperature is the water in the tank.
Your tank has to cycle for your fish to be safe. Fish produce waste. Your tank goes through three levels. First ammonia builds up to a spike and nitrite starts to go up as ammonia goes down, then when nitrite spikes nitrate starts to go up and nitrite starts go to down.
ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. Bacteria has to grow in your tank to convert the ammonia to nitrite, the nitrite to nitrate.
so levels would be the level of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the tank. When the tank is cycled it will be 0,0 and .20 ppm or less.
parameters=levels.
ick medicine is basically a poison that kills the parasites but that isnt strong enough to kill the fish. The problem is that plecos dont have scales are hit hard by the ick medicine just like inverts. So be careful with that. THe best route to go with ick is to increase the temperature to 87 and salt the tank with aquarium salt.
And also, how long has your tank been set up? What type of filter are you running? Do you have a heater? and did you use aquasafe or some other dechlorinator to treat the water?

 

[src]

Levels (or parameters) mean PH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates at the very least. Don't use the paper test strips, use a good liquid test kit (you can pick up a Freshwater Master Test Kit from just about any aquarium/pet store).

Cycling means establishing a colony of "good" bacteria in the tank, which turn harmfull ammonia and nitrites into less harmful nitrates.

Acclimation is the process of introducing your fish to the tank. Some people just float the bag in their tank for a few minutes then dump the fish in. This is generally not the best way, either for the fish or for the tank.

Not to be insulting, but it sounds like you are getting a serious crash course in what happens when you just throw fish and water into an aquarium.

 

[SCFatz]

A rather large but detailed article that explains the cycle:
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

Another link to the test kit you need imomaster kit)
http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...1152846081223&itemNo=2&In=Fish&N=2030068&Ne=2

 

[MattAquaBio]

thanks fatz, i couldnt find a link lol.

 

[SCFatz]

NP Matt.

Hopefully Polaris_Rider is right in the middle of a nice sized PWC right now.At that rate of die off it won't be long it will be an empty box of water soon if no corrective action is taken I'm afraid.

The problems are many Polaris_Rider...but they can be handled.It can seem a little overwhelming at first,but having a healthy tank is worth the learning curve imo.

First the tank wasn't cycled (of coarse you didn't know what that even meant) but its still a problem.....bacteria will have to develope to consume the inevitable ammonia and nitrites....that takes time and is a more difficult task when fish are present.
FWIW its probably a rather large ammonia spike thats killing your fish right now.That won't change unless you change a lot of the water as I suggested.

Also depending on the size of the fish when you started you sound as though you were over populated to me....that situation will make every water quality issue get worse faster.
Could you list the exact size and population of everything that has survived?

Lastly the ICH...this will kill em too...but is easily treatable.Get whatever heater you need to to get the tank to 87 degrees (not 86).Leave it that hot for two weeks AFTER the LAST of the ich is gone.Works great,I've done it twice with wonderful results.
Stop adding meds and get some carbon in you filter to remove it from the tank water...(the water changes will help there too).

What you need right now:Master test kit,Pehaps a higher wattage heater for the ich(try yours first but it may not get there),declorinater if you don't have it already,a carbon insert for your filter,and lots of water changes.
After that you need to spend some time asking questions and reading in the "getting started" forum.Ask about everything you do not fully understand....you will get an answer.Thats what these fine forums are here for..the finest around imo.

Don't let it get you down,change some water and get to reading...the journey has just begun.